For a top-four finish, Chelsea remain firm in the hunt along with Tottenham Hotspur, who beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0 at White Hart Lane with goals from Rafael van der Vaart and Kyle Walker and took fourth spot on 62 points ahead of Newcastle (62) and their London rivals (61).

Torres produced three incisive finishes to add to his late goal at Barcelona on Tuesday, which eased Chelsea into a Champions League final with Bayern Munich. He was a forlorn figure at Stamford Bridge for much of the 15 months since his £50 million move from Liverpool.

In the first half, the Spaniard struck twice after the home side had led through Daniel Sturridge’s goal after just 46 seconds and John Terry’s header. On 64 minutes, Torres completed his hat trick by side footing past Paddy Kenny from Juan Mata’s pass. This goal had owner Roman Abramovich high-fiving the fans around him.

By virtue of better goal difference than Newcastle, Spurs returned to fourth place while Chelsea – 6-1 winners over QPR earlier on Sunday, are a point behind them. Leaders Manchester United (83 points) and second-placed Manchester City (80) are guaranteed Champions League places next season. Third-placed Arsenal (66) is in pole position to secure the last automatic slot. Fourth place would secure Tottenham a preliminary qualifying spot too.

Chelsea would take the last qualifying spot, if they beat Bayern in the final next month and finishes outside the top four. Therefore, it is no longer certain the fourth-placed team will get into the Champions League qualifiers.

Blackburn were left second bottom in the table and three points from safety with two games remaining. They did not match a shot on target all match. Spurs could have managed to go in front before they took the lead in the 22nd minute. Tottenham, who had won just one time in their preceding nine games, sealed the triumph their supremacy deserved 15 minutes from time when Walker twisted in a stunning free kick from 25 yards.

The Devils have solved their offensive problems. They have won three games in a row. In the last two games, they have scored a combined 11 goals. Over their previous eight games, the Devils scored 11 goals total. In the 5-0 win over Carolina, David Clarkson scored his 30th goal of the season Saturday. He expected to play, although he did not practice Monday. Rookie defenseman Adam Larsson will likely be a healthy scratch for the fourth straight game, while Johan Hedberg is expected to get the start against the Islanders.

After the first period Sunday, Coach Jack Capuano was so fed up with his forwards that he chose to send out five defensemen for a shift in the second period. The Islanders had only 11 shots on goal and lost the game, 5-1. Over the weekend, the Islanders gave up a combined 11 goals in back-to-back losses to Ottawa and Boston. Over the Penguins, they entered the weekend on a three-game winning streak, including consecutive 5-3 decisions.

Over the last two games, Ilya Kovalchuk has 5 points. This season, he has 80 points in 74 games. In four of the last five games, Zach Parise has points and goals in three of the last five. In the last two games, Islanders center John Tavares has 3 points. He is 2 points away from 80 and 3 assists away from 50. He has 31 goals.

Islanders’ goalie Evgeni Nabokov has a lower-body injury and he has missed the last two games. The Devils are still without defenseman Henrik Tallinder (blood clot). For the first time since Alexander Mogilny, Patrik Elias and Petr Sykora all did it in 2000-01, the Devils now have three 30-goal scorers (Kovalchuk and Parise as well), with Clarkson reaching the 30-goal plateau Saturday. The Devils will also have three 70-point guys for the first time since Mogilny, Elias and Sykora each had more than 80 in 2000-01, if Parise picks up 4 more points.

Over the last two months, Hedberg has played in only five games. He is 4-0-1 with two shutouts, which includes one against the Islanders. This season, he is 2-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average in two games against the Islanders.

The best NHL betting odds for this game have the Islanders 17/10 and the Devils 1/2.

Monta Ellis has contributed to one of the team’s longest win streaks in a decade in his first two games with the Bucks. He might have a chance Thursday night based on some of his previous games against the Boston Celtics, although he is yet to produce the kind of scoring performance he has been known for. Ellis will try to end their four-game skid against the Celtics and lead the Bucks to a seventh straight win.

Ellis is one of the league’s top scorers and he had 18 points in his debut Friday, with a 120-98 road victory over his former club. During that win, Ellis was one of six players in double figures and during a 116-87 rout in Portland on Tuesday. Drew Gooden led the way with 19 points, while Ellis had 14 points and nine assists.

Since an eight-game run from Jan. 8-21, 2002, the Bucks are one victory shy of their longest streak, and against the Celtics, Ellis will try to help by continuing his recent success. In his last five games versus Boston, he has averaged 27.4 points. Last March in Boston, he 41 points and 37 in a home win over the Celtics on Dec. 28, 2009.
Celtics team is on a season-high and has split its past eight games. By holding off Atlanta 79-76 on Monday, Boston avoided a third straight defeat on its lengthy trek. This win strengthened its hold on seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

The Celtics nearly blew a 15-point lead in the final 2:57. They are now three games ahead of the Bucks. Since learning Jermaine O’Neal will miss the rest of the season following wrist surgery, Boston shot 39.2 percent in its first game. Coach Doc Rivers said that he is trying to make their team understand that there is no margin for error in NBA.

Without O’Neal, River’s team managed to beat Milwaukee 102-96 on Feb. 29. Rajon Rondo recorded one of his career-high four triple-doubles this season, and Kevin Garnett had a season-high 25 points and 10 rebounds in that win.
Gooden (23 points) was the only other player with more than 10 points, although Ersan Ilyasova led Milwaukee with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Gooden was named the Eastern Conference’s player of the week Monday. Gooden will definitely look out for strategies to avoid a third straight home loss to Boston. The Bucks might need to limit Paul Pierce to earn that victory. During Pierce’s last two games in Milwaukee, he 23.5 points on 60.0 percent shooting (18 of 30).
Oddsmakers from online sports book have the Boston Celtics 7/5 while Milwaukee Bucks 11/18.

Closer to the race, which goes May 20, NASCAR odds for this event will be available.

All-Star race was no different last year. On his teammate Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin threw a block, causing him to damage his car and later blow a tire. Behind Denny Hamlin’s hauler, an irate Kyle Busch parked his wrecked racer and waiting inside until he could confront Hamlin.

In the race, it is a typical incident which awards no points. For a total of 90 laps this year the All-Star Race will feature three segments, such as; a 50 lap segment and two 20 lap segments with a fourth and final 10-lap shootout at the end. Not to alter the format NASCAR agreed with the track’s decision.

This year, who are the favorites to win the All-Star Race? Even though for this race it is always good to find long shot, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson will be the favorites in Las Vegas. For the All-Star race who will be a long shot. To be a long shot heading into the race, look for Mark Martin or Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Because Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not automatically qualified and he may have to win the Open, he should be a great price. There is also a fan vote, no fear Dale Jr. fans. Dale Earnahrdt Jr. will be in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race, rest assured.

Mark Martin will be another long shot to consider in this race. This will be his last chance to win this race in Hendrick Motorsports equipment as he will go off at 25-1.

In NBA Betting the Heat are a 5-point, -220 moneyline favorite and the over/under total is 182.5.

The Boston Celtics hope to return to take another shot at winning the title as they were the representatives for the Eastern Conference in the Finals last season. They struggled a bit towards the end of the season and there are some concerns that the Celtics may not have it in them to take on teams like the Heat and the Bulls during the playoffs while they have looked good for the better part of the season.

Having a younger, quicker team, the Heat will definitely have the advantage and they have 3 stars on their team. In the NBA in the open court Wade and James are two of the best players. They will capitalize for some easy buckets as they will try to beat the Celtics back on defense. In this series the Heat will need James and Wade to step up and play like they are 2 of the best players in the NBA.

The Celtics dominated the season series as a result as during the season James and Wade did not exactly play at their highest level against the Celtics. In this series the Celtics need to try to employ a similar game plan.

By hitting 3 point shots to help carry the Heat through tough times during the game, Chalmers stepped up at times during the last series for the Heat. The Heat will be difficult to beat if Chalmers has a couple of similar games during the series.

In horse racing betting odds, Dialed In is at 5-1 odds to win the Run for the Roses.

Robert Lapenta is the owner of Dialed In and he has chosen the famous Nick Zito to prepare the horse for his career.

There is no reason to count him out just yet while there are other horses out there with more experience than this horse. In the field, Dialed In has already emerged as one of the top horses. He has already won three of the four races that he has taken part in while his career has just begun.

Mineshaft, who has already shown the ability to produce winning offspring, was the father of the horse. Though, Dialed In is different than the other horses that have come from Mineshaft. On a closing ability which Dialed In relies heavily is matched by few horses in the world. Dialed In seems to get better the longer the race is as he has the ability to catch his opponents from behind.

Even though Dialed In be a good pick for those people that are looking for a solid horse to follow, he will have to face the best horses in the world at the Kentucky Derby. He is the type of horse that can never be counted out of a race with his great speed down the stretch.

After trailing the first set to register a 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-2 win over the in-form local player, the World No 90, Sania made a sparkling comeback. Vania happens to be Sania’s previous doubles partner.

Through qualifying route, Sania had entered the main draw and she got the better of Alison Riske 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in her opening round of the $ 721,000 hard court event. For a spot in the last eight, Sania will next play the winner of the match between wildcard entry Sabine Lisicki of Germany and fourth seed Marion Bartoli of France.

In the opening round match, Sania and her Russian partner Elena Vesnina will take on second seeds Lisa Raymond and Liezel Huber in the doubles event. For a spot in the last eight, Sania will fight it out with either fourth seed Marion Bartoli of France or German wild card Sabine Lisicki. In their second round today, Lisicki and world number 10 Bartoli will clash.

In straight sets 6-4, 7-6(7), American tennis player Vania King defeated Russian pro Vera Dushevina in her opening match at the 2011 Family Circle Cup. In a little over an hour and three minutes, she shocked viewers by upsetting the higher-ranked player.

Over Alize Cornet of France, Swedish tennis player Sofia Arvidsson scored a victory. Arvidsson defeated Cornet in three sets 6-4, 2-6, and 6-3. To attain this win, she took a little over two hours and six minutes.

To have a big day in California, look for Marcos Ambrose as well as A.J. Allmendinger. This track will bring out the best in them and their engine package as the two Richard Petty Motorsports drivers have done well this year.

As two drivers that have the potential to run up front and be in the top five at the end of the race with a chance to win, the Roush Fenway drivers will be the favorites in NASCAR Odds published in online betting sites when NASCAR rolls into Fontana led by Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth.

Another driver who will be tough to ignore on the sweeping two mile oval is Greg Biffle. His team will have to pick up the pace if they want to win this weekend as he has struggled with pit issues this year.

Tony Stewart is the best driver with a chance to win in California not driving a Ford. California is a track he has run well in the past as Stewart is on the edge of putting together the best season of his career. After finally checking the track off his list in 2010, Stewart may take down his second win in Fontana.

For sixth place at 152, India were expected to take advantage of home course but were tied. With Gauri Monga carding the best for India with a one-over 73. With a one-over 73 at the treelined Delhi Golf Club, Gauri Monga led India’s charge. To play very well on the back nine and card 79, 12-year-old Aditi Ashok overcame early jitters. With 152, Indians were tied for sixth.

All over the world, Hyo has been dictating the women amateur scene, birdied all the par-fives. She was playing for the first time cost her a few shots and due to non-acquaintance with the course, she hit the ball long and straight. She said that her approach shots helped her a lot and she putted well. Hyo dropped bogeys on 15th and 17th and she was four-under with four to play, before picking a birdie on 18th for a 69.

Gauri said that she muddled up three holes and paid the price for it with three bogeys. After going into the rough and bushes, she bogeyed the eighth, 12th and 16th. As she made up towards the end, Gauri had birdies on the 15th and 18th. She reached in three after hitting a driver off the tee and following that up with a 5-wood and on the 15th she had a good 15-footer for birdie and then on 18th she birdied from six feet and had a good chip onto the green. The finish made her feel good.

Trainer Steve Asmussen said this week that, Tapizar will be taken to Kentucky, where noted thoroughbred veterinarian Larry Bramlage will perform surgery on the injured knee.

Asmussen did not give an estimate on how long Tapizar would be out of training though as of Tuesday, the horse was still in California. He said, “It’s very, very disappointing. I feel bad for everybody involved.”

Winchell Thoroughbreds is the owner of Tapizar. On Jan. 15, Tapizar won the Grade 3 Sham Stakes over 1 1/16 miles by 4 1/4 lengths. At Santa Anita last Saturday, however, the horse finished a disappointing fifth as a huge horse racing betting favorite (3/10) in the Grade 2 Robert Lewis Stakes over 1 1/8 miles.

Even though Tapizar faded through the final furlong to finish 6 1/4 lengths behind the race’s winner, Anthony’s Cross, he led by as many as 2 1/2 lengths in the first half of the Lewis.

For total winnings of $110,632, Tapizar, a colt by Tapit, had won two of six starts. At Churchill Downs in November, Tapizar won his maiden race in his fourth start, by 10 1/4 lengths.