Sports Picks & Predictions

Both Philadelphia and New York have completed their five-day breaks, part of the league mandated rule that affects every team in the league scattered between January 7 and 19. The Flyers came off their break to defeat New Jersey on Saturday which was their fourth straight win and second straight on the road. Philadelphia is still on the outside looking in at the playoffs as it is two points behind the Islanders for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers are just 9-11 on the road this season and they have dropped five of their last seven divisional games. The extended time off had an adverse effect on the Rangers as they have dropped both games following their five days off. Both losses were not even close, and it has been a rough stretch for New York as it has gone 3-5-2 over its last 10 games and it has not won a game in regulation since December 19. While the run is not good, the Rangers are a point ahead of the Flyers and could move into a Wild Card spot with a win and an Islanders loss tonight. the Flyers have scored 21 goals during the four-game winning streak, but Rangers goalie has been solid at hem with a 13-5-2 record while allowing 2.44 gpg. The Rangers are 18-6 in their last 24 games following a loss of three or more goals. 10* (2) New York Rangers

Los Angeles remains in third place in the Pacific Division despite three straight losses, all one-goal regulation defeats. Since an eight-game winning streak that ended in early December, the Kings have lost eight of their last 12 games with five of those losses coming by a single goal so while the losing is not good, they have been competitive, and the fortunes have not been on their side. Los Angeles is 11-7-3 at home and is allowing just 2.38 gpg at home which is fifth best in the league. San Jose is coming off an overtime win on Saturday, but it was a struggle against Arizona which is the worst team in the NHL. The Sharks snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory but those losses all came on the road where they have lost six of their last seven games and have fallen to 9-7-4 on the season. They are just 5-10 this season against teams ranked in the top ten while going 3-14 in their last 17 road games against teams with a winning home record. Meanwhile the Kings are 84-41 in their last 125 home games against teams with a losing road record. 10* (56) Los Angeles Kings

Carolina is coming off a home-and-home with the Capitals and it was the road team that took both games with the Hurricanes winning in Washington on Thursday but dropping their game on Friday 4-3. That was only the fifth regulation home loss for Carolina which remains right in the Wild Card hunt, sitting just one point out of both Wild Card spots in the Eastern Conference. It was a tough loss to swallow for anyone who was on Carolina as it led 3-2 with 3:08 remaining but gave up a game tying goal and then the game winner with just 1.3 seconds left. Now it is bounceback time. Calgary is playing better than anyone in the league as it has won six straight games, tied with Colorado for the longest current winning streak in the NHL. The Flames have won the first three games on this roadtrip, all as underdogs, to improve to 12-5-4 on the highway. With their five-game rest period coming up, this could be the spot where we see a lethargic effort. Carolina has had at least 36 shots in four of its last five home games and that pace needs to continue and the Hurricanes are 10-4 in their last 14 home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (4) Carolina Hurricanes

Both Philadelphia and New Jersey are coming off five-day breaks, part of the league mandated rule that affects every team in the league scattered between January 7 and 19. The timing of this helps the Devils the most as they are on a five-game losing streak following a 0-4 roadtrip prior to the break. Despite this skid, New Jersey is still in third place in the Metropolitan Division and sitting one point behind three teams for third place in the Eastern Conference. The Devils are 12-5-3 at home while winning five of their last six home games against teams with a losing record. On the flip side, the Flyers won their final three games prior to their time off and the five days off could kill some much-needed positive momentum. All of those wins were at home however and Philadelphia has been very inconsistent on the road this season. It is averaging 2.89 gpg on the highway which is not horrible, but it has scored two goals or less in eight of its last 13 road games. That is a problem against Corey Schneider who is 11-4-3 with a 2.51 GAA in 18 home starts this season and has a career 2.16 GAA at home. 10* (56) New Jersey Devils

Winnipeg possesses one of the best home records in the NHL, but it is a much different team on the road. The Jets are 10-8-6 on the highway and while they are coming off a win on their last road game, winning at Buffalo is not saying much. The offense is average by putting up 2.83 gpg while the defense allows 2.92 gpg yet the line is staying lower than it should be based on the fact Winnipeg has won six of its last seven games. However, the Jets are 1-8 in their last nine road games against teams with a winning home record. Chicago remains on the outside looking in at the playoff standings as it trails Minnesota by two points for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. That came by way of a home loss to the Wild in its last game on Wednesday in the second game of a six-game homestand where it needs to hold serve on home ice. The Blackhawks have won five of their last seven home games where they are 11-7-2 overall and averaging 3.40 gpg which is No. 8 in the NHL while their 36.1 shots per game is No. 4 in the league. 10* (8) Chicago Blackhawks

Carolina posted an upset at Pittsburgh one week ago but has since lost two straight games with both coming against top teams in the league. The Hurricanes are a point out of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference as they have fallen back with the consecutive defeats. Maintaining consistency on the road has been a problem this season especially against winning teams and going back, the Hurricanes are 3-9 in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. They face another stiff challenge tonight as they take on the red-hot Capitals which have won five straight games and going back further, they have won 16 of their last 21 games which has propelled Washington into first place in the Metropolitan Division. Included in this longer streak is 10 consecutive home wins and after a 1-3 start at home, the Capitals are 17-2 over their last 19 games which makes this moneyline number criminally smaller than it should be. Washington is allowing just 2.22 gpg at home which is third best in the NHL. A lot of this can be attributed to goalie Braden Holtby who is 15-4 with a 2.14 GAA in 19 home starts. 9* (54) Washington Capitals

After winning two straight games over Buffalo and Florida by a combined score of 11-3, Minnesota got embarrassed in its last game, losing in Colorado 7-2 to make it four straight road losses. On the flip side, the Wild have won four straight home games and going back to mid-November, they are 11-1-1 over their last 13 home games which makes this number severely underpriced. Additionally, the Wild are 5-0 in their last five games following a loss of three or more goals. This rebound ability can be attributed to the defense especially at home where Minnesota is allowing just 2.10 gpg which is best in the NHL. Calgary has won three straight games but all of those came at home to move a game over .500 on home ice and it sits at exactly .500 on the road. The Flames have dropped two straight road games and scoring has been a problem away from home as they are averaging just 2.61 gpg which is 10th lowest in the league. They have struggled against better competition as the Flames are 8-17 in their last 25 games against teams with a winning record. 10* (64) Minnesota Wild

Despite a 15-3-1 record at home, the Jets continue to be underpriced. They are still a point ahead of Winnipeg in the Central Division and remain in second place in the Western Conference, but the number does not match the position. In another game today, Vegas is -185 over the Rangers despite just a nine-point differential and while this matchup is less at seven points, the price difference is too heavy. Winnipeg is coming off a lethargic win over the Sabres but still improved to 15-3-1 at home which is the third best home record in the league. San Jose is 1-3 on this current roadtrip which ends today, and it is coming off a pair of losses that went extra time so not only is it in a three-in-four situation but there are extra minutes added on. The Sharks are 9-6-4 on the road which is respectable, but they are 0-5 in their last five road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Jets are 40-19 in their last 59 home games against teams with a losing road record. 10* (58) Winnipeg Jets

Carolina is coming off an upset win in Pittsburgh as it shutout the Penguins 4-0 for its first road shutout since January 2016. The Hurricanes are hanging on to the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference as they overtook the Penguins with that victory. Maintaining consistency on the road has been a problem this season especially against winning teams, which Pittsburgh is not, and going back, the Hurricanes are 3-7 in their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. Boston is coming off a pair of road victories as it defeated the Senators and Islanders by a combined 10-1 score and it has now won seven of its last eight games to move into a tie for third place in the Eastern Conference, The Bruins have outscored their opponents by 2.0 gpg over their last 10 games as the defense has been outstanding, allowing just nine goals during the recent eight-game streak. Going back, the Bruins are 20-7 in their last 27 home games against teams with a losing road record. 9* (10) Boston Bruins

Detroit comes into Friday riding a three-game winning streak but still well down in the playoff standings as it is seven points away from the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Red Wings have been good if not unlucky at home as they are 9-6-6 and those six extra time home losses are the most in the NHL so while they got a point for all of those, some should have gone their way. They have been solid on defense and goalie Jimmy Howard has been exceptional of late, allowing two goals or less in five straight games. Going back, the Red Wings have won four straight home games. Florida is coming off a 5-1 loss at Minnesota in its last game on Tuesday which snapped a five-game winning streak but the final four of those were at home where it is 10-6-3. On the road, the Panthers are just 7-11-2 as the offense is dreadful, averaging 2.15 gpg which is the lowest in the NHL. That is not a good sign going up against a hot Howard. James Reimer will be in goal again for the Panthers after getting pulled in Minnesota. Reimer has been solid this season with a 3.01 GAA but he has been at him best when he is in a rhythm as he has a 2.56 GAA when playing with one or less day of rest while posting a 3.75 GAA when playing on two or more days of rest. 10* (54) Detroit Red Wings

Edmonton continues to stumble as the preseason Western Conference favorites are 17-20-3 after a fourth straight loss, the last three coming at home. This includes a pair of 5-0 shutouts in the last two games as it came into Tuesday with a perfect 3-0 record following a shutout loss so there will be even extra motivation tonight. The Oilers may have been guilty of a lookahead as this is the first meeting with Anaheim which ended their season last year in seven games in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The fact the offense has struggled is surprising as bad luck can be attributed to it as the Oilers are averaging 37 shots per game at home which is second most in the league while their 2.71 gpg average is seventh lowest. Anaheim has won three straight games including a 5-0 shutout at Vancouver to open its five-game roadtrip. It was the second straight road shutout going back to a 4-0 win at Pittsburgh on December 23 after allowing 13 goals in its previous three road games. The Ducks have been average on the road with a 9-6-5 record including a 5-4-5 record over its last 14 road games. Despite allowing three goals in the last three games, the Ducks are 3-7 in their last 10 games after allowing two goals or less in their previous game. 10* (22) Edmonton Oilers

Vegas is setting records for first year franchises as its start to the season has been unprecedented. The Golden Knights have an eight-game winning streak after 3-0 victory over Nashville on Tuesday and is 12-0-1 in its last 13 contests which is the longest winning and point streaks by an NHL expansion team. If there is a weakness, it is the play on the road as Vegas is 10-7-1 which is still good, but the defense is allowing 3.33 gpg in those 18 games compared to just 2.20 gpg in 20 home games, second best in the NHL. The Blues have won two straight games following a 1-5 run and this is a big game to keep the winning streak going before playing their next two games on the road. Additionally, St. Louis can overtake Winnipeg in the Central Division and pull within two points of Vegas in the Western Conference. Blues backup goalie Carter Hutton will get another shot as he is 11-3-0 with a 1.88 GAA, a .937 save percentage, and one shutout in his last 14 starts. St. Louis allows just 2.32 gpg at home which is seventh in the NHL and the offense will need to get going on special teams which should happen against a Vegas defense which is seventh worst on the road in the penalty kill. 10* (14) St. Louis Blues

We lost with Toronto on Tuesday as it returned home from a 2-3 roadtrip but the offense failed to show up as it was shutout by the Lightning 2-0. The Maple Leafs fell to 11-6 at home but they have a much better matchup tonight as they are not only not playing the best team in the NHL, but they are playing a team that has won back-to-back road games only once this season. The Maple Leafs are 4-1 in their last five home games against teams with a winning road record. San Jose continues its five-game roadtrip following a 4-12 win over Montreal on Tuesday. Aaron Dell was in goal in that game and tonight Martin Jones will be back and he has struggled of late, allowing at least four goals in seven of his last nine games including all five on the road. San Jose is 1-4 in five road games following a road win in its previous game and the Sharks are 0-4 in their last four road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. To say revenge is in play would be an understatement as Toronto has lost the last 10 meetings in this series with the last victory coming in January 2011. 9* (4) Toronto Maple Leafs

Minnesota is coming off a home-and home against Nashville with the home team winning each game, the last one coming in Nashville. That was the third straight road loss for the Wild where they have lost 13 of 21 games but home ice has been a different story where they are 12-4-2 including two straight wins. Minnesota is a point out of the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference and it is getting healthier as Zach Parise will be making his season debut tonight. The Wild are 4-0 in their last four games following a loss of three or more goals. Florida has moved to within five points of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference thanks to five straight victories. The last four have come at home where the Panthers are 10-6-3 at home and they have been just the opposite on the road where they are 7-10-2 on the season. The problem is the offense where they are averaging 2.21 gpg, dead last in the NHL. That is not good in this situation as Minnesota is allowing only 2.17 gpg at home which is best in the league. 8* (12) Minnesota Wild

The Islanders are back home following a two-game roadtrip where they lost both games against Colorado and Winnipeg which are a combined 26-10-2 at home. We played against New York when it faced the Jets because of the severe home/road discrepancies and we can now take advantage of the Islanders returning home in an underdog role no less. They are 12-3-3 at home which is keeping them in the playoff hunt as they currently hold down the second Wild Card spot in the NHL. New York averages 4.17 gpg at home which is the most in the league. Boston is coming off a win at Ottawa which was its sixth win in seven games and its third win in its last four road games. Since the start of December, the Bruins are 4-2 in six road games but those wins all came against teams with no more than eight home wins. The Bruins are 0-4 in their last four road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Islanders are 16-5 in their last 21 games after allowing five goals or more in their previous game. 10* (4) New York Islanders

Tampa Bay leads the NHL with 58 points thanks to an NHL-best 16-3-1 home record and it is coming off a 5-0 shutout in Columbus on Sunday to make it four wins over its last five road games. The Lightning are 12-5-1 on the highway which is a very impressive road record but when that number is comparable to the record of the opponent at home, it is hard to justify a road favorite price tag. Going back, the Lightning are 30-66 in their last 96 road games against teams with a home winning % of greater than .600. The Maple Leafs have had a rough stretch where they have gone 3-5-1 over their last nine games but eight of those have come on the road and the lone home game resulted in an 8-1 victory over Carolina. Toronto is 11-5 at home and its 48 points are tied for fourth place in the Eastern Conference so getting the job done on home ice is essential. This is the first time all season that Toronto is a home underdog so there is plenty of value and additionally, the Maple Leafs are 8-3 in their last 11 games after allowing five goals or more in their previous game. 10* (6) Toronto Maple Leafs

It has been a forgettable 2017 for Edmonton as if not for the Arizona Coyotes, the Oilers would be sitting in last place in the Western Conference after coming into the season with Stanley Cup hopes. A good way to start a turnaround would be to end 2017 with a victory and they are in a great spot tonight to do so. Edmonton has lost two straight games by 4-3 scores, the last coming at home in overtime against Chicago two days ago. A four-game winning streak preceded this slide, so the Oilers are capable of getting back to winning on home ice. We have won with Winnipeg in its last two games but both of those came at home where the Jets are 14-3-1 on the season. As mentioned then, they are one of the highest scoring teams at home with a 4.12 gpg average but the road is a different story as Winnipeg is averaging just 2.57 gpg which helps explain its 8-8-5 record on the highway. Going back, the Jets are 3-11 in their last 14 road games against teams with a losing home record while the Oilers have won four of their last five games against winning teams. 10* (10) Edmonton Oilers

After a blistering start to the season, the Blues have hit the proverbial wall. The Blues had control of the Western Conference but are now sitting in fifth place after going 2-7 over their last nine games including two straight losses following a defeat last night in Dallas. They are 1-3 in their last four home games and because of these horrible runs, they are catching a great number tonight in a prime situation. It is easy to identify the problem as the offense has been in a funk as St. Louis has scored two goals or less in eight of its last nine games including a pair of shutouts while not scoring more than three goals in 10 straight games. The Blues can get out of that funk tonight against Carolina which allows 3.15 gpg on the road. The Hurricanes have won four straight games including a win over Pittsburgh last night to improve to 10-4-3 at home. They have not been nearly as good on the road where they are 8-8-4 including losses in seven of their last 10. Carolina has struggled against the Western Conference, winning just four of its last 14 games. St. Louis meanwhile has won 20 of its last 28 games against the Eastern Conference. 10* (58) St. Louis Blues

Winnipeg won for us on Wednesday and we will back the Jets again in a good matchup as they remain on home ice. Heading back home is what the Jets needed last time out as they improved to 13-3-1 here overall and they have dominated as their 4.12 gpg scored is second best in the NHL. The Jets have moved up to No. 8 in the latest power rankings as they sit in a tie for fourth place in the Western Conference with 48 points so taking care of home ice like they have in the past is crucial. The Islanders hit the road following a 3-2 homestand including wins in their last two games. Like the Jets, they are extremely solid at home, but the road is a different story as New York is 8-10-1 on the highway including losses in four straight games, all against playoff contending teams. Defense has been the issue on the road where the Islanders are allowing 3.63 gpg which is tied with the Penguins for last in the NHL. The Jets are now 21-6 in their last 27 home games against teams with a losing road record while the Islanders are 6-17 in their last 23 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (14) Winnipeg Jets

Los Angeles is two points out of first place in the Pacific Division and the team ahead of it happens to be Vegas, so a win tonight will get the Kings into a tie in the division as well as the Western Conference. They are coming off a loss at San Jose on Saturday, so they have had ample time to rest and in the grind of the NHL, that is a big advantage to have especially against a team that played last night. Los Angeles has won five straight home games to improve to 11-5-2 and going back, it has won 12 of its last 17 home games against teams with a winning road record. It may sound like a broken record, but Vegas is by far the surprise of the NHL as it has overtaken first place in the Western Conference thanks to five straight wins and a 9-0-1 record over its last 10 games. The Knights won in Anaheim last night to improve to 9-7-1 on the road which is certainly respectable but not spectacular as they are in their top position based on their 15-2-1 record at home which is tied with Tampa Bay for the best home record in the league. The offense should struggle here as Los Angeles is allowing just 2.17 gpg at home, best in the NHL. 9* (62) Los Angeles Kings

Winnipeg is back home following a 1-2 roadtrip to fall to 8-8-5 on the highway this season. Heading back home is what the Jets need as they are 12-3-1 here overall and they have dominated as their 4.13 gpg scored is second best in the NHL. A look over their last 10 games shows the offense has struggled but the schedule has played a role in that as seven of those games have come on the road. The Jets are 8-3 in their last 11 games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. Edmonton has turned the corner with four straight wins including the last three taking place at home. The Oilers have actually been a better road team than a home team, but they are still just 9-7-2 on the highway which shows how bad of a season it has been overall. Edmonton is sitting in 13th place in the Western Conference so while this recent run is good, there is a lot of work to be done. The Oilers are 5-13 in their last 18 games following a win. 9* (16) Winnipeg Jets

Dallas is coming off a shootout win over Nashville in its final game before the break which was its second straight home victory to improve to 12-4-1. The Stars have been not nearly as successful on the road however as they are 8-10-2 including a pair of losses to end their most recent roadtrip. The problem has been scoring as Dallas is averaging only 2.45 gpg on the highway which is sixth lowest in the NHL. The Stars have lost 20 of their last 28 divisional games and they head to Minnesota at the wrong time. The Wild finished 1-3 on their most recent roadtrip including losses in their final two games as the offense continues its road struggles, similar to that of Dallas. The offense has been better at home of late, but it is the defense that has led Minnesota to its 10-4-2 home record as it is allowing just 2.19 gpg here which is the second-best home average in the league. Going back, the Wild are 7-1 in their last eight games following a loss of three or more goals. 10* (18) Minnesota Wild

This is the second time in less than a week Columbus heads to Pittsburgh and while we backed the Penguins last Thursday, we will back them again tonight in what is a better price thus far. Pittsburgh lost to Anaheim at home two days last as it was shutout 4-0 which provides some added motivation tonight. That was the first time the Penguins have been shutout this season and it knocked them into a tie for ninth place in the Eastern Conference. Going back, the are 22-7 in their last 29 games following a loss of three or more goals. While Pittsburgh lost after the first meeting., Columbus bounced back to win its next game, a 2-1 shootout victory over Philadelphia. The Blue Jackets have been solid at home, but they have struggled on the road including three straight losses and going back, they are 31-85 in their last 116 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 8* (4) Pittsburgh Penguins

Something will have to give tonight in Vancouver as the Blue bring in their horrible offense of late while the Canucks defense has been shredded for the past two weeks. St. Louis has lost three straight games while tallying just three goals over this stretch and it will be out to avoid a 0-4 roadtrip. The Blues remain in a tie for first place in the Central Division with Nashville and Winnipeg with 46 points and the road scoring drought should come to an end tonight. Vancouver has also lost three straight games while going 1-7 over its last eight contests. The Canucks have allowed four or more goals in each loss and have giving up an average of 5.4 gpg in those defeats. The goalies have not been confirmed as of this afternoon, but it looks as though Jacob Markstrom will get the start and he has been lit up lately after a strong start to the season and he is 1-3 with a 3.51 GAA in four career stats against St. Louis. The Blues are 26-8 in their last 34 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of less than .400 while the Canucks are 7-19 in their last 26 home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (77) St. Louis Blues

It comes as no surprise that the public is all over the Flyers here as they have won seven of their last eight games although the last five have come at home. Getting up for a game in Buffalo will be a challenge however especially with a game at Columbus tomorrow night. Philadelphia has been average on the road however and this is the first time all season that it is favored away from home. The Sabres have been one of the worst teams in the NHL this season so picking their spots has been the way to go and this is one of those times to back them. They are catching an average team that is riding a hot streak, yet the favorite price is small and that is a red flag. Buffalo came into the season with high expectations as it was going to be a fast team to present a lot of scoring opportunities and while they are taking over 30 shots per game, they have averaged only 2.12 gpg. The good news is that the Flyers are 8-17 in their last 25 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (2) Buffalo Sabres

The Blackhawks have turned the corner as they have won five straight games to get back over .500 at 17-11-5 and are tied for sixth place in the Western Conference. Four of those wins came at home however and Chicago has won just seven of 16 road games while losing three of its last four on the highway. The offense has struggled on the road by averaging just 2.69 gpg which is in the bottom half of the league and going back, the Blackhawks are 2-9 in their last 11 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Dallas has lost three straight games including a home loss last time out on Tuesday, but it is still a very solid 10-4-1 at home. The Stars are in that group that is tied for sixth place in the conference and they could make a jump with a win and this is a very important part of the schedule as this is the second of nine games in a 10-game stretch taking place at home. They are in the top ten in goals scored at home with 3.40 and with three straight home losses, this is a big one for the wheels not to fall off. Going back, the Stars are 40-19 in their last 59 home games against teams with a losing road record. 10* (64) Dallas Stars

Columbus came through for us last night as it caught Toronto in a big letdown spot and while the Blue Jackets will be out for revenge following their series loss to the Penguins last season in the first round of the playoffs, we are not worries about road revenge. Columbus has lost four of its last five road games to fall to 8-7-1 on the highway and while this is a big payback opportunity, it is catching the Penguins at the wrong time. Going back, the Blue Jackets are 31-84 in their last 115 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Pittsburgh is coming off a 1-2 roadtrip and it is 1-4 over its last five games including two straight losses at home after starting 10-3-1 at home. The Penguins are averaging a league-high 38.1 shots per game at home which has equated to 3.31 gpg which is No. 10 in the NHL. The offense has been in a funk during this recent skid, but the Blue Jackets are giving up 3.19 gpg on the road. The Penguins are 48-23 in their last 71 games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. 9* (56) Pittsburgh Penguins

Toronto won for us yesterday afternoon as it exploded with eight goals in "The Next Century Game" to celebrate 100 years of the franchise and the NHL and that automatically brings a letdown into play tonight. The Leafs had scored eight goals in their previous five games combined and now they hit the road where they have lost three straight games. Additionally, they have lost four straight games after scoring five or more goals while going back, they are 14-38 in their last 52 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Columbus is back home after losing its last two games on the road including a 7-2 setback in Boston on Monday. This sets up a similar situation from last week when it lost to Edmonton by an identical 7-2 score and came back by scoring six goals in its next game in a win over the Islanders. The Blue Jackets are allowing just 2.28 gpg at home which is fourth best in the NHL. The Blue Jackets are 9-2 in their last 11 after scoring two goals or less in their previous game while going 5-0 in their last five games following a loss of three or more goals. 9* (2) Columbus Blue Jackets

Washington hits the road riding a three-game winning streak while also being victorious in seven of its last eight games. Six of those eight games were at home, all resulting in wins and the Capitals are now 14-5 at home while sitting just 7-7-1 on the road. Defense is where the difference lies as Washington is allowing just 2.21 gpg at home, which is second best in the league while allowing 3.73 gpg on the highway which is dead last in the NHL. Goaltending has played a big role as starter Braden Holtby is allowing 2.06 gpg at home compared to 3.68 gpg on the road. Dallas is coming off a 2-2 roadtrip which includes losses in the final two games at New Jersey and Philadelphia. The Stars return home trying to improve upon their 10-4 record and like Washington, the home/road splits are significant. For the Dallas case, it is with the offense as it averaged just 2.45 gpg on the road which is fifth lowest in the NHL while averaging 3.43 gpg at home which is No. 9 overall. The return home should fire this team up as head coach Ken Hitchcock is going for win No. 800. 10* (64) Dallas Stars

**2:05 ET Start** This line came out late due to the uncertain status of Auston Matthews and while he is doubtful, Toronto is in an excellent spot today. The Maple Leafs return home following a 0-3 roadtrip if ever there is a game to get fired up for, this is the one. The Maple Leafs and the NHL both officially turn 100 today, and to mark the anniversary, the Leafs will host the Hurricanes in what has been dubbed "The Next Century Game." The Maple Leafs are 10-5 at home and it has been a rough schedule of late as seven of their last nine games have come on the road and they were the winner in both of those home games. In net, Frederik Andersen has continued his solid season with a save percentage of .922 in his 28 starts. The overall improvement in net and on their blue line to around league average has provided reason for optimism The Hurricanes have won three in a row including an upset over Columbus in their last game at home. Carolina is just 7-7-4 on the roads and going back, the Hurricanes are 21-49 in their last 70 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (52) Toronto Maple Leafs

While home ice has not been great for Ottawa as it is just 5-5-5, tonight sets up a rare opportunity for the Senators in what should be an electric atmosphere. For the first time, Ottawa is playing host to an outdoor game, as NHL100 Classic sets up at TD Place, home of the CFL Ottawa RedBlacks. More than 30,000 fans are expected in the nation's capital, so this is unlike any other game these players have experience. Ottawa snapped a five-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Rangers on Wednesday and this is a big game in the standings as the Senators trail Montreal by five points, but the race is closer because Ottawa holds two games in hand. The Canadiens are coming off a 2-1 overtime victory over the Devils on Thursday that snapped a three-game losing streak. That game concluded a 2-2-1 homestand and the road has been a struggle as the Canadiens have lost eight of 13 games on the highway. Revenge is also in play as Ottawa has lost the first two meetings this season including an embarrassing 8-3 loss on home ice. 10* (6) Ottawa Senators

San Jose is coming off a win in Calgary last night and that puts the Sharks in a tough spot tonight as they are 2-6 in their last eight games playing with no rest. They have been solid on the road this season, going 8-4-1 which is a big reason they come in as road favorites tonight. the defense has been the highlight as they are allowing just 2.31 gpg on the road but because Aaron Dell got the start last night, Martin Jones will be between the pipes and he has struggled of late, allowing at least four goals in each of his last four starts. Vancouver has been up and down all season and it has been all down of late as it has dropped four straight games, scoring a total of five goals in the four losses. But the Canucks will get a break with the opposing goaltender as mentioned so they are in a good spot to breakout. Vancouver will be out for revenge on top of everything as the Canucks were shutout in the first meeting this season 5-0 in San Jose and it needs to be noted that Dell was in goal that game. 10* (60) Vancouver Canucks

St. Louis remains in first place in the Western Conference with 44 points despite coming off a 3-0 shutout loss against Tampa Bay on Tuesday. This was the third time this season that the Blues have been shutout at home and in the first two cases, they had another home game right after and won both of those by scores of 6-4 and 6-3 so the offense was able to rebound in a big way. They are 4-1 overall at home following a home loss and while we expect the offense to again explode tonight, the defense at home has been consistent all season, allowing just 2.47 gpg which is eighth best in the league. Going back, the Blues are 68-19 in their last 87 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. Anaheim opened the week with a home win over Carolina on Monday to make it a 2-0-1 homestand but the road has been a problem of late. The Ducks opened the season 4-2-1 on the highway but have lost five of their last six road games and with that one victory coming here in St. Louis on November 29, the Blues will be out for revenge. Anaheim has lost four straight games against winning teams while going 0-5 in its last five games after allowing two goals or less in its previous game. 9* (14) St. Louis Blues

Despite three straight wins, Chicago is still under .500 on the season yet the lines are reflecting a Chicago teams from prior years. The Blackhawks were -195 or higher favorites in all three of those wins and those were all against teams ranked No. 25 or lower in the current power rankings. They have struggled this season against top competition as they are 2-8 against the top ten with those two wins tied for fewest of all teams ranked within the top 16 and the eight losses being second most among that group. Chicago has lost three straight road games and going back, the Blackhawks are 3-15 in their last 18 games against teams with a winning record. Winnipeg got swept on its three-game roadtrip but returned home on Monday and defeated Vancouver 5-1 to extend its home winning streak to seven games while improving to 11-2-1 at home overall. The Jets are averaging 4.36 gpg at home which leads the league and their 2.57 GAA is fourth best making the 1.79 home scoring differential the best split in the NHL. Going back, the Jets are 38-18 in their last 56 home games against teams with a losing road record. 10* (12) Winnipeg Jets

We lost with the Islanders last night as goalie Jaroslav Halak was pulled after allowing four goals in just 20 shots as he and Thomas Greis both played around 30 minutes, so it is unclear who is making the start tonight but either one is a disadvantage for New York. That was the Islanders second home regulation loss, but the road has been a different story as they have dropped nine games in regulation and 120 overall while allowing 3.50 gpg, eighth worst in the NHL. The Islanders are 6-16 in their last 22 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while going 3-8 in their last 11 games in a three-in-four situation. Columbus is 11-6 at home and one of those losses came on Tuesday against Edmonton 7-2 which was its worst home loss of the season and the most goals allowed overall this season. That will get fixed tonight but more importantly, facing the poor Islanders defense will be welcomed as the Blue Jackets have scored four goals combined in their last three home games. The Blue Jackets are 8-1 in their last nine games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. 8* (2) Columbus Blue Jackets

The Islanders won for us on Monday and we will back them again here as they are in another great situation. A return home was embraced as 18 of their 30 games have taken place on the road where they have won only eight of those, but New York has taken advantage of home ice by losing only one game in regulation. Overall, the Islanders have played the toughest schedule in the NHL, so they have held their own. They are averaging an NHL best 4.50 gpg at home on just 32.9 shots per game and the shooting percentage of 13.7 percent in second best in the league. Dallas also won on Monday as it defeated the Rangers in a shootout to snap a three-game losing streak. Scoring goals has been an issue as the Stars have scored only six goals in regulation over the last four games and they have been the opposite of the Islanders on the road. They are averaging only 2.41 gpg on the highway which is fourth lowest while their shooting percentage of 7.6 percent is also tied for fourth worst. Revenge is in play tonight as the Islanders suffered a 5-0 loss in Dallas last month, so payback is wanted. The Stars are 6-14 in their last 20 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (52) New York Islanders

New Jersey returns home following a loss against the Rangers on Saturday which was its second straight loss and it will be out to halt a two-game home losing streak on top of it. The Devils have been very average at home this season but that is giving us a lot of value with this number and going back, they are 5-1 in their last six games following a loss of three or more goals. Corey Schneider will be back in goal tonight after resting in the game against the Rangers and he will be out to bounce back from allowing five goals against Columbus in his last start which ended a 2.09 GAA run over his previous 11 games. The Kings are on an eight-game winning streak as they head east following a three-game homestand and like the Devils, they have been much better on the road than at home but as mentioned, the line is being dictated by that and they are paying the price. This is the highest they have been favored by on the road all season including a game at Arizona less than three weeks ago. 10* (2) New Jersey Devils

This is a very favorable scheduling situation that favors the Islanders as they return home following a four-game roadtrip that included losses over the final three games. 18 of their 29 games have taken place on the road where they have won only eight of those, but New York has taken advantage of home ice by losing only one game in regulation. Overall, the Islanders have played the toughest schedule in the NHL, so they have held their own as they are 6-5 against teams ranked within the top 10. The Islanders are averaging an NHL best 4.64 gpg at home and overall, they are 8-3 in their last 11 games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. Washington has had the opposite type of run as it has won four straight games with all of those being at home and going back, the Capitals have been on home ice in nine of their last 10 games. They are 12-5 at home compared to just 6-6-1 on the highway including losses in three of their last four. The schedule overall is the fourth easiest in the league which has played a role in the overall success. 10* (56) New York Islanders

Dallas returns home in hopes of breaking its two-game losing streak following a defeat in St. Louis on Thursday. The Starts were shutout for just the second time this season and after the first occurrence, they bounced back with a 6-4 home win over Calgary. Overall, they are 10-3 at home and one of those losses came in their season opener against Vegas, giving the Knights their first ever franchise victory and they have not forgotten that. Dallas is allowing just 2.23 gpg at home, which is second fewest in the NHL and going back, the Stars are 35-16 in their last 51 games following a loss of three or more goals. Vegas continues is surprising start as it has won three straight games including a win in Nashville last night but all three of these victories have come in either overtime or in a shootout. The Knights are 7-7-1 on the highway and are allowing 3.60 gpg on the road which is eighth worst in the NHL. Maxime Lagace will likely get the start in goal with his 3.69 gpg, worst in the league. 8* (68) Dallas Stars

Edmonton hits the road once again in what has been a brutal stretch since Early November. This is the Oilers 11th road game over their last 16 games and they have won just 6 of 14 road games overall on the season. They are coming off a home loss against Philadelphia on Wednesday as they managed only two goals and are now averaging just 2.86 gpg on the season including only 2.71 gpg on the road. They have struggled against the Eastern Conference this season while going 2-9 in their last 11 games against teams with a losing record. Montreal had won five straight games but has since lost two straight games against St. Louis and Calgary at home and currently sits five points behind the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens offense is nearly as bad as Edmonton, but they do posses a much better defense as they are allowing just 2.65 gpg at home led by goalie Carey Price who is allowing just 2.37 gpg at home. 9* (56) Montreal Canadiens

The Rangers lost in Washington last night, halting a two-game winning streak and a 6-1 run over its last seven games. New York heads back home where it has won nine of its last 10 games and is 10-5-1 on the season after a poor start at MSG. One of those earlier losses came against New Jersey in the first and only meeting this season so the Rangers will be out for payback against their rival while improving upon their 4-0 record in their last four games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. New Jersey is coming off a home-and-home split against Columbus with the road team winning each of those meetings. The Devils have been one of the top road teams in hockey but after a red hot 5-0 start, they have won just five of their last 10 road games and in four of those losses, they have allowed five or more goals. Going back, the Devils are 17-39 in their last 56 games against teams with a winning record. 10* (64) New York Rangers

We played against the Sabres on Tuesday and lost as they went to Colorado and won a rare game against the Avalanche as they scored four goals which was three more than their previous four games combined. Going back, Buffalo has lost 11 of its last 13 games and while it has been better on offense on the road, its defense makes up for it in a bad way where it is allowing 3.80 gpg which is now third worst in the league. Buffalo has won consecutive games only once all season as it is 1-5 following a victory and going back, the Sabres are 15-45 in their last 60 road games against teams with a losing home record. It is rare to hear that Chicago has a losing record at home but that is the case as it has dropped seven of 13 games including the last two which is part of a five-game losing streak overall. Those losses came against Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas (twice) and Nashville so it has been a tough stretch of opponents. If there is a spot to get back on track, this is it. Goalie Anton Forsberg has been better of late after struggling early in the season. They have dominated the bottom feeders of late as the Blackhawks are 61-18 in their last 79 games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. 8* (8) Chicago Blackhawks

The Metropolitan Division is jammed up with six teams within four points of each other including the Islanders and Penguins. New York is two points behind New Jersey and it fell to 8-8 on the road with a loss at Tampa Bay on Tuesday which snapped a three-game road winning streak. However, those three wins came against Ottawa, Florida and Philadelphia, all of which have 27 or fewer points and all have losing records at home. The Islanders are giving up 3.00 gpg on the road and going back, they are 6-15 in their last 21 road games against teams with a home winning percentage greater than .600. Pittsburgh is also coming off a loss as it fell at home 4-3 to the Rangers which was just its third home regulation loss. That snapped a four-game winning streak for the Penguins as they remain three points behind the Devils and a win here leapfrogs the Islanders. Tristan Jarry will be in goal for the fourth straight game and he has been a solid backup, allowing 2.30 gpg which is No. 13 in the NHL among all goalies. The Penguins are 5-0 in their last five games when their opponent allows five goals or more in their previous game. 10* (54) Pittsburgh Penguins

Toronto is coming off a 2-1 west coast Canadian roadtrip where it lost the finale at Vancouver on Saturday, so it has had ample rest time as it heads home looking to snap a two-game home losing skid. The Maple Leafs had won four straight games at Air Canada Centre prior to that where they are now 8-5 on the season. Overall, they are five points behind Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division and are tied with Columbus for third place in the Eastern Conference with 35 points. The Maple Leafs are 6-1 in their last seven games after allowing two goals or less in their previous game. Calgary is coming off a loss as well as it fell to Philadelphia, allowing the Flyers to end their 10-game losing streak. The Flames went 1-3 on their recent homestand and while they have been solid on the road with a 7-4-1 record, they have gone 3-3-1 in their last seven roadies. They will be out for revenge as it was Toronto that started the homestand with a loss to the Maple Leafs, but we are against the road revenge angle. Going back, the Flames are 5-12 in their last 17 games against teams with a winning record. 9* (2) Toronto Maple Leafs

While it may not have been pretty, Vegas defeated Arizona in a shootout on Sunday to snap a three-game losing streak. The Golden Knights had won five straight games prior to that and they are the biggest surprise in the league thus far as they are in second place in the Pacific Division, trailing Los Angeles by four points. They have won six straight divisional games and bring in a 10-2 record at home where they are averaging 3.92 gpg, third best in the league. Anaheim got off to a great start this season, but it has dropped six of its last seven games including four of five on this current roadtrip. The schedule has been brutal as the first five games on this trip have come against teams that are ranked between No. 2 and No. 9 in the current Sagarin ratings and while Vegas is not ranked in that group, it is No. 16 and the Ducks are 4-10 this season against teams within the top 16. They are averaging nearly a goal and a half less on offense on the road than what Vegas is averaging at home and the Ducks are 1-6 in their last seven games against teams with a winning record. 10* (68) Vegas Golden Knights

It has been a roller coaster season for Los Angeles which won 11 of its first 15 games, lost of its next eight and has since won its last five games following a perfect 4-0 roadtrip. The Kings are one of the rare teams to be playing better on the road than at home as they have lost six of their last eight home games after a 5-0-1 start. These recent struggles here are keeping this moneyline in check and the recent road sweep brings in some solid and needed momentum into the start of this three-game homestand. Los Angeles has the best defense in the league as it is allowing just 2.14 gpg and the Kings are 4-0 in their last four games after allowing two goals or less in their previous game. Minnesota has won two straight games over Vegas and St. Louis but both of those came at home where it has won five of its last six games. The road has been a different story as the Wild are 1-3 in their last four road games with the lone victory coming against 6-17-4 Buffalo. They are allowing 3.46 gpg on the road which is ninth worst in the NHL and going back, the Wild are 7-15 in their last 22 games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. 10* (70) Los Angeles Kings

Colorado has dropped two straight games at home after an 8-2-1 start and this mini-slump is providing value with a shorter than expected price against one of the worst teams in the NHL. The Avalanche are 1-3 on this current five-game homestand that concludes tonight with a four-game roadtrip on deck which makes this a very important game. The four home regulation losses have come against St. Louis, Calgary, New Jersey and Dallas all of which are over .500 on the season and going back, the Avalanche are 6-1 in their last seven home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. It has been a dreadful season for the Sabres which has lost four straight games and 11 of their last 12 games. The offense has been non-existent with just one goal scored during the four-game skid and their 2.07 gpg are deal last in the league. Buffalo has actually been better on offense on the road, but its defense gets shoddier where it is allowing an-NHL worst 3.44 gpg. While the opponent is lowly Buffalo, this is a big game for the Avalanche as they are four points out of the playoff race and these are the games they need to take. 10* (64) Colorado Avalanche

Nashville is coming off a win Saturday over Anaheim in a shootout, bouncing back from a loss against Vancouver on Thursday. The Predators are now 10-2-1 at home and are laying a short price compared to their last two games where they were -180 and -244. This is the last game of a four-game homestand for Nashville and it will be pretty motivated as it lost the first meeting in Boston in October. Going back, the Predators are 4-0 in their last four home games against teams with a losing road record. The Bruins defeated Philadelphia, which has now lost 10 straight games, and they have now won two straight and six of their last seven games which includes four straight road wins, and this is a big reason that the moneyline price is down low. Boston is still 5-4-2 on the road as it struggles offensively, averaging only 2.64 gpg, which is tenth worst in the NHL. This is not good as they will be facing Pekka Rinne who is 15-4 with a 2.35 gaa. The Bruins are 3-8 in their last 11 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (6) Nashville Predators

Tampa Bay is back home following a disappointing 1-3 roadtrip as the offense managed only seven goals overall despite scoring a power play goal in each game. The Lightning are at the top of the NHL in power play success at 27.4 percent and remain at the top of the Eastern Conference, one-point ahead of Toronto and Columbus. They have been lights out at home with a 9-2-1 record and it is the offense leading the charge, averaging 3.67 gpg so the seven-goal effort from the recent roadtrip is a thing of the past. San Jose has won three straight games including the first two on this current roadtrip after a 2-1 win over Florida last night. The Sharks are one of the best road teams in the league at 7-2-1 but they have faced weak opposition with wins over New Jersey and Los Angeles being the only ones of note. Overall, they have played the No. 28 ranked schedule in the league and will have to get by goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy who is 16-4-1 on the season. Tampa Bay is 9-2 in its last 11 games after scoring two goals or less in its previous game. 9* (12) Tampa Bay Lightning

Los Angeles is coming off a game last night which led to this line coming out late, typical of NHL games this season in the second of a back-to-back. The Kings defeated Washington 5-2 for their third straight win and second straight to open this four-game roadtrip. It was a rare offensive outburst for Los Angeles as it heavily relies on defense which will be the case again tonight, but the Kings are in a tough spot. St. Louis is coming off a loss in its last game on Wednesday at home against Anaheim to fall to 2-2 on this current homestand. The Blues have alternated wins and losses in their last six home games, so a bounce back is expected, and it is a game they need before hitting the road for two straight games starting tomorrow. The offense will present a problem for Los Angeles as the Blues are averaging 3.69 gpg at home which is eighth best in the NHL. The Blues are 16-5 in their last 21 games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game while going 6-2 in their last eight games against teams with a winning record. Meanwhile, the Kings are 3-7 in their last 10 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while going 1-5 in their last six games after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. 9* (62) St. Louis Blues

We played against Chicago on Tuesday and won with Nashville but tonight we will be backing the Blackhawks as they head home where the offense has been a lot better. As mentioned, they are anemic on the road and are now averaging 2.59 gpg but at home, they are averaging 3.82 gpg which is sixth highest in the NHL. Chicago has won two straight games at home after losing four of its previous five and its home record of 6-4-1 is relatively average but that is keeping this number in check. Dallas is 4-8-1 on the road following a 3-0 shutout win in Vegas on Tuesday which snapped a five-game road losing streak. While the Chicago offense is bad on the road, the Stars offense is much worse as they are deal last in the league in road scoring, averaging a mere 2.21 gpg. Dallas is -1.31 in scoring differential on the highway while the Blackhawks are +1.37 in scoring differential at home. Going back, the Stars are 5-22 in their last 27 road games against teams with a winning home record while the Blackhawks are 69-26 in their last 95 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (10) Chicago Blackhawks

We are getting great value with Colorado which is coming off just its second home loss in regulation on the season. The Avalanche fell to Calgary 3-2 which was the second regulation loss by a goal and the third loss overall at home by only one goal. They have been underdogs in every home game this season which is based on their 13-26-2 record at home last season and not what is happening this year. While Colorado is sitting in last place in the Central Division, it is just three points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The Avalanche are 4-1 in their last five games playing on three or more days rest. Winnipeg is coming off a 7-2 win against Minnesota on Monday to improve to 8-2-1 at home which includes four straight wins. The Jets have been a solid road team, but they have dropped five of their last 10 road games and the offense has been much less productive on the highway. They are averaging just 2.69 gpg on the road compared to Colorado averaging 4.20 gpg at home. Look for the home team to continue to dominate this series. 10* (58) Colorado Avalanche

Chicago has won two straight games as well as four of its last five games including a 7-3 home win over Anaheim last night. The seven goals scored were the most since scoring 10 goals in their season opener against Pittsburgh but in-between, scoring has been a problem. In their other 21 games, the Blackhawks have scored two goals or less 11 times and three goals or less 15 times. Chicago has scored five goals or more five times but all of those have been at home and it heads into tonight averaging a mere 2.67 gpg on the road which is well more than a goal less than what it averages at home. The Blackhawks have lost four straight games when playing with no rest. Nashville meanwhile lost at Carolina in a shootout last time out which snapped a four-game winning streak. The Predators are 9-2 over their last 11 games with both losses coming on the road and they have not lost at home since October 28, winning four straight home games since then. The Predators are 5-0 in their last five games when their opponent scores five goals or more in their previous game. 10* (14) Nashville Predators

Philadelphia looks to snap its eight-game losing streak that has been extremely frustrating as the last three losses have come in overtime while five of the last six have come in extra time. This includes a 5-4 overtime loss in Pittsburgh last night and the Flyers return home tonight where they are 1-2-3 over their last six games with one of those regulation losses coming by just one goal, a 1-0 defeat to Minnesota. Brian Elliott took the loss and tonight it will be Michal Neuvirth and his numbers have been better. San Jose is coming off a win in its last game, a 4-0 shutout over Winnipeg on Saturday but it has been a pretty uneven stretch for the Sharks as they have lost four of their last six games and paid the price in that win over the Jets. Goalie Martin Jones stopped 38 shots in the shutout, but he will not be in net tonight because of a lower body injury and that is a big blow as his 1.90 GAA leads the NHL. Aaron Dell will take over and he has been solid as a backup, but he has lost four of his last six starts. 10* (2) Philadelphia Flyers

Columbus had its six-game winning streak snapped last night with a 3-1 loss in Montreal and it remains a point behind New Jersey in the Metropolitan Division. Expect a bounce back tonight as the Blue Jackets return home where they have won six of their last eight games including three straight. It is fair to say Columbus has not forgotten the last home loss as it came against Carolina 3-1 back on November 10 and going back, it has won five straight games after scoring two goals or less. Additionally, the Blue Jackets are 41-19 in their last 60 games against teams with a losing record. Carolina is coming off a four-game homestand where it went 2-2 including a shootout win over Nashville on Sunday. The Hurricanes have been just a average on the road as they are at home and they are a point out of last place in the division. They are 20-48 in their last 68 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while going 2-5 in their last seven games following a win. 10* (10) Columbus Blue Jackets

New Jersey is coming off a pair of wins on Friday and Saturday including at overtime win over Detroit last time out. The Devils remain in first place in the Metropolitan Division, a point ahead of Columbus yet they are not getting the attention they deserve which is fine from a line value standpoint. New Jersey is 6-3-2 at home which is not spectacular but three of those losses came against Washington, St. Louis and Edmonton and on the season, the Devils are 9-4 against teams ranked outside the top 16 in the league. The Panthers lost to Chicago on Saturday and they have now lost three of their last four games. Florida has managed no more than two goals in any of its last five games and the offense taken a big hit with the loss of Evgenii Dadonov last game as he is fourth on the team in scoring with 18 points. Aside from the top line, only Vincent Trocheck has over 11 points (22) for the Panthers. The road has been a problem as Florida is 3-8 on the highway and going back, the Panthers are 2-10 in their last 12 games following a loss of three or more goals. 10* (52) New Jersey Devils

St. Louis was a big letdown for us last night as it got shutout at home which was the second time the Blues have been shutout at home this season. The first time resulted in a six-goal effort in their next game and we can expect another big turnaround tonight. they went 0-3 on the power play which was just the third time in their last nine games that they have not converted in the man-advantage. They are now 8-3 at home while going 15-5 in their last 20 games when scoring two goals or less. Minnesota won last night in a shootout over Colorado which was its second straight win following two straight losses. It has been decent on the road this season, but this is just the second time that is hits the highway following a home win and the first resulted in a 3-1 loss at Washington. Going back, the Wild are 1-5 in their last six road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 and are at the wrong place at the wrong time tonight. 10* (64) St. Louis Blues

St. Louis has won three straight games, so it heads into Friday with solid momentum in search of a big payback opportunity. The Blue lost to Nashville in the second round of the playoffs last season 4-2 as it could not solve the Predators on the road as they scored only one goal in each of the three road losses. St. Louis is 8-2 at home while averaging 4.00 gpg on home ice. The Blues put up eight goals against Edmonton in their most recent victory and are 6-0 in their last six games after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. Nashville is playing excellent as well as it has won three straight and eight of its last nine games. The lone loss was its last road game at Minnesota back on November 16 and while it is 8-1-1 at home, it is just 5-5-1 on the road. The Predators offense has been strong at home but on the highway, they are averaging just 2.36 gpg which is one of the lowest marks in the league. 10* (24) St. Louis Blues

New Jersey opened its two-game homestand with a shootout loss against the Bruins on Wednesday and is in need of a win before heading to Detroit tomorrow. The Devils have lost three of their last four games and has fallen into second place in the Metropolitan Division, a point behind Columbus which has won five straight games. Going back, the Devils are 5-2 in their last seven home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. Vancouver has opened its roadtrip with a pair of wins over Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to improve to a surprising 8-3 on the road. The Canucks have scored five goals in each of those games, yet they are still averaging a mere 2.77 gpg on the season which is tied for No. 20 in the NHL. Despite the recent win over Pittsburgh, the Canucks are 7-26 in their last 33 games after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. The winning road run comes to an end on Friday. 10* (16) New Jersey Devils

The Islanders are the only teams in the NHL that has yet to lose a game at home in regulation is they are 7-0-2 in nine games. The road has been a different story however as New York is 5-7 and those seven losses on the highway are the most for any team that is currently in a playoff spot not counting the Wild Card. The Islanders are averaging just 2.92 gpg on the road and going back, they are 2-8 in their last 10 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of less than .400. The Flyers have lost six straight games after a great start to the season. Three of those losses have come in either overtime or in a shootout and that includes a loss on Wednesday at the Barclays Center against the Islanders so there will be instant payback in play tonight. Goalie Brian Elliott has been solid for the most part but he has gotten no offense to help him out but that can change here against Thomas Greiss who has a 3.29 GAA including a 3.75 GAA in five road starts. 10* (4) Philadelphia Flyers

Arizona has caught fire with three straight wins to close out its four-game roadtrip, but it is still dead last in the NHL with 13 points. The Coyotes are back home where they are just 1-6-1 and it took a shootout for that victory. It has been a brutal schedule of late as seven of their last eight games have come on the road with five of those coming on the east coast and having no more than two days rest in-between any two games. This is the fifth straight game where they have had only one day of rest, so this is a fatigued team right now. The Coyotes are 2-10 in their last 12 games when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game. San Jose is riding a three-game losing streak with all of those losses coming at home so a trip on the road is not a bad thing. The defense has been solid, but the offense put up just three goals in those three games The Sharks have won two straight road games and going back, they are 20-7 in their last 27 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (73) San Jose Sharks

Tampa Bay is another team that is coming off a rare home loss as it fell to the Islanders on Sunday 5-3. It was a surprisingly bad effort from Andrei Vasilevskiy who allowed four goals, but he is still No. 6 in the league with a 2.34 GAA in 17 starts where he has gone 14-2-1. The Lightning lead the Eastern Conference with 32 points and their three regulation losses are fewest in the NHL. They have had a lot of time thinking about the loss and will be highly motivated to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time this season. Chicago won its last game in Pittsburgh and it has been a highly inconsistent season for the Blackhawks as they are 10-8-2, going 5-4-1 both at home and on the road. They have won two straight games, which is the third time they have won consecutive games but have yet to win three straight games all season. The penalty kill has been solid of late, but Chicago will be facing the best power play team in the league. Going back, the Blackhawks are 1-5 in their last six road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 9* (70) Tampa Bay Lightning

The Penguins are in a great spot to roll and with the high price tag, we will be playing the puckline to get some great value. Pittsburgh is coming off a loss at home against Chicago on Saturday which was its first regulation loss at home, so it has had a long time to stew about it. The Penguins are now 6-1-1 at home and are paying the price for the solid record but it has not been an easy ride as eight of their last 11 games have come on the road so the time off is a big advantage and they have won 20 of their last 28 games playing with three or more days of rest. In addition to making up for the home loss, the Penguins want to bury the Canucks as the lost the first meeting in Vancouver 4-2 earlier in the month after sweeping the season series the last two seasons. The Canucks defeated Philadelphia last night as it snapped a two-game slide, but they have not won consecutive games since late October as they are 0-4 in their last four games following a win. Also, the Canucks are 6-26 in their last 32 games after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. 10* (68) Pittsburgh Penguins -1.5 Puckline

Dallas is coming off a home win over Edmonton on Saturday which was its second straight home victory to improve to 7-2 at home on the season. That win snapped a three-game slide, all three losses coming on the road, as the offense exploded for six goals which was a season high. The can keep that offense tonight against goalie Charlie Lindgren who has filled in well for Carey Price and Al Montoya who are both injuries, but he has struggled over his last two games. Lindgren has allowed five goals in each of his last two starts and will face a Stars offense that is averaging 3.56 gpg at home. Montreal has lost three straight games to finish 2-3-1 on its homestand and now it hits the road for the first time since November 5. Ben Bishop will be between the pipes and he is 8-6 with a 2.78 GAA on the season and his home/road splits have really defined his season. He is 2-5 with a 4.19 GAA in eight road games but at home, he is 6-1 with a 1.36 GAA as he has made 181 saves in 191 shots. The Canadiens are 4-10 in their last 14 games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game while the Stars are 7-1 in their last eight games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. 10* (6) Dallas Stars

Los Angeles snapped a four-game losing streak with a win last night over Florida as backup goalie Darcy Kuemper had the shutout although he faced only 24 shots. The Kings now hit the road where they are a very solid 6-2 but half of those wins came by way of a shootout or in overtime. After playing five straight home games including last night, they are in a tough spot here and this is their first ever trip to Vegas and as we have seen so far this season, opponents are having a tough time here. The Golden Knights won their last game on Thursday at Vancouver which snapped a three-game road losing streak and they return home for just their second game in Vegas since the end of October. Eight of their last nine games have come on the highway and they bring in a 7-1 home record which includes impressive wins over Boston, St. Louis, Chicago and Winnipeg. Vegas is averaging 3.56 gpg at home and while it will be challenged by Jonathan Quick, a return should again spark the offense. The Kings are 2-6 in their last eight road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (10) Vegas Golden Knights

Boston is coming of a rare road win at Los Angeles on Thursday which snapped a five-game road losing streak and we expect the winning to end there. The Bruins got a great effort from Anton Khudobin who made a late start over Tuukka Rask and he is now 4-0-2 on the season compared to Rask going 3-7-0-2 in 12 starts while posting a .897 save percentage which is ninth worst in the NHL. Khudobin will get his second straight start for the first time this season and he is not in a good spot. Going back, the Bruins are 0-9 in their last nine games following a win. San Jose is coming off a shutout loss at home against Florida putting a halt to a 4-1 run at home. The offense has sputtered this season but could be ready to unload here and the defense will be ready once again. Starting goalie Martin Jones is 8-5-0 with a 2.13 GAA and backup Aaron Dell is 2-2-0 with a 1.94 GAA and as of Saturday late morning, no decision has been made who will be starting. The Sharks are 5-0 in their last five games when their opponent scores two goals or less in their previous game. 10* (76) San Jose Sharks

