Sports Picks & Predictions

This is a play on the VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS for our NHL Friday Power Play. Vegas clinched a playoff berth with a win over Colorado on Monday so the fact it lost at home against lowly Arizona two night later was excusable. The Golden Knights must get back to business tonight as they are still out to grab the Pacific Division crown as well as the second-best record in the Western Conference which is currently held by Winnipeg. Vegas is 27-10-2 at home this season and it is 9-1 in its last 10 home games against teams with a winning road record. St. Louis has gotten back into the playoff picture as it holds the top Wild Card spot in the Western Conference thanks to six straight victories, four of which have come in overtime and another coming by one goal. Both road wins have been by one goal where the Blues have won four in a row but are averaging just 2.73 gpg on the highway. Although he has battled some injury issues and has a made a modest 44 starts, Marc-Andre Fleury leads the NHL in GAA at 2.15 and save percentage (.931) among goalies with more than 25 starts. Vegas falls into a great situation where we play on home favorites after one or more consecutive losses going up against an opponent after two consecutive wins. This situation is 330-171 (65.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (62) Vegas Golden Knights

This is a play on the EDMONTON OILERS as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. It has been a disappointing season for both Edmonton and Vancouver but more so for the former which came in with higher expectations. While there is not much to play for on either side as the season winds down, the Oilers do have one intangible in play still and that is Conner McDavid who leads the league in scoring and is on pace for his second straight Art Ross Trophy. While it is an individual recognