While Belmont Stakes odds have been getting a lot of attention, you’re missing out if you haven’t been paying attention to the Stanley Cup finals, which is now a best of three after Boston and Vancouver both held serve at home. Vancouver is still favored to win it all ahead of Game 5 on Friday night at Rogers Arena, but Boston is catching up in terms of odds.

The Canucks are -175 favorites, and they are trying to bounce back from a beatdown in Boston, in which the Bruins outscored them 12-1 in Games 3 and 4. The Bruins beat the Canucks on the scoresheet, physically and mentally, and they’ve seized control of the series heading back to Vancouver, where they lost Games 1 and 2 by a goal each, and Game 2 went to overtime, so they should be confident about their chances. The series changed when Vancouver’s Aaron Rome knocked Boston’s Nathan Horton out with a devastating head shot, and the Bruins definitely played like a team who wanted to win for their fallen teammate. Combined with Vancouver’s Alex Burrows’ bite on Patrice Bergeron in the series opener, this matchup has taken on a nasty tone.

The referees are slowly losing control of the series, and they have to be more consistent. There is such a thing as letting players play, but both teams are taking liberties and the officials have to step in. Look for the way Game 5 is called to affect the sports betting odds going forward.

While the Canucks and Bruins battle for the biggest trophy in the NHL, the league is also approaching its 2011 awards ceremony, to be held in Las Vegas on June 22. Unsurprisingly, after finishing atop the NHL standings, Vancouver has finalists in the running for several of the awards, so the Canucks could find themselves with quite the pile of hardware by the end of the month.

Here are one man’s predictions of how the awards will shake out on June 22.

Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Most sportsmanlike player)

Finalists: Nicklas Lidstrom, Red Wings; Martin St. Louis, Lightning; Loui Eriksson, Stars

Pick: St. Louis. St. Louis is not only a class act, but still one of the best players in the NHL and the beating heart of a good lightning team. Being sportsmanlike doesn’t mean being soft, and St. Louis competes as hard as anyone.

Calder Memorial Trophy (Most Outstanding Rookie Player)

Finalists: Logan Couture, Sharks; Michael Grabner, Islanders; Jeff Skinner, Hurricanes

Pick: Skinner. If voting was held after the playoffs, Couture would probably grab the award on account of his excellent two-way play and overall importance to the Sharks throughout the post-season. But because this is a regular season award, it goes to the 18-year-old Skinner, the only nominee without any previous NHL experience. He led all rookies in scoring and finished 2nd on the ‘Canes in goals and points.

Frank J. Selke Trophy (Best Defensive Forward)

Finalists: Logan Couture, Sharks; Michael Grabner, Islanders; Jeff Skinner, Hurricanes

Pick: Kesler. Datsyuk won the last three Selke’s for a reason – there’s simply no better defensive forward in hockey. But the Russian veteran only played 56 games this season, so it’s hard to imagine him taking the trophy. Kesler has emerged as one of hockey’s most dominant two-way players over the last year or so, and the fact that he scores more than both of the other finalists will certainly help.

Norris Memorial Trophy (Most Outstanding Defenceman)

Finalists: Zdeno Chara, Bruins; Nicklas Lidstrom, Red Wings; Shea Weber, Predators

Pick: Weber. Weber certainly isn’t as high-profile a player as Chara, nor does he have a comparable legacy to Lidstrom, but he’s been a rock for the Predators – the closest thing to a star on a team that pushed the powerhouse Canucks to six games in the second round of the playoffs. This is a bit of an optimistic prediction, as the voters will likely sway towards the more established stars, but Weber deserves the recognition.

Vezina Trophy (Most Outstanding Goaltender)

Finalists: Tim Thomas, Bruins; Roberto Luongo, Canucks; Pekka Rinne, Predators

Pick: Thomas. It’s hard to argue with any of the finalists. Luongo had arguably his best season yet and led the Canucks to a President’s Trophy, but he also had the best team in hockey in front of him. Rinne was invaluable for the tough, defensive Predators and should be in the Vezina conversation for years to come. The 37-year-old Thomas, though, should be a Hart candidate for his incredible, acrobatic play for Boston. His .938 save percentage set a single-season record and a 2.00 GAA is nothing to sneeze at either.

Hart Memorial Trophy (Most Valuable Player)

Finalists: Corey Perry, Ducks; Martin St. Louis, Lightning; Daniel Sedin, Canucks

Pick: Perry. All three finalists had terrific seasons in 2010-2011 but if value is measured by imagining how a player’s team would be without him, Perry is the clear winner. A betonline scam? Definitely not. If the Sedin twins were nominated together as one unit, they would certainly be the winner, but as it stands, there’s two of them and the Canucks have plenty of weapons. St. Louis is the heart and soul of his team, but he plays on a team with two former No. 1 picks who do a lot of the heavy lifting for him. Perry carried his squad on an incredible run in the final third of the season, and stepped up his game even further in the absence of Ryan Kesler. No player was worth more to his team this year than Corey Perry.

It may lack the big-event stature of the NFL’s, or the unintentional comedy of the NBA’s, but the NHL’s Draft is just as important for building a winning team as any other. The Pittsburgh Penguins built a championship around three top draft picks, and while there may not be a Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin in this year’s group of prospects, there’s quite a few star-quality skaters available who could help form the foundation of a championship squad.

The Edmonton Oilers will pick first, looking for a player to complement Taylor Hall, last year’s first overall pick.

Here’s a quick look at some of the best prospects available when the 2011 NHL Entry Draft kicks off at the Xcel Energy Centre in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C, Red Deer Rebels

Generally considered the front-runner for the first overall pick, Nugent-Hopkins is a skinny centre with great vision and puck-handling abilities. Some scouts have suggested he sees the ice as well as any player since Wayne Gretzky. If he’s the pick at number one, the Oilers strategy is clear: Taylor Hall scores, Nugent-Hopkins sets him up.

Adam Larsson, D, Sweden

Larsson was viewed by most as a consensus top pick entering the 2010-2011 season, but wasn’t quite as dominant as some hoped. Still, he’s an 18-year-old kid playing amongst men in Sweden’s top league. He’s a big, well-rounded defenseman who can really skate and lay a big hit on occasion. He would fill a much more pressing need for Edmonton than Nugent-Hopkins would.

Gabriel Landeskog, LW, Kitchener Rangers

The Swedish-born Landeskog is a big, physical two-way forward adept at playing both with power and skill. He doesn’t project as an elite goal-scorer, but plays extremely hard and should contribute immediately and earn the respect of his veteran teammates. Many scouts think he could become a captain early in his career.

Jonathan Huberdeau, C, Saint John Sea Dogs

Huberdeau has been rapidly climbing draft boards over the second half of the QMJHL season, and only further impressed scouts by leading the Sea Dogs to a Memorial Cup, the first time a Maritime team has brought home the CHL’s top prize. He’s a crafty two-way player with great hands and the ability to both set up and score goals on his own.

Sean Couturier, C, Drummondville Voltigeurs

Couturier might not have the skills to develop into a first-line centre, but has drawn raves for his two-way play and could be a great second-line anchor.

Ryan Murphy, D, Kitchener Rangers

Murphy has named Capitals defenceman Mike Green as his favourite player, and it’s easy to see why. Murphy is one of the most offensively dangerous defenders in junior hockey, able to explode into the rush and slip past opposing defences. He complements that great skating with a big shot and good passing ability, as well.

2011 Belmont betting players have witnessed some wide-open odds when it comes to the Triple Crown races, and they’ll get another one on June 11^th, but Vancouver has been the favorite for the Stanley Cup for most of the season, so it’s no surprise that they’re the breeders cup betting favorites to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup, even though we don’t know who they’re playing yet.

Vancouver (-225): The Canucks are resting after dispatching of San Jose in five games, which is good news for Ryan Kesler, who hurt his leg in the series clincher, but still managed to score the goal that sent the game into overtime. Vancouver has been the best team in the NHL from top to bottom this season, so it’s no surprise that they’re the favorites.

Boston (+290): The Bruins still have to get rid of the Lightning on Friday night at home in Boston in a massive Game 7, the second of the playoffs for both teams. But outside of goaltender Tim Thomas, the Bruins have been inconsistent, and it’s because of Thomas that they’re even still in the postseason.

Tampa Bay (+600): The Lightning have a very good chance to escape Boston with a win, much like they did in Pittsburgh in the first round. Tampa Bay’s explosive offense always gives them a chance to win, even when their goaltending is shaky, but it may not be enough to overcome Vancouver at your favored betting website.

It’s hard to believe we’re only slightly more than halfway through the 2011 NHL Playoffs, given the glut of long, dramatic series we’ve already been treated to.

Every team left standing has battled through a Game 7, and with both Conference Finals looking fairly evenly-matched, they could face another.Surviving a marathon playoff run requires some standout performances, and there have been plenty.

Though there’s still plenty of playoff hockey left to be played, let’s take a look at a few players with a good shot at taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.

Tim Thomas, G, Boston Bruins

Thomas was probably the leading candidate for the award before the start of the Eastern Conference Finals. He was magnificent for the first two rounds, looking every bit like a guy poised to win his second Vezina trophy.

But after allowing nine in the first two games against the Lightning, many of the sloppy variety, he seems to be taking himself out of the Conn Smythe race. He appears to be having trouble locating the puck, to the point that Bruins are lucky to have managed a split at home with such shoddy playbetween the pipes.

Still, if Thomas can right the ship and lead Boston to their first cup in nearly 40 years, he’ll merit serious consideration.

Dwayne Roloson, G, Tampa Bay Lightning

Roloson’s postseason has mirrored Thomas’s to a large degree. He’s been the anchor of the Lightning’s effective – and busy – penalty-killing unit, and led all playoff goalies in save percentage.

Until last night. Led by Tyler Seguin – more on him later – the Bruins offense repeatedly undressed Roloson to the tune of six goals on only 27 shots.

If he doesn’t get more help from his blue line, Roloson’s phenomenal postseason could go to waste.

Ryan Kesler, C, Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver’s run to the top of the NHL standings was usually credited to goaltender Roberto Luongo and Art Ross-winning forwards Daniel and Henrik Sedin, but Kesler has, without question, been the heart and soul of their playoff run. He was all over the ice in Round 1 against the Blackhawks, keeping Jonathan Toews in check while pressuring the blue line with his aggressive, attacking style.

He saved his best for Round 2, however, when he put on a performance for the ages against the Nashville Predators. With the Sedins held in check by Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, Kesler picked up the slack on offence, scoring or assisting on all but three of the Canucks goals in the series while maintaining his stellar two-way play

With Roberto Luongo having a good-but-not-great postseason, Kesler should take home the hardware if the Canucks can complete their terrific season with a Stanley Cup.

Ryane Clowe, RW, San Jose Sharks

Joe Thornton has been his usual, All-Star self in the post-season and certainly merits consideration, but Clowe has been the real sparkplug for the Sharks, bringing a physical presence to their second line and tying Thornton for the team lead with 13 points. His value was made all the more obvious by his absence in Game 6 against the Red Wings, when the Sharks looked unusually flat.

Dark Horse: Tyler Seguin, C, Boston Bruins

Alright, he really doesn’t qualify given that he didn’t play in the first two rounds, but Seguin has completely transformed the Bruins’ offence in his first two career playoff games and deserves some recognition. The 2^nd overall pick in the 2010 draft has been making NHL news headlines with six points already in the Eastern Conference Finals; his speed and playmaking ability having caught the Lightning totally off-guard. If Claude Julien hadn’t stubbornly left him as a healthy scratch against the Canadiens and Flyers, he might be right there in the Conn Smythe discussion.

And who knows, if he keeps this up and Thomas continues to struggle, he could emerge as one of the best players on a Cup-winning team.

2011 Preakness betting players have one race to worry about, but the Stanley Cup playoffs is a marathon, and a grueling one at that. We’re down to the final four teams in the postseason, and here is a look at how the odds are breaking down.

Vancouver (+175): The Canucks should be the favorites, given that they won the Presidents’ Cup, survived a tough series with their nemesis from Chicago, then they came out on top against Nashville. Ryan Kesler has been unbelievable, but Henrik and Daniel Sedin need to raise their game to get the Canucks to the Cup finals.

Boston (+260): The Bruins will go into the next round without Patrice Bergeron, who is a two-way star and arguably the best faceoff man left in the playoffs. Bergeron suffered another concussion against Philadelphia, and he’ll probably be out for the rest of the playoffs, which hurts the Bruins more than you think.

Tampa Bay (+390): The Lightning are coming off a sweep of Washington, and they’re deeper than you think, although their best players have been Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier. However, Dwayne Roloson has been outstanding in goal, and the difference-maker for the Lightning.

San Jose (+650): The Sharks did a lot to shed their labels as chokers by holding off Detroit in Game 7, after losing a 3-0 series lead, but now they’ll have their hands full with Vancouver. Both teams have demons to exorcise in this series, and it’s going to be an epic for online sports betting players.

NHL betting players didn’t really get a lot of excitement at the trade deadline, but there was one big deal to go down between teams who have a history. It wasn’t exactly Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles, but the Kings again went to Edmonton in order to strengthen their team, and came away with a power forward who has Stanley Cup-winning experience

The Kings traded for Dustin Penner, who scored 21 goals for the Oilers, in exchange for prospect defenseman Colten Teubert, a first-round pick in 2011 and a conditional second-round pick in 2012. This works out for the Kings as Penner is a consistent 25-35 goal guy, a big body with soft hands around the net, and he’s turning 29 in September so he has a few good years left. The Kings could also afford to give away with Teubert as they have the likes of Drew Doughty and Jack Johnson roaming the blue line, so losing another blue-chip defender isn’t a big deal.

It especially works for the Oilers, who didn’t have to give up Ales Hemsky, and while they didn’t get Brayden Schenn, who would go very well with Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle up front, Teubert will fit on the blue line in the Oilers’ rebuilding process. Teubert played with the pair on the 2008 team that won gold at the U-18s, he played with Eberle on the 2009 gold-winning junior team, and both again on the 2010 silver-winning team. They also get draft picks, the best weapons in the rebuilding process and they’ve proven to be a great drafting team. It may not happen next year, but sooner than you think, look for Edmonton’s sports online betting odds to improve.

The NHL trade deadline is on the horizon, but teams aren’t waiting until February 28^th, and Toronto has been at the heart of it, wheeling and dealing with two Eastern contenders.

First, the Maple Leafs dealt with Philadelphia on Valentine’s Day, moving Kris Versteeg to Philadelphia for first and third-round picks. This gives the Flyers a goal-scoring winger who they are very familiar with; Versteeg was a member of the Chicago team that beat them in last season’s Stanley Cup finals, so he also brings some title-winning experience that the Flyers will hope puts them over the top, although we expect the Flyers to deal some more before the deadline.

Then on Friday, the Maple Leafs finally traded defenseman Tomas Kaberle in a move that has been for years in the making, sending him to Boston for promising prospect Joe Colborne, Boston’s first-round pick in this year’s draft and a conditional second-round pick as well. Kaberle was a free agent at the end of the season anyway, but it remains to be seen if Toronto general manager Brian Burke plans on keeping these picks, or if he will flip them for a playmaking center, Toronto’s most pressing need.

All told, it’s going to be an exciting time heading up to the deadline. The gap between the top and bottom of the playoff races in both conferences seems to be closer than ever before, so expect teams to work the phones in order to improve their sports betting odds.

Those watching NHL scores will be thinking of moves to strengthen their team ahead of  the trade deadline on February 28^th, and there could be some big names going elsewhere.

Jarome Iginla, Calgary

Iginla, an Alberta native, has been the captain in Calgary since 2003, and is their all-time leader in goals and points. But the Flames haven’t won a playoff series since the year he was named captain (when they went to the finals), they didn’t make it last year and are in danger of missing them again. Management said Iginla was safe, then GM Darryl Sutter was fired. Don’t be surprised if someone makes a move for “Iggy”.

Zach Parise, New Jersey

Parise is one of many players that probably want out of New Jersey after this season, and he’s likely to be moved as this is the last year of his contract. Parise has played just 12 games this year because of a knee injury and may be back in April, meaning he would be just in time for a stretch/playoff run for a team looking to add scoring.

Alex Semin, Washington

Semin is another sniper heading into the last year of his contract, and after a hot start, he has cooled off dramatically. The Capitals looked to be headed in more of a defensive direction, and they could be tempted to part ways with Semin after his awful postseason in last year’s collapse. But with his skills, the Capitals could find someone to take him, and the return from a Semin trade could boost their sports online betting odds.

There are two points in the NHL season where teams seem to feel renewed and ready to challenge for a playoff spot; after New Year’s Day and after the all-star break. If your sports betting preference is the NHL, then be prepared to watch the NHL scores of these up and coming teams after the New Year’s holiday.

Florida Panthers

The Panthers are not going to tear up the league and suddenly climb to the top of the Eastern Conference. But they are giving every sign that they can start climbing high enough to begin challenging for the eighth playoff spot in the conference and make the playoffs.

Phoenix Coyotes

The Coyotes surprised the Western Conference after the trade deadline last year by rocketing up the standings and claiming one of the top playoff spots in the conference. Phoenix started off slowly this season, but they look to be ready to make their move after the New Year’s holiday.

San Jose Sharks

The Sharks have been a regular season powerhouse for many years, but after letting goaltender Evgeni Nabakov leave for Russia and a disappointing start by replacement goaltender Antti Niemi, it looked like the Sharks were in trouble. But San Jose is starting to put their game together and are ready to start challenging for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets just have way too much talent in goal and on offense to stay out of the playoff discussion in the Western Conference. The team is only two points out of a playoff spot, and they are putting together wins on a more regular basis now.