It has been a tale of two seasons for the Rangers as they opened up by losing nine of their first 12 games but have since won six of their last seven games although they are coming off a loss at Chicago on Wednesday. New York has had most of its success at home as it is just 2-4 on the road while going 1-4 in its last five road games against teams with a winning home record. It has been a tough season for goalie Henrik Lundqvist as he has a 3.04 GAA which is No. 26 in the NHL and he has allowed four goals in four of his last eight starts. The Blue Jackets are coming off a two-game roadtrip where they won both games against Detroit and Montreal in extra time and they return home where they look to snap a two-game slide. Columbus lost to Nashville and Carolina by identical 3-1 scores last week after winning five of its first seven home games. This is a good setup where the Blue Jackets are 19-7 in their last 26 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. Columbus has played the second toughest schedule in the NHL and it is 5-7 against teams ranked within the top 16 but it has gone 6-1 against teams outside the top 16 which is where the Rangers currently reside. Good value once again. 10* (2) Columbus Blue Jackets

Los Angeles lost last Thursday at home against Tampa Bay which was its first home regulation loss of the season and it has followed that up with two more home regulation losses. The Kings have lost four straight home games dating back to an overtime loss against Nashville on November 4. Thanks to a great start to the season, the Kings still have the lead in the Pacific Division by three points and are just three points behind St. Louis for first place in the Western Conference. Goalie Jonathan Quick has looked good the last two games, but his offense was not able to muster much in either of the one-goal losses. On the season, he has a 2.32 GAA which is No. 8 in the league while his .930 save percentage is tied for No. 2. The Bruins have lost four straight games and while that is a streak we typically like to go against, Boston deserves to keep losing with its horrible road play. The Bruins have dropped six of seven road games with their only win coming against lowly Arizona. We won with Boston in its last victory but that was at home following a home loss and one of the big reasons was goaltender Tuukka Rask. In seven home starts, he has a 2.56 GAA but in four road games, he has a 3.40 GAA all resulting in losses. 9* (74) Los Angeles Kings

This line came out late due to the uncertainty of Flames goalie Mike Smith who has been ruled out. Calgary hits the road following a 5-2 homestand including wins in its last two games where it registered 13 goals. This is their first road game since October 25, so it has been a while since they have had to travel last. The Calgary defense took a hit when Smith had to exit the last game and he did not accompany the team to Detroit. Smith has started 16 of the team's 17 games this season, posting a 9-6 record with a .921 save percentage and a 2.63 GAA. The Flames will turn to Eddie Lack who owns an .857 save percentage and a 3.75 GAA in three appearances on the season. The Red Wings have had a tough stretch with seven road games over their last nine and while they are coming off a home loss against Columbus, they are playing their first consecutive home games since October 20-22. Detroit lost in Calgary last Thursday 6-3 so it will be out for quick revenge and while those six goals allowed are a concern, Petr Mrazek was in goal that game and tonight, Jimmy Howard will get the start. Despite the 13-goal outburst the last two games, Calgary is averaging just 2.88 gpg so we should see that offense come back down to earth tonight. 10* (2) Detroit Red Wings

Edmonton is the biggest disappointment in the early stages of the season as the Oilers were picked by many to represent the Western Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals, but they are sitting in second to last place. While there is still plenty of time left, Edmonton needs to find a sense of urgency and get going with its offense. The Oilers are averaging 2.24 gpg which is dead last in the league, but bad luck can be tossed into the mix as the Oilers are getting their chances with 35.8 shots per game which is third most in the NHL. Edmonton is just 3-6-0 at Rogers Place this season and has lost three of its last four home games but are in a good spot to get back on track. Vegas has cooled down considerably after an 8-1 start as it has lost five of its last seven games and this has all coincided with an unbalanced schedule. Seven of the Golden Knights first nine games were at home while six of the last seven games have taken place on the road. It comes as no surprise that the home team is 12-4 in their 16 games and unlike the Oilers which shoot the puck a lot, Vegas does not as its 29.8 shots per game is No. 25 in the league. Going back, the Oilers are 12-5 in their last 17 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 9* (64) Edmonton Oilers

San Jose is coming off a 4-1 homestand including a winner last night as it shutout Vancouver 5-0 behind a 41-save effort from Aaron Dell. The defense has been the bright spot all season as the Sharks are allowing just 2.33 gpg but the offense has been inconsistent as they had three goals in their previous two games prior to the five-goal outburst last night. San Jose is averaging just 2.73 gpg which is No. 22 in the NHL. This is the second time this season the Sharks have played with no rest and they lost the first game while going back, they are 0-4 in their last four games playing the second of a back-to-back. Los Angeles lost on Thursday at home against Tampa Bay which was its first home regulation loss of the season. Goalie Jonathan Quick had his worst game of the season as he allowed five goals, but he has been solid all season with a 2.29 GAA in 13 starts including a pair of shutouts. Look for a big bounce back effort from him and the Kings as they extend their 7-1 run in their last eight games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. 10* (58) Los Angeles Kings

This is the second meeting of the season between Pittsburgh and Nashville with the Penguins taking the first game 4-0. Now it is payback time for the Predators in more ways than one. They will be out for revenge from that game but more importantly, they will be out to avenge losing the Stanley Cup to Pittsburgh in six games with the clincher taking place in this building 2-0. Watching the Penguins celebrate on their home ice was tough to go through so this one has been circled for a while. Nashville is coming off a four-game roadtrip where it won the final three games, so it comes in with solid momentum. Additionally, the Predators have lost two straight home games after a 3-0 start so they want to get back on track at home. Pittsburgh lost in Washington last night and the schedule has been tough as this is their seventh road game in their last eight games and they have gone 1-4-1 in the first six. They have yet to lose in regulation at home but are 4-7-1 on the highway on the season. 10* (20) Nashville Predators

After a blistering start to the season where it went 9-2 through its first 11 games, New Jersey has dropped four straight games. All of those have come against solid teams however, two against Edmonton, St. Louis and Calgary. The Devils take a big step down in competition tonight as they look to snap the skid before hitting the road for a tough four-game roadtrip. Florida won last night in Buffalo which is not saying much as the Sabres are tied with the Panthers for the worst record in the NHL. That victory snapped a five-game losing streak and after picking up four points in its first three games, Florida has grabbed just eight points over its last 12 games. The Devils turn to Cory Schneider who has a 2.96 GAA and is 6-3 in his nine starts despite dropping his last three. Roberto Luongo started last night for the Panthers meaning James Reimer will get the nod which is not good as he has a 4.00 GAA in eight starts and one relief appearance. 10* (10) New Jersey Devils

This is the second game of a back-to-back for Toronto and Boston with the Maple Leafs coming out on top last night 3-2 in overtime. It was their third straight win following a 1-5 run and all three of these wins have come at home. Toronto is 4-4 on the road but has gone 1-4 in its last five road games after a 3-0 start. Going back, the Maple Leafs are 16-35 in their last 51 games in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation. That was the second straight loss for Boston, both coming on the road where it has dropped four straight games and it heads home on a 4-1-2 record over its last seven home games. Tuukka Rask will be back between the pipes after getting last night off and he brings in a solid 2.77 GAA while Toronto looks like it will counter with Curtis McElhinney which would make this his first start of the season. The Bruins are 44-15 in their last 59 games in the second game of a home-and-home situation. 10* (14) Boston Bruins

We won with Carolina on Tuesday as it defeated Florida, but the Panthers are the worst team in in the Eastern Conference and now it takes on one of the best and one that is not happy right now. The Hurricanes snapped a four-game slide with that victory while also snapping a four-game home losing streak and while we eluded to the schedule being one of the toughest in the NHL, it does not get easier here and the Hurricanes have not exactly done well against the elite teams. They have gone 2-6 against the top 16 including 2-5 against the top 10 and only one of those wins came on the road where Carolina is 3-3-1. The one thing we did like from Carolina is its shooting differential which is +99 on the season but Columbus is right there as well at +76 which is third in the league. The Blue Jackets have hit a small skid as they have lost three straight games including their last one against Nashville at home. That snapped a three-game home winning streak, but we can expect a bounceback here as Columbus gets Sergei Bobrovsky back in net as he is 8-3 with a 2.38 GAA, good for ninth best in the NHL. The Blue Jackets are 21-8 in their last 29 home games against teams with a losing road record while the Hurricanes are 19-47 in their last 66 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (54) Columbus Blue Jackets

Calgary opened the season 4-2 but it has been a roller coaster since then as the Flames have gone 4-5 since then including a loss in their last game against Vancouver which came after a three-game winning streak. This is the sixth game of a seven-game homestand against some very good teams which includes victories against Pittsburgh and Washington as well as handing New Jersey only its fourth loss of the season at the time. The Flames are coming off a messy 5-3 loss to the Canucks on Tuesday in which Vancouver scored twice within 38 seconds early in the third period to break a tie so there will be some extra motivation tonight. Detroit has won the last two games of this current four-game roadtrip to move to over .500 on the road and this is a difficult spot considering this will be its seventh road game since October 24 compared to just one home game over this stretch. The Red Wings return home after this game for a stretch of 13 home games in a 15-game stretch so a lookahead to that is likely. The Red Wings will have Petr Mrazek in net on Thursday as he looks to continue his winning ways. On Sunday, Mrazek recorded his first shutout of the season and he has been solid overall but he has started only four games. The Red Wings are 5-17 in their last 22 games when their opponent allows five goals or more in their previous game while the Flames are 14-5 in their last 19 games when their opponent allows two goals or less in their previous game. 9* (10) Calgary Flames

After an extremely slow start to the season where they opened 1-5-2, the Rangers have caught fire as they are 6-2 in their last eight games including four straight wins. They finished fourth in the Metropolitan Division and claimed the first Wild Card spot last season but ended up losing in the second round of the playoffs. Expectations were set high for this season, but the slow start has kept them near the bottom of the division, so this is a run they need to keep going. The power play has been a catalyst during the winning streak as the Rangers are 6-for-13 over the past four games. We won with the Bruins on Monday as they defeated Minnesota at home, but they have struggled on the road in their limited action away from home. They have played only four road games, losing three of those and they are coming off a stretch of seven of their last eight games taking place at home. That puts Boston in an unfamiliar spot tonight as this is the first time it is coming of a home win and playing the next game on the highway. The win against the Wild came without Brad Marchand, David Krejci and David Backes and they will all be out again, so the Bruins are relying on young players which is hard to ask for in a tough road environment. Going back, the Bruins are 0-8 in their last eight games following a win while the Rangers are 56-27 in their last 83 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (54) New York Rangers

Florida and Carolina come into Tuesday on similar runs and we give the edge to the home team based on scheduling situations. The Panthers and Hurricanes have both lost four straight games and we need to figure which team is more apt to snap that skid and we will be going the latter. Carolina is coming off a two-game roadtrip which capped the four-game slide including a bad loss against Arizona in a shootout. That was the first bad loss of the season however as the first seven losses came against teams that will likely be in the playoffs as is the case with their four wins. The Hurricanes have lost four straight home games, three by one goal and the other coming against Toronto. This could be the time for the Hurricanes to crank up some offense as the Panthers have allowed five or more goals in three of their past five games as part of an NHL-worst defense that allows 4.2 gpg. All four of their losses during this streak came at home so they are in a much more difficult spot here with their 1-4 record although that one victory was an impressive one over Washington. Florida has allowed 4.5 gpg in those four road losses and overall, three of the worst nine goalies in the NHL reside in Florida with Roberto Luongo likely getting the start tonight. Despite the rough start for Carolina, it has a +82-shot differential which is third best in the league. 10* (6) Carolina Hurricanes

Boston concludes its three-game homestand after splitting the first two games and looks to remain over .500 for the season. The Bruins are sitting in fifth place in the Atlantic Division with 13 points and this is a big game following a loss to Washington and six of their next seven games taking place on the road. Boston is 4-2-2 at home and going back, the Bruins are 10-2 in their last 12 home games against teams with a losing road record. Minnesota is coming off a six-game homestand where it went 3-3 including a 2-0 loss in the finale against Chicago. This is the first road game since October 21where the Wild are 2-2-1 and the game commences a four-game roadtrip that also takes them to Toronto, Montreal and Philadelphia. The Wild have had to endure some early season injuries which has hurt them in the offensive zone as their depth is a big problem. As mentioned, the Wild were shutout in their last game and they are 4-12 in their last 16 games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. Boston will be out for some revenge as well as it got swept last season in the two-game series and did not score a goal in doing, losing by a combined 6-0. 10* (54) Boston Bruins

Tampa Bay opened the season 6-0 at home but lost to Anaheim 4-1 and most recently in its last game to the Rangers in overtime so the Lightning will be out to snap a two-game slide at Amalie Arena. Despite losses in two of their last three games, the Lightning still have a four-point lead in the Eastern Conference and their +16-scoring differential is best in the conference. Going back, they are 13-3 in their last 16 games after allowing two goals or less in their previous game including a 4-1 record this season. Columbus has won two straight games including a 7-3 at Florida on Thursday and is now tied with New Jersey in the Metropolitan Division with 18 points. The Blue Jackets have been solid on the road with a 4-2 record but the best victory was against Winnipeg and they have struggled against the top teams in the league. They are 3-4 against the top ten in power rankings compared to 6-0 against the teams outside the top ten. Going back, the Blue Jackets are 4-13 in their last 17 games against teams with a winning record. The Lightning should be a little extra fired up after getting swept at home by Columbus last season. 10* (54) Tampa Bay Lightning

While there have been some disappointing teams through the first few weeks of the NHL season, Edmonton is arguably at the top of the list. The Oilers are 3-7-1 after entering the season as the preseason favorite in the Western Conference. Their seven points are ahead of only 1-12-1 Arizona in the entire conference and the offense has been to blame. Edmonton has scored two goals or fewer in eight of 11 games and its 2.18 gpg average is the lowest in the NHL. The one positive is that the Oilers are getting their chances as they are taking an average of 37.6 shots per game and their +74 shots margin is second best in the league. This is something that is going to turn around and it has to start with the power play as Edmonton is scoring at a 13.2 percent clip which is third lowest in the NHL, but the New Jersey penalty kill is middle of the pack. New Jersey, which has endured a five-season playoff drought, is off to its best start in franchise history. The Devils are 9-2 and are tied atop the Metropolitan Division with Columbus and Pittsburgh and most surprising is their 5-0 record on the road. They are at the opposite end of the shooting variables though as their -52 shots on goal differential is third worst in the league which makes the hot start that much more shocking. Going back, the Devils are 4-12 in their last 16 games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. 9* (2) Edmonton Oilers

Montreal is on a mini-run with a pair of victories, but it is still too early to tell if the Canadiens are out of their slump which lasted nearly three weeks. They erupted for eight goals in their last game and have scored five goals or more in three of their last four games which is impressive considering they tallied no more than three goals in any of their first eight games. Overall, the Canadiens are averaging just 2.5 gpg which is horrible considering the shaky defense. Goaltender Carey Price continues to struggle as he is off to the worst start of his career with a 3.60 GAA and a save percentage of .883. He was a scratch in the last game but will be back in net tonight. For Minnesota, this game is the fifth of a six-game homestand, with mixed results thus far. Victories against the Penguins and Islanders were matched by defeats to the Canucks and Jets, so it is time to step it up against teams they should be beating. The Wild are 2-2-1 at home after opening the season with five of their first six games on the road, so a winning homestand is imperative before they hit the road for four more games. Goalie Devan Dubnyk returns to the net after Alex Stalock played against Winnipeg on Tuesday. On the season, Minnesota is 2-0 at home against Eastern Conference teams while the Canadiens are 0-3 on the road against Western Conference teams. 9* (64) Minnesota Wild

It is time for Ottawa to get its act together at home where it is 2-2-4 which includes a 1-4 record in shootouts. The Senators did not need to worry about another shootout loss in their last game as they were trounced 8-3 against Montreal which was their second straight loss overall. This is the second of three games on this current homestand before the team heads to Sweden to play a pair of games against Colorado so a win here and a win over now struggling Vegas would give them some positive momentum before that trip to Europe. The Senators will be bolstered by the return of No. 1 center Kyle Turris, who has missed three games with a viral infection. Detroit has won two straight games following a six-game losing streak to improve to 6-6-1 on the season. The Red Wings have a pair of wins over 1-12 Arizona, so the record is skewed but one of the other wins came right here in a 2-1 shootout victory, so the Senators will be out for payback as well. This is the start of a four-game Canadian roadtrip for Detroit that also takes them to Edmonton, Vancouver and Calgary and there is one player on the other side that is ready for a rebound. Pulled after allowing six goals on 15 shots against the Canadiens on Monday, Craig Anderson will be back in the net against the Wings. 9* (60) Ottawa Senators

It has been a horrible start to the season for Washington as it sits in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division with 11 points and is currently sitting on the outside looking in for playoff contention. The Capitals are coming off a 1-2 roadtrip and have dropped seven of their last 10 games overall including three straight losses at home so it is time to put together a big effort after being off since Sunday. They have struggled against the better teams as they are one of only two teams that has not defeated a team ranked within the top 16 but that finally changes. The Islanders have won two straight games and five of their last six as the offense has been in fire, averaging 5.0 gpg over this six-game stretch. This may seem like a real problem for the Capitals as they have a 3.37 GAA but the defensive numbers are skewed for Washington based on the goaltending. Braden Holtby has held his own in goal as he has a 2.75 GAA and .919 save percentage while going 5-3. His backup is Philipp Grubauer who has posted a 4.08 GAA and .876 save percentage, both of which are fourth worst in the league. Holtby is getting the start tonight and he is 12-3-3 with a 2.28 GAA versus New York. This is the first time in nearly four years, since Nov. 20-29, 2013, that the Capitals have gone three straight home games without collecting so much as a point. 10* (54) Washington Capitals

New Jersey sits atop the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, tied with Columbus with 16 points. The Devils have won two straight games and are coming off a three-game homestand but hitting the road has not been an issue as New Jersey is 4-0 on the highway, the only team that has yet to lose a road game. While they have been winning, they have been winning clutch as each of the Devils last five wins have come by just one goal with three of those coming in overtime or in a shootout. They are just +.7 in scoring per game differential and are getting outshot on the season by over four shots per game. Despite the winning now, the Devils are 17-37 in their last 54 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of less than .400. Vancouver had its four-game winning streak snapped with a 2-1 overtime loss against Dallas. The Canucks got off to an expected slow start, losing four of its first six games but the offense has been able to find its groove to help what has been a stout defense. Vancouver is allowing just 2.36 GPG which is third lowest in the NHL while projected starting goalie Jacob Markstrom is No. 11 in the league with a 2.40 GAA. Anders Nilsson has been even better in four starts so whoever gets the call is fine. Brock Boeser, the Canucks leading scorer, returns to the lineup after sitting out the Monday contest with a sore foot that resulted from a blocked shot against the Capitals. 10* (6) Vancouver Canucks

Two teams that are playing some of the worst recent hockey in the league face off tonight and we give the big edge to the home team although the line may not be priced as high as it should be. Detroit snapped a six-game losing streak with a shootout win at Florida on Saturday which included some back luck and a tough schedule. Four of those losses came by a goal including an overtime loss and the slate featured games against Tampa Bay twice, Washington and Toronto. The Red Wings are back home after a three-game roadtrip where they look to snap a three-game skid since winning their season opener against Minnesota. Eight of their first 12 games have come on the road and eight have come against the top 16 and these two factors have led to playing the No. 8 ranked schedule in the NHL. After 11 straight losses to start the season, the Coyotes picked up their first win last night as they defeated Philadelphia in overtime. It has been very poor play on both sides as Arizona has been outscored by close to two gpg through the first 12 games and its 4.20 GAA is worst in the league. Antti Raanta, acquired from the Rangers to be the No. 1 goalie, is on injured reserve with a lower body injury but could return tonight after not playing since October 12. Going back, the Coyotes have only won 15 of their last 66 road games. 9* (54) Detroit Red Wings

Montreal is coming off a 2-1 homestand which came on the heels of a seven-game losing streak which included five road losses. The lone win on the road came in a shootout in Buffalo in its season opener and now it is back on the road for four straight games starting tonight. They have been outscored 26-9 in those games despite averaging 38.5 shots per game in the six games. Overall, the Canadiens are averaging just 2.0 gpg which is horrible considering the shaky defense. Goaltender Carey Price continues to struggle as he is off to the worst start of his career with a 3.60 GAA and a save percentage of .883. He has allowed four or more goals in six of his 10 starts including each of his last games. He has struggled in picking up the new defensive system. It has been a strange season for Ottawa as it has six losses but has points in 10 of its 11 games as five of those losses came in overtime or in a shootout and its 15 points are good for second place in the Atlantic Division and tied for third in the Eastern Conference. The Senators have a 2-1-4 record at home and this is a big three-game homestand before heading to Sweden to face the Avalanche in a pair of games. Going back, the Senators are 6-2 in their last eight home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (8) Ottawa Senators

Anaheim is coming off a huge upset last night in Tampa Bay as the Ducks handed the Lightning their first home loss of the season 4-1 despite getting outshot 32-21. The difference was the special team's effort as the Ducks converted both man-up advantages while the defense killed all four Tampa Bay power play opportunities. One big factor we like to look at is shots on goal and Anaheim is shooting the puck just 30.6 times per game and its -39 overall difference in shots is 6th worse in the league. Carolina meanwhile is +24 in that department, good for the 8th highest mark in the NHL. This is the first back-to-back for Anaheim this season and going back to last season, the Ducks are 2-7 in their last nine games playing on no rest while going 1-7 in their last eight games following a win. Carolina lost at home to St. Louis on Friday which was its third straight loss at home which followed up a victory in its home opener against Minnesota. The Hurricanes have other impressive wins over Edmonton and Tampa Bay, so they have played well against top teams and they catch the Ducks in a great spot on Sunday with the rest advantage. 10* (52) Carolina Hurricanes

Two of the biggest early season disappointments square off Saturday night as the Rangers head to Montreal in a battle of last place teams. New York is coming off a win in its last game on Thursday as it kept Arizona winless on the season in a 5-2 victory. The five goals scored matched their season high and it will be tough to keep it going here. The 3-6-2 start is even more disappointing because the schedule could not have been set up any better for a hot start as nine of the 11 games have taken place at home. This includes a six-game homestand that resulted in four losses. Of the three home wins, one of those was 2-0 shutout over Montreal so the Canadiens will have some extra motivation tonight although there should be plenty of that already after just two wins through its first 10 games. The Canadiens are coming off a 4-0 loss to the Kings on Thursday which as the seventh game they have scored two or fewer goals and their 1.70 gpg average is the worst in the NHL. Making that average even more dumbfounding is the fact that Montreal leads the NHL in shorts with 38.4 per game so while execution has been lacking, bad luck has not. Tonight is the night to get back on track as the Canadiens are 8-0 in their last eight games following a home loss of three or more goals. 10* (14) Montreal Canadiens

The scheduling in the NHL can be a little out of whack at times and we are coming across a situation tonight that heavily favors one team that we can take advantage of. Ottawa is coming off a game last night where it defeated Philadelphia 5-4 where it nearly blew a 5-2 lead and now heads to the States for its second back-to-back of the season. While the Senators took care of business in that first game with a victory, this time it is different with more difficult travel plus being their third game in four nights. On top of it, the Senators will be without two of their top scoring forwards, Bobby Ryan and Kyle Turris. New Jersey meanwhile has not played in a week since getting shutout at home against San Jose last Friday. Getting additional rest is a big edge in the NHL and this is an extreme example of two teams that are on complete opposite ends of that. Prior to that defeat, the Devils scored 31 goals in their first seven games of the season, so the offense is just fine and even with the shutout, they are averaging 3.70 gpg which is third most in the league. Goalie Cory Schneider practiced Thursday and there is a chance he will be activated Friday in time to serve as the backup for Keith Kinkaid who is 2-1 with a 2.13 GAA. 10* (56) New Jersey Devils

It has been an incredible story for Vegas as the expansion team has started the season 7-1 and sits in third place in the Western Conference. Things are going to start taking a turn however and we believe it starts tonight. The Golden Knights have played the easiest schedule in the league thus far and have had the luxury of playing their last six games at home and after today, they embark on a six-game roadtrip. While lucky may not be the right term, they have been fortunate with three overtime wins and exceptional goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban but those two are out and they are down to their No. 3 goalie. Oscar Dansk started his first game on Tuesday and it was successful as he allowed two goals on 31 shots, but he is still unproven. Despite the 7-1 record, Vegas is ranked No. 29 out of 31 teams in the updated power ratings. Colorado is off to a 5-4 start and has played a much more difficult schedule while playing in some tough venues on the highway. The Avalanche are outshooting opponents while Vegas is getting out-shot most games as it is averaging 29.9 shots per game, while allowing 33.8. Semyon Varlamov gets the start in goal and he has been solid with a 2.34 GAA in six starts, seventh best in the NHL for goalies that have started at least six games. 9* (51) Colorado Avalanche

Minnesota finished second in the Western Conference with 106 points last season and it came into this year as a team on the decline by many. Whether or not that happens has yet to be determined as the Wild are 2-3-2 and will be out to rebound from a 1-0 shutout loss against Vancouver on Tuesday. They are one of just two teams, Arizona being the other, that has yet to record a win at home, but they have had only two chances thus far as five of their first seven games have come on the road. Going back, they have lost five straight home games which includes three losses against St. Louis in the first round of the playoffs where they were ousted in five games. The Wild have five games remaining on this homestand and needs more urgency against an Islanders squad riding a three-game winning streak. New York is coming off a come-from-behind win over winless Arizona on Tuesday and hits the road again where it is just 2-3 on the season. The Islanders have been outshot in each of their last five games so the fact they have won four of those is a surprise. New York has only two power play goals on the season and its .071 power play percentage is the worst in the NHL. The Islanders are 2-5 in their last seven road games against teams with a home winning percentage of less than .400. 9* (18) Minnesota Wild

We played against Florida on Tuesday and it lost 5-1 to fall to 1-4 on the road but it does bring in a 2-1 record at home into Thursday. The lone loss came by a goal against the defending Stanley Cup Champions Penguins and the wins were against Tampa Bay and St, Louis which is part of what has been a brutal slate. The Panthers have played the toughest schedule in the NHL as five of their eight games have come against the top 16 in the league. The one big positive for Florida early in the season is that it is flying around the ice which has created a lot of scoring opportunities as its 36.3 shots per game is fourth highest in the NHL. After a 2-3-1 start, Anaheim has won its last two games by identical 6-2 scores so both sides on the ice have been playing well of late. The Ducks sent a reeling Montreal team to its seventh straight loss at the time to conclude their homestand and then defeated a solid Philadelphia team on Tuesday as they scored six goals on just 25 shots against Brian Elliott. That was only the second road game of the season for Anaheim as it has had a very favorable schedule which is currently ranked No. 30 out of 31 teams. Going back, the Ducks are 1-6 in their last 7 games following a win. 10* (16) Florida Panthers

The Sabres have won two straight games for the first time this season after a rough start. The 32-save shutout by Robin Lehner on Tuesday gave Buffalo its first home win of the season and the situation tonight is a first. While this is the third back-to-back of the season, this is the first time the Sabres are playing the second game in two nights coming off a win. They went 2-6 last season in such situations. Because Lehner got the start last night, Chad Johnson will be between the pipes tonight and his 3.84 gpg allowed is fifth worst in the NHL among 50 qualified goalies. After a win in Winnipeg to start last week, the Blue Jackets fell to the top two teams in the NHL at home as they lost to Tampa Bay and Los Angeles at home. Not getting any points at home was especially disappointing against the Kings as that game should have at worst been an overtime loss but the Blue Jackets allowed a late goal and it was sealed with an empty-netter. Columbus was 28-12-1 at home last season and did not lose three straight at home at any point during the regular season. The Sabres went 3-9 last season following two or more consecutive wins while the Blue Jackets are 17-5 in their last 22 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (54) Columbus Blue Jackets -1.5 Puckline

After opening the season 4-1, the Avalanche have lost their last three games including a 3-1 loss at Dallas so there is revenge in play tonight. That loss came in the second of a back-to-back set and followed a win, so the spot was not ideal. They are coming off a one-goal loss against St. Louis in their last game at home after winning their first two games in Colorado. That loss to the Blues was extremely frustrating as they had a tying goal with 2:34 remaining in regulation overturned on an offside challenge by St. Louis, and the next day the NHL acknowledged that the goal should have been allowed. That should give Colorado a little more fire for tonight. Dallas has won four straight games including that game over Colorado to open this streak, but the other wins came over winless Arizona twice and Carolina, so it has not been a very impressive streak. The Stars are 4-1 at home compared to 1-2 on the road with that win coming against aforementioned 0-7-1 Arizona. This is the start of a five-game roadtrip for Dallas with a game at Edmonton on deck and there may be a lookahead to that as they lost the last meeting to the Oilers 7-1. Going back, the Stars are 3-10 in their last 13 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Avalanche are 4-0 in their last four home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 9* (20) Colorado Avalanche

Montreal finished first in the Atlantic Division last season, but it has gone from first to worst as the Canadiens are sitting in last place at 1-6-1 and those three points are worst in the Eastern Conference. The schedule has been demanding however as they won their first game of the season and have dropped seven straight games since then, but they are back home for the first time in 10 days while six of their first eight games have been on the road. Montreal lost to Chicago and Toronto in its two home games, two teams that will be making championship runs and they take a step down in competition tonight. Going back to last season, the Canadiens are 11-4 in their last 15 games following a loss of three or more goals. Florida missed out on the playoffs by a big amount last season and it has gotten off to an inconsistent start this year with a 3-4 record. The Panthers are coming off an upset win at Washington in their last game on Saturday which was its first road win of the season after opening 0-2. Winning consistently on the road is tough in this league, especially for the below average teams and they are now without top goalie Roberto Luongo who is out with a thumb injury. Backup James Reimer has allowed four goals in two of his three starts which gives the Canadiens a great chance to snap their skid tonight. 9* (10) Montreal Canadiens

This is the first of two meetings in the next eight days between Pittsburgh and Edmonton which is a possible preview of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Penguins were riding a three-game winning streak before heading to Tampa Bay on Saturday and they did not get off the bus as they allowed a goal within the first two minutes and eventually lost 7-1. It was the second bad loss for Pittsburgh as it also lost in Chicago 10-1 compared to its other two losses that were by one goal each. The Penguins have won their last two games following a loss and going back, they are 43-16 in their last 59 games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. Edmonton lost at Philadelphia in its last game on Saturday and it has been a surprisingly bad start to the season as it is 2-5. The offense has been the issue as the Oilers are averaging just 2.0 gpg despite averaging 38.9 shots per game. That could be attributed to facing great goaltending but that has not been the case most of the time. The Oilers are at a disadvantage in special teams as well as the Edmonton penalty kill has been a bit of an issue lately, sitting 30th in the NHL at a dismal 72.4 percent. That is not good news as the Penguins boast the second-best power play in the league at 32.4 percent. 10* (8) Pittsburgh Penguins

Los Angeles is the lone remaining team in the NHL that has yet to lose in regulation as it is 6-0-1 following a win at Columbus on Saturday to open a six-game roadtrip. Five of the first seven games for the Kings came at home so the schedule has been on their side and while a win at Columbus was very solid, the challenge gets tougher tonight. The Kings came into this season with more questions than answers as their most glaring flaw was a lack of offense. The team tied the Sabres for 24th in offense last season despite ranking seventh in shots per game and while it has improved, the average this season has been skewed by the last two games. Toronto lost its second game of the season at Ottawa on Saturday and we can expect a bounce back effort here as the Leafs are 6-1 in their last seven games following a loss of three or more goals. Toronto is the highest scoring team in the league, averaging 4.58 gpg and should be able to keep it going Monday/ The Kings have been one of the best penalty killing teams in the league, stopping 25 of 25 man-down situations but they face a tough task tonight as Toronto owns the third-best power play in the NHL. Toronto has had this one circled on the calendar as it is coming off a pair of losses last season to the Kings including a 7-0 loss at home. 10* (54) Toronto Maple Leafs

After an extended west coast roadtrip where it went 1-2-1, Buffalo is finally back home where it has played only twice this season and lost both. The Sabres have retooled the organization from the front office to the roster and it has not paid off thus far but it needs to be pointed out that this was not a rebuild but just a change in style. The goal was to become a faster team which leads to more scoring opportunities but that has not been the case so far as Buffalo is averaging 30.6 shots per game. To their credit, the Sabres have played a tough schedule and playing most of their games on the road does not help. Vancouver opened the season with four straight home games where it won just once and now it is in the middle game of a five-game roadtrip. The Canucks did have an impressive win over Ottawa to open the trek but got shellacked at Boston last night making this their first back-to-back of the season as well as their third game in four nights. Vancouver is in fact in rebuild mode and is projected to be one of the worst teams in the Western Conference. Last season the Canucks won just 12 road games which was tied for second fewest in the league and the road struggles continue here. 9* (4) Buffalo Sabres

The Flyers are off to a solid start at 4-2 and fall into our first revenge situation of the season. They are coming off a pair of wins over Washington and Florida and the offense has been on high octane as they scored 13 goals in those victories and Philadelphia has scored five or more goals in four of six games, all of which have come in regulation time. The Flyers are one of just three teams averaging four or more goals per game and they will be motived to keep that offense going against Nashville which they lost to nine days ago despite scoring five goals. Making the loss even tougher, they allowed five straight goals including a pair of power-play goals in the final 1:17 for the final margin. They have won both home games and going back to last season, Philadelphia is 8-1 in its last nine home games where last season, it finished with the fourth best home record in the Eastern Conference. Nashville is coming off a win over Colorado to improve to 3-0 at home but the Predators have yet to break through on the road where they have lost all three games. Nashville is averaging just 1.33 gpg in those three road games compared to 4.67 gpg in its three home games. 10* (52) Philadelphia Flyers