Sports Picks & Predictions

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Sharks -

This is a great spot to back the Sharks as a small home favorite against the struggling Bruins. San Jose comes in having won two straight and are team that when they get going they are very difficult to stop. Boston on the other hand can't buy a goal right now. The Bruins are averaging a league-worst 1.50 goals since Nov. 12 have not scored on the power play in eight straight games. Hard to see them breaking out of their slump against a San Jose team that is giving up just 2.5 goals at home, where opponents are averaging just 24.7 attempts. This is also not a great scheduling spot of Boston, who will be playing their 3rd straight on the road in the span of just 4 days.

Bruins are just 2-5 in their last 7 when playing a 3-in-4 and just 1-4 in their last 5 on the road. Sharks on the other hand are 50-22 in their last 72 home games and 98-47 in their last 145 home games against a team with a losing road record. These trends combine to form a 69% (157-72) system in favor of the Sharks. Take San Jose!

3* Canadiens/Wild NHL Main Event on Wild -

This is a great price and spot to back the Wild, as Minnesota is a strong 7-3 at home this season. While they come in off a tough 2-3 loss to St Louis, they are 6-3 over their last 9 games. Montreal on the other hand has lost 3 of 4. It's also worth noting that this is the Canadiens 4th game in 6 nights, while Minnesota comes in on a much-needed 3-days off.

The Wild are 21-10 in their last 31 home games against a team with a winning record, 18-4 in their last 22 home games when playing only their 2nd game in 5 days and 13-2 in their last 15 home games when revenging a loss of 2 or more goals. These trends combine to form a 76% (52-16) system in favor of the Wild. Take Minnesota!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Lightning -

Tampa Bay comes into this contest on a 4-game winning streak, which has seem them score 16 goals to improve their league best average to 3.6. The Lightning come in off a 6-3 win over the Rangers last night and I just don't see Buffalo being able to keep pace with their division rivals, even at home. While Tampa Bay features one of the top offenses, the Sabres are one of the worst, as they ranked dead last in goals/game at 1.67 and power play percentage (7.2%).

Adding to all of this is a strong system telling us to fade the Sabres. Teams that are off 2 consecutive 1-goal wins over a division opponent, who are playing their 3rd game in 5 days are 53-82 against the money line since 1996. That's a 61% system in favor of the Lightning. Take Tampa Bay!

4* Eastern Conference Game of the Month on Blue Jackets -

This is the perfect spot for Columbus to put an end to their 6-game losing streak against the visiting Panthers. Florida was able to pull off a win at home over Ottawa last time out, but remain one of the worst teams in the league. The Panthers had one of their better offensive performances of the season and yet still managed just 3-goals. Not a big surprise considering have scored a mere 44 goals all season. The Blue Jackets are desperate for a win and have dominated this series with 7 straight wins over the Panthers.

Road teams who are coming off a close win of 1-goal or less over a division rival against an opponent off a close road loss by 1 goal are just 19-47 against the money line over the last 5 seasons. That's a 71% system in favor of the Blue Jackets. Take Columbus!

4* NHL No Brainer Game of the Month on Canucks -

The Canucks come into this contest on a roll, as they are 5-1-1 in their last 7 and are currently tied for 4th in the Western Conference with 30 points on the season. Columbus on the other hand is tied for last in the Eastern Conference with just 14 points. Vancouver hasn't had any problem taking their success on the road, where they are 8-3-0, while the Blue Jackets are a mere 3-7-1 at home. The big key here is that the Canucks have owned this series, going a dominant 13-1-2 in the last 16 meetings.

Columbus is 2-12 in their last 14 home games against teams who average 3+ goals/game, 2-11 in their last 13 after allowing 3 goals or more in 2 straight games and 0-7 in their last 7 after scoring 2 goals or less in 2 straight games. There's also a great system in play. Road favorites of -200 or less off a home shutout win, who have a winning record on the season and are playing a team with a losing record in the first half of the season are 39-9 since 1996. That's a 81% system in favor of the Canucks. Take Vancouver!

4* NHL Central Division Game of the Month on Blackhawks -

This is a great spot to back Chicago after a lackluster performance in their last contest, which saw them lose 1-4 at Vancouver on Sunday. That poor showing wasn't a huge surprise, as the Blackhawks were playing their 3rd game in 4 nights and 3rd straight on the road. Prior to that Chicago had won 3 straight, where they had scored an impressive 17 goals. With two days off since that loss to the Canucks, I look for Chicago to bounce back in a big way against the Avalanche. While Colorado has played better of late, they are still sitting in last place in the Central at 8-9-5 (21 points).

Chicago is 12-2 in their last 14 road games against poor power play teams who are converting on 14.5% or less of their chances, 13-5 in their last 18 after scoring 2 goals or less last time out and 45-21 in their last 66 versus a team with a losing record. Colorado is 2-8 in their last 10 off a win, 2-9 in their last 11 after playing their last game on the road and 0-6 in their last 6 against the Central. These trends combine to form a 74% (93-32) system in favor of the Blackhawks. Take Chicago!

4* NHL Game of the Month on Arizona -

This is a great spot to back Arizona at home against a Colorado team that is dealing with some major injuries right now. The Avalanche have 9 different players listed on the injury report and it's got so bad that they had to call up the entire line from the AHL to make their debuts last time out against Carolina. Hard to imagine Colorado rushing most of their injured players back tonight, as they would much rather make sure they are healthy for tomorrow's home showdown against the Blackhawks. Arizona isn't going to take the injury depleted Avalanche lineup lightly, as they are desperate for a win after dropping 3 of their last 4.

There's a great system in play on the Coyotes as well. Favorites who will be playing their 8th+ game in the last 14 days who are a marginal losing team (40% to 49%) against a bad team (25% to 40%) are 29-7 against the money line in the first half of the season since 1996. That's a dynamite 81% system in favor of the Coyotes. Take Arizona!

5* NHL Vegas Insider Game of the Year on Wild -

Minnesota had won 4 straight prior to falling 1-2 at Tampa Bay on Saturday. Even in a losing effort I was impressed with what I saw from the Wild. I look for them to get right back in the win column with a road victory against the Panthers. Florida is just 3-6 in their last 9 games and figure to be a bit flat in their first home game in 10 days. The Panthers are just 3-4 at home on the season, where they are averaging a mere 2.7 goals/game, and 1-3 in their last 4 games against the Wild.

Minnesota is 39-18 over the last 2 seasons when listed as the favorite, 6-1 in their last 7 road games against a team with a losing home record and 49-23 in their last 72 overall against a team with a losing record. Florida is 9-24 in their last 33 against the Central, 6-19 in their last 25 home games after losing 2 of their last 3 and 2-11 in their last 13 home games against teams who are outscoring opponents by 0.3+ goals/game. These trends combine to form a 71% (148-59) system in favor of the Wild. Take Minnesota!

3* Blackhawks/Canucks NHL Main Event on Blackhawks -

Chicago is starting to catch fire and this is a great price to back the Blackhawks on the road against the Canucks. Chicago is in the midst of their circus road trip, which they have started 2-0 with impressive wins at Calgary (4-3) and Edmonton (7-1). Corey Crawford is tied for the league lead with a mere 1.90 goals-against average and I look for him to shutdown the Canucks on their home ice.

Chicago has won each of their last two visits to Vancouver and the Canucks are just 9-17 in their last 26 home games against good offensive teams (29+ shots/game & convert 17%+ of power plays). Vancouver is also just 8-15 in their last 23 home games after playing their last contest against a division rival and 3-9 in their last 12 home games after dropping 2 of their last 3. These trends combine to form a 67% (41-20) system in favor of the Blackhawks. Take Chicago!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Blues -

St Louis got back on track offensively in a 3-2 win over Ottawa yesterday and I look for them to carry that momentum to Sunday's showdown against Central rival Winnipeg. When the Blues offense gets rolling they are very difficult to stop. They scored 4 or more in a recent 4-1 stretch. Winnipeg has allowed 9 goals in their last 3 games, including 4 in their most recent contest in a 3-4 loss at home to Detroit. St Louis has won 7 of the last 8 in this series and I look for their dominance to continue.

Home underdogs of +100 to +150 off a close home loss by 1 goal who are winning between 45% to 55% in the first half of the season are 14-44 since 1996. That's a 76% system in favor of the Blues. Take St Louis!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Predators -

The Predators should have no problem leaving the ice with a home win over the Panthers. Nashville has posted one of the better records in the league early in 2014, as they are sitting on top the Western Conference's Central division at 12-5-2. They have been especially good at home, where they are 6-2. Florida on the other hand is 4-6 away from home. The Predators come in having won 5 of their last 7 and are scoring an impressive 3.8 goals/game over their last 5. Their surging offense combined with a defense that is one of the stingiest in the league allowing just 2.05 goals/game should be more than enough to cash in a victory against an average Panthers' squad.

Florida is 8-27 in their last 35 off a win or tie in their last game, while Nashville is 9-2 in their last 11 home games off a road loss and a perfect 6-0 this season following a loss. These trends combine to form a 81% (42-10) system in favor of the Predators. Take Nashville!

3* NHL Total Annihilator on Islanders/Penguins OVER

I'm expecting a shootout tonight in Pittsburgh between the Islanders and Penguins. Pittsburgh comes in averaging a league-best 3.65 goals/game and New York is 4th at 3.11 goals/game. The Penguins have seen an average of 6.3 goals scored in their 8 home games this season, while the Islanders have finished OVER the total in each of their last 4. In the last 10 meetings between these two teams 8 have finished over the mark and I don't see any reason why that trend won't continue tonight.

OVER is 9-1 in the Penguins last 10 home games played on Friday, 20-8 in the Islanders last 28 after scoring 4 or more in their last contest and a perfect 6-0 this season when New York is playing on 2 days rest. These trends combine to form a 80% (35-9) system. Take the OVER!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Lightning -

This is a great spot to go against a struggling Toronto team that was just beat badly at home 2-9 by Nashville. It was the Maple Leafs third straight loss and there's already rumblings about Randy Carlyle on the hot seat. I look for the Lightning to take advantage of Toronto while they are down. Tampa Bay is a strong 13-5 on the season and while they are also coming off a loss, they have loss consecutive games just once all season.

We also find a great system in play on the Lightning. Road teams off a road loss by 2 goals or more who have won 60% to 70% o their games and are playing a team with a losing record in the 1st half of the season are 60-27 ATS since 1996. That's a 69% system. Take Tampa Bay!

3* NHL Money Line Smash on Predators -

Nashville is showing great value as a small road favorite against the Senators, as these two teams are headed in different directions. The Predators won for the 5th time in 6 games with an impressive 9-2 thrashing of Toronto on Tuesday. Ottawa on the other hand has lost 4 of their last 5. Nashville is a solid 6-3-1 on the road this season and have won 3 of their last 4 visits to the Canadian Tire Centre. The Senators are giving up 3.0 goals a game and that leaky defense isn't going to do them any good against a Predators squad that is clicking offensively early in 2014. Nashville is just 1-point back of Pittsburgh and Anaheim for the most points in the league this season. Predators are 6-2 in their last 8 against a team with a losing record, 5-1 in their last 6 games played on Thursday and a perfect 6-0 in their last 6 against the Atlantic Division. These trends combine to form a 85% (17-3) system. Take Nashville!

3* Canucks/Oilers NHL Play of the Day on Canucks -

The Canucks have been one of the big surprises early this season and are once again showing great value. Vancouver will head to Edmonton to take on an Oilers team they have already beat three times this season, two of which came in Edmonton. The Canucks should come out highly motivated after an ugly 0-5 home loss to Arizona, especially after having to sit on that defeat the last 4 days. The Oilers on the other hand have lost 3 straight and 7 of 9 overall.

There's a strong system in play suggesting a fade of Edmonton. Home underdogs who are playing with triple revenge against an opponent, who come in off a close home loss by 1 goal are just 28-82 against the money line since 1996. That's a 75% system in favor of the Canucks. Take Vancouver!

5* NHL Pacific Division Game of the Year on Ducks -

This is a great spot to take the Ducks as a small road favorite against their division rivals from Calgary. Anaheim is going to come into this contest highly motivated off Sunday's ugly 2-6 home loss to Florida. With Corey Perry and Kyle Palmieri back in the lineup and the Ducks very familiar with Flames goalie Jonas Hiller, who played for Anaheim last season, I look for them to come out with one of their best performances of the season tonight. The Ducks are 6-2 in their last 8 road games, 30-11 in their last 41 after playing in a game with 7 or more total goals and 12-2 in their last 14 road games when they come in having lost 2 of their last 3. These trends combine to form a 76% (48-15) system in favor of the Ducks. Take Anaheim!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Senators -

This is a great spot to back the Senators at basically a pick'em against the Flames. Ottawa snapped out of a recent funk with a 4-3 win at Edmonton on Thursday and I look for another strong effort as they look to close out their short Western Conference road trip with a winning record. Calgary was able to also get a win last time out, but have struggled with consistency early on. The Flames are just 2-5 in their last 7 after a win. Ottawa is 6-1 in their last 7 road games and 7-3 in their last 10 versus a team with a winning record. These trends combine to form a solid  75% (18-6) system in favor of the Senators. Take Ottawa!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Penguins -

This is a great spot to back the Penguins after suffering their first loss in eight games. Pittsburgh was beat badly in a 0-5 loss to the Rangers, but prior to that defeat had outscored their opponents 33-8 during a 7-game winning streak. The Penguins have won 4 straight over Toronto and should have no problem making it 5 in a row. The Maple Leafs are not a strong defensive team and that gives them little to no chance of beating an elite team like Pittsburgh. Home underdogs with a money line of +100 to +150 off a home win where they scored 4 or more goals are just 34-81 over the last 5 seasons. That's a 70% system in favor of the Penguins. Take Pittsburgh!

3* Coyotes/Flames NHL Main Event on Flames -

The Flames are showing great value here at home against the Coyotes. Calgary has won 5 straight at the Scotibank Saddledome over visiting Arizona and will be motivated for a strong showing at home after playing each of their last 5 on the road. This is also a tough spot for the Coyotes, who will be playing their 4th game in a span of 7 days. The Flames are 11-4 in their last 15 when playing against a bad team (25% to 40%) and are 6-1 in their last 7 after a SU loss. These two trends combine to form a dynamite 77% (17-5) system in favor of the Flames. Take Calgary!

3* Lightning/Blackhawks NHL Main Event on Blackhawks -

This is a great spot to fade the Lightning, who come into Chicago having won 6 straight. Tampa Bay's strong run has come via a powerful offense, but will be going up against the leagues' top defensive team. Offensively the Blackhawks have struggled to get going, but it's only a matter of time. Chicago is averaging a league-high 38.0 shots/game and come in having scored 12 goals in their last 3 games, easily their best 3-game stretch of the season. Tampa Bay has allowed at least 3 goals in 6 of their last 7 games.

We also see a nice system in play suggesting a fade of the Lightning. Road underdogs off a road win against a division rival against an opponent off a home win are just 11-45 over the last 5 seasons. That's a 80% system in favor of the Blackhawks. Take Chicago!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Canadiens -

The Canadiens come into this contest with a record of 10-4-1 and I'll gladly take my chances on Montreal at home against the Jets. Winnipeg is fortunate to be 8-5-2, as they come in ranked 28th in the league in scoring at 1.87 goals/game. They have been relying on defense and outstanding goalie play from Ondrej Pavelec. However, Pavalelec has not had much success slowing down the Canadiens in his career. He's 1-8 in his last 9 against Montreal, allowing 3.44 goals/game and has lost each of his last 5 starts in Montreal.

The Canadiens are 13-6 in their last 19 games when playing on 2 days rest, 6-2 in their last 8 at home, 5-1 in their last 6 when their opponents is coming off a game where they scored 2 or less goals and a perfect 8-0 in their last 8 in the first half of the season when playing against a marginal winning team (51% to 60%). These trends combine to form a 78% (32-9) system in favor of the Canadiens. Take Montreal!

4* NHL NO LIMIT Game of the Month on Hurricanes -

This is a great spot to back the Hurricanes, who have caught fire in the month of November. Carolina has gone 4-0-1 after losing their first 8 games of the season. That slow start has the Hurricanes undervalued at home against the Flames, who find themselves in a difficult spot. Calgary will be concluding a 5-game road trip and could find it difficult to keep motivated knowing that they get to return home for 5 straight. Adding to this is a key system telling us to fade the Flames in this spot. Road favorites of -200 or less off a road win by 2 goals or more are just 41-61 in the month of November since 1996. That's a 60% system in favor of the Hurricanes. Take Carolina!

3* Blackhawks/Sharks NHL Main Event on Blackhawks -

This is a great spot to back the Blackhawks at home. Chicago is going to come out extremely motivated to avoid losing their 4th straight at home for the first time since 2010. The Sharks are the perfect opponent to stop the bleeding. The Blackhawks have won 6 of the last 7 regular season meetings at home against San Jose. Chicago is also 24-9 in their last 33 games played on Sunday, 64-31 in their last 95 home games against a team with a winning road record and 11-4 in their last 15 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game. These trends combine to form a 69% (99-44) system in favor of the Blackhawks. Take Chicago!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Calgary -

This is a great spot to back the Flames off an ugly 2-5 loss at Tampa Bay. I believe that loss will have Calgary focused when they take the ice this afternoon against the Panthers. Only once all season has the Flames lost back-to-back games and the one exception was a shootout loss to the Canadiens. Florida is also a good opponent for Calgary to get back on track against.

The Panthers are just 4-7 on the season and come in having lost two straight. The Flames are 10-3 in their last 13 when playing against a bad team (25% to 40%), while Florida is 6-17 in their last 23 home games when they come in having lost 2 of 3 and just 8-23 in their last 31 off a loss by 2 or more goals. These trends combine to form a 75% (50-17) system in favor of the Flames. Take Calgary!

4* NHL Heavy Hitter Game of the Month on Avalanche -

This is a great spot to back the Avalanche at home as a relatively small favorite of just -120. While Colorado hasn't got off to a great start, Toronto is just 2-12 in their last 14 road games when they come in having won 4-5 of their last 6 games. The Avalanche are also a dominant 18-1 in their last 19 off a home loss and a perfect 10-0 in their last 10 off a home loss by 2 or more goals.

There's a big time system in play here on Colorado based on their poor start. Favorites who have lost 8 of their last 10 games and are playing at least their 6th game in the last 10 days are 53-18 against the money line since 1996. That's a 75% system in favor of the Avalanche. Take Colorado!

3* NHL Run Line Massacre on Canadiens -1.5

This is a complete mismatch in talent and I see no reason why the Canadiens won win here by at least 2 goals. Montreal has been in a bit of a funk of late, but they have won 5 straight over the Sabres, with each of the last 2 and 4 of the 5 coming by at least 2 goals. In their last 5 visits to Buffalo, Montreal has outscored the Sabres 15-4. It's the perfect opponent for the Canadiens to regain their early season form, which saw them start 7-1.

Montreal is 11-4 ATS in their last 15 road games after scoring 1 or less goals in their previous game and a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last 6 road games after two straight blowout losses by 3 or more goals. These trends combine to form a dynamite 81% (17-4) system in favor of the Canadiens. Take Montreal -1.5!

4* NHL Vegas Insider Game of the Month on Blackhawks -

The Blackhawks are showing great value here as a small road favorite against the Canadiens. Chicago enters having lost their last two and I'm confident they will avoid their first 3-game losing streak of the season. The Blackhawks have been in a scoring funk of late, but there's too much talent on this team for that to continue. With Corey Crawford back at goal and Montreal not exactly playing well, lost 3 of 4, this is the perfect spot for Chicago to get a win.

The Canadiens were especially bad in their last contest, losing 2-6 at home to Calgary. That puts Montreal in a very profitable spot to fade, as they are just 13-30 in their last 43 home games after a blowout loss by 4 or more goals. Adding to this is the fact that Chicago is 42-19 in their last 61 versus an opponent who allowed 5 or more goals in their last contest. These trends combine to form a strong 69% (72-32) system in favor of the Blackhawks. Take Chicago!

3* NHL Non-Conference Money Line Power Play on Capitals -

The Capitals come into this game having lost four straight, but it just so happens that their last wins came against Calgary. I look for Washington to take advantage of the Flames once again. Calgary. Capitals head coach Barry Trotz should have the attention of his team in this one, as he let them have it after Sunday's 5-6 home loss to Arizona, which saw them blow a 3-1 lead. Trotz called out his player's and has threaten to take out guys who aren't playing hard. I think it's a much-needed move and will have Washington playing as inspired as they have all season.

Washington is 4-1 in their last 5 after scoring 5 or more goals and are also 4-1 in their last 5 when playing on 1 days of rest. Calgary on the other hand is 2-5 in their last 7 following a win, 7-20 in their last 27 against an opponent who allowed 5 goals last time out and 1-7 in their last 8 versus an opponent that scored 5 or more goals. These trends combine to form a 77% (40-12) system in favor of the Capitals. Take Washington!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Canadiens -

I got no problem laying a big juice on the Canadiens at home. Montreal comes into this matchup leading the Eastern Conference at 8-2-1 and are a perfect 4-0 at home to start 2014. The Canadiens lost at Vancouver last time out, but have not lost consecutive games this season and I expect that streak to continue. The Flames will be hitting the road after a lengthy homestand and I just don't see them matching Montreal's intensity in this one. Montreal is also a dominant 20-6 in their last 26 after scoring 2 goals or less last time out, while Calgary is just 9-20 in their last 29 against the Atlantic, 16-35 in their last 51 road games versus a team that's won more than 60% of their home games and 1-5 in their last 6 following a win. These trends combine to form a strong 69% (80-36) system in favor of the Canadiens. Take Montreal!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Blackhawks -

The Blackhawks are in a great spot here, as they are expected to get back top goalie Corey Crawford. Chicago has sputtered while Crawford has missed the last 6 games. He's got a 3-0-1 record and just 1.66 goals-against on the season. It should be a big lift for the entire team seeing their stopper back in the lineup. Toronto has gone just 2-4 at home this season and are a mere 5-5 overall. The Maple Leafs are also in a tough scheduling spot, as they were at Columbus last night and are just 1-5 in their last 6 when playing on 0 days rest. The Blackhawks are clearly the better team in this one and I don't expect this one to be close. Take Chicago!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Blue Jackets -

We are getting great value here on Columbus at basically even money at home. While the Blue Jackets have lost 3 straight and are dealing with a number of injuries, they are more than capable of taking down an inconsistent Maple Leafs squad. Toronto doesn't take good care of the puck and are not exactly a defensive force (allowing 31.2 shots/game). The Blue Jackets are going to come out extremely motivated in front of the home fans and I look for them to deliver against a team they dominated last year. Columbus won all three matchups and outscored the Maple Leafs 13-3 in those 3 victories.

Toronto is just 3-10 in their last 13 against a team with a losing record, 1-4 in their last 5 following a SU win and 2-8 in their last 10 road games. Columbus is 41-18 in their last 59 versus a team with a losing record and 7-3 in their last 10 after allowing 5 or more goals last time out. These trends combine to form a 71% (70-28) system in favor of the Blue Jackets. Take Columbus!

5* Non-Conference Game of the Year on Devils -

It's been a rough stretch for the Devils, as they have dropped 5 of 6 since starting the season 3-0. I look for this team to bounce back in a big way at home against the Jets. New Jersey has simply been beating themselves, as they are 2nd to last in the league giving up 4.7 penalty kills a game. I expect a more disciplined and focused Devils team after the way they lost last time out against Pittsburgh. New Jersey took a commanding 3-1 lead in the 2nd period, only to go on to lose 3-8. There's also a big revenge angle here, as the Jets swept both meetings last year. New Jersey is 17-8 in their last 25 when they come in having lost 3 of their last 4, while the Jets are just 3-8 in their last 11 following a win. Take the Devils!

3* Predators/Oilers NHL Main Event on Predators -

I look for the Predators to bounce back in a big way after suffering their first loss of the season last time out against Pittsburgh. Nashville is 5-1-2 on the season and will be taking on an Edmonton team that is due for a loss after winning each of their last 4. The Oilers haven't won 5 straight since a stretch back in late March to early April in 2013. It's also worth noting that all of Edmonton's success has come against the Eastern Conference. They are 0-4-1 in 2014 against teams from the Western Conference.

What's impressive about the Predators is their strong start has come despite the fact that they have struggled horribly with their power plays and have allowed the first goal in 6 of their 8 games. There's still a lot of room for improvement and I like their chances of delivering on their potential against a team they desperately want to beat after getting swept by Edmonton last year.

Nashville is 5-0 in their last 5 road games against a team that's won more than 60% of their home games, 5-2 in their last 7 following a loss of 3 or more goals and 5-1 in their last 6 after scoring 2 goals or less in their last game. Edmonton on the other hand is just 14-38 in their last 52 against a team that's won more than 60% of their games. These trends combine to form a 76% (53-17) system in favor of the Predators. Take Nashville!

4* Western Conference Game of the Month on Blackhawks -

The Blackhawks haven't lost at home this season, going 4-0-1 at the United Center. I don't expect that to change against the visiting Ducks. Chicago is expecting to get back their No. 1 goalie, Corey Crawford for tonight's contest, which would be a huge plus. However, I like the Blackhawks either way in this one.

This is a difficult spot for Anaheim who is coming off a 5-game homestand, which ended in a 1-4 loss to San Jose. The Ducks are 0-4 in their last 4 following a home loss of 3 or more goals. It's also worth noting that the Blackhawks take their game to the next level when playing against a quality opponent like Anaheim. Chicago is a perfect 6-0 in their last 6 games against a team that's won more than 60% of their games and 23-8 over their last 31 home games against a team that's won 60% or more of their road games.

You might think that this is a bad spot to back the Blackhawks with it being their 4th game in 6 nights and 3rd in the last 4. However, Chicago is 40-18 in their last 58 when playing 4 in 6 and 23-11 in their last 34 when playing 3 in 4. All these trends combine to form a massive 72% (96-37) system in favor of the Blackhawks. Take Chicago!

3* Bruins/Maple Leafs NHL Money Line Smash on Bruins -

While the Bruins are going to be without injured All-Star defenseman Zdeno Chara, I don't see it stopping them from continuing their dominance over the Maple Leafs. Boston has gone an impressive 15-5-1 in their last 21 meetings against Toronto, outscoring the Maple Leafs during this stretch by a wide 80-46 margin. While the defense could struggle a little bit without Chara, the offense should be able to make up it. Boston has scored 15 goals over their last 4 games and will be going up against a Toronto defense that has allowed 3 or more goals in 4 of their 7 games this season. There's also something about playing on Saturday that brings out the best in the Bruins. Boston is 23-6 over their last 29 games on Saturday. They are also 38-14 in their last 52 against a team with a losing record and 43-19 in their last 62 when playing with a full day of rest. These trends combine to form a massive 73% (104-39) system in favor of the Bruins. Take Boston!

4* Canucks/Avalanche NHL Heavy Hitter on Avalanche -

This is a great spot to jump on Colorado, as they are a stronger team than their 1-4-2 record would indicate. The Avalanche have a key scheduling advantage here as well. Colorado has had the last two days off, while the Canucks will be playing in the second game of a back-to-back set and their 3rd in the last 4 days overall. Vancouver is just 16-28 in their last 44 when playing for the 3rd time in a 5 day stretch and a mere 1-8 in their last 9 when playing on no rest. The Canucks are also just 7-17 in their last 24 road games. Colorado on the other hand is 7-3 in their last 10 when playing with 2 days rest and are a dominant 16-0 in their last 16 off a home loss. These trends combine to form a 72% (69-27) system in favor of the Avalanche. Take Colorado!

4* NHL Undervalued Underdog Vegas Insider on Hurricanes +

It's been a difficult start to the season for the Hurricanes, who are the last remaining team without a win at 0-5. It has Carolina extremely undervalued against a mediocre Flames squad that is coming off a home loss to Tampa Bay last time out. Calagary also lost at home to Vancouver earlier this season. Despite their poor record, the Hurricanes have been competitive. All five losses have come by fewer than 2 goals, including 3 by a single goal. Part of the problem for Carolina's poor start has been injuries, but they are starting to get healthy. Last year's leading scorer Jeff Skinner played for the first time in their last game and they also got back defenseman Andrej Sekera. There's simply too much value here to pass up. Take the Hurricanes!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Canadiens -

The Canadiens sit a top the Eastern Conference standings with a 5-1 record (10 points) and are a perfect 2-0 at home to start 2014. Hard to not like Montreal's chances of improving to 6-1 with the injuries the Red Wings are dealing with. Detroit will be without forward John Franzen and are still waiting on the return of center Pavel Datsyuk. The Canadiens have a big advantage here in terms of scheduling. Montreal will be playing their 3rd straight home game and just their 3rd game in the last 6 days. The Canadiens are 11-5 in their last 16 when playing with 2 days of rest. Detroit is 2-6 in their last 8 after allowing 2 goals or less and 1-6 in their last 7 after scoring 2 goals or less. Montreal is 20-6 in their last 26 division games and 5-1 in their last 6 against an opponent who just allowed 2 goals or less. Take Montreal!

3* NHL Western Conference Main Event on Winnipeg -

This is a great spot to jump on the Jets at home against the Flames. Winnipeg has lost 3 straight since opening the season with a 6-2 win over Arizona. They are clearly going to be motivated to avoid another loss and they should be able to do just that against Calgary. The Flames are finishing up an early 6-game road trip and will be playing their 4th game in the last 6 nights. Calgary is just 8-24 in their last 32 when playing their 4th game in 6 nights.

Last time out the Flames lost 2-3 at Columbus. Calgary is just 34-69 in their last 103 road games following a road loss by 1 goal. Winnipeg is also 24-15 in their last 39 after scoring 1 or less goals in their last game. Take Winnipeg!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Blues -

This is a great spot to jump on the Blues. St Louis comes in at just 1-2 on the season, but are playing like a team that should be 3-0. The Blues are outshooting opponents by an average of 13.3 shots/game. They simply haven't been able to convert. They had 43 shots in a 1-0 loss at LA on Thursday. There's a good chance at least a couple of those shots will fall against Coyotes' goalie Mike Smith, who has allowed 4 goals in each of his last 2 starts and is just 4-7 over his career against the Blues. Arizona is 0-5 in their last 5 after scoring 5+ goals in their last game, while St Louis is 8-3 in their last 11 against an opponent who scored 5+ last time out. Take the Blues!

4* NHL Non-Conference Game of the Month on Columbus -

The Blue Jackets should have no problem getting a win at home against the Flames. Columbus will certainly be motivated after a poor performance on their home ice Tuesday against Dallas. Calagary is fortunate to be sitting at 3-2, as they have been outshot in 4 of their 5 games, including 3 where they had a -14 or worse shot difference. This is also a difficult spot for the Flames, who will be playing their 3 road game in 4 nights against a Blue Jackets team that is playing just their 2nd game in the last 6 days. Calgary is just 17-35 in their last 52 when playing their 3rd game in 4 days.

Columbus is 38-25 at home after a home loss by 2 or more games since 1996 and 16-8 in their last 24 after giving up 4 or more goals. The Blue Jackets have also won 4 straight at home against the Flames. Take Columbus!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Canadiens -

Montreal is showing some solid value here as a small favorite in their home opener. The Canadiens have got off to a fast start winning 3 of the first 4. However, they did lose their last game 1-7 at Tampa Bay, which likely had something to do with them looking ahead to their showdown against their rivals. Either way that ugly defeat should have Montreal extremely motivated to get back on the ice. The Canadiens have been a great team to back off a loss the last two seasons, going 27-15. It's also worth noting that Montreal has owned this series, winning 10 of the last 15 matchups and were responsible for knocking the Bruins out of the playoffs last year. Take the Canadiens!

3* Bruins/Red Wings NHL No Doubt Rout on Bruins -

The Red Wings got their revenge after getting knocked out of the playoffs by the Bruins with last Thursday's 2-1 win at home. This time I look for Boston to return the favor in a game they will be extremely motivated to win after losing 3 straight following an opening night win over Philadelphia. The Bruins haven't lost 4 straight since April of last year. Detroit is just 10-17 over the last 2 seasons at home following a loss and 0-5 in their last 5 after scoring 2 goals or less last time out. Take the Bruins!

3* Ducks/Flyers NHL Tuesday Night Main Event on Flyers +

This is a great spot to jump on the Flyers as a home dog against the Ducks. Philadelphia is desperate for their first win of the season and should come out focused and fired up after blowing a 3-1 lead in a 4-3 shootout loss to Montreal on Saturday. Anaheim on the other hand has to feeling pretty good about themselves after winning 5-1 last night in Buffalo. Not only is this a tough spot for the Ducks in the 2nd game of a back-to-back road set, but this will be their 4th straight road game to start the season. With two days off and their home opener on deck Friday, I don't see Anaheim being able to match the Flyers intensity. Philadelphia is 8-3 in their last 11 against the Pacific and 5-2 in their last 7 when playing with 2 days rest. Take the Flyers!

4* Penguins/Maple Leafs NHL Vegas Insider on Penguins -

Pittsburgh got the 2014 season started with a 6-4 win over Anaheim Thursday in the coaching debut of Mike Johnston. I look for the Penguins to add another win to their resume on Saturday as they look to improve to 2-0 for the 4th straight season. Pittsburgh has won 2 straight and 4 of 5 over the Maple Leafs. The Penguins are 60-29 in their last 89 when playing on 1 day rest and 68-33 in their last 101 after a win. These trends combine to form a solid 67% (128-62) system in favor of the Penguins. Take Pittsburgh!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Blackhawks -

The Blackhawks are showing great value here as a small road favorite against the Stars. Chicago returns their core from last year and are one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Dallas is a young team on the rise, but will be no match for this experienced Chicago team in the 2014 opener for both squads. The Blackhawks have won 6 straight in Dallas by an impressive 26-9 margin. Take Chicago!

3* NHL No Doubt Rout on Canucks -

Vancouver is showing some decent value here as a small road favorite against the Flames. The Canucks greatly improved their goaltender situation by signing Ryan Miller away from St Louis. Miller is a former Vezina Trophy winner and Olympic MVP. Vancouver also has new life under first year head coach Willie Desjardins. They have also owned the Flames, winning 9 of the last 10 meetings, including 3 of their last 4 trips to Calgary. Take Vancouver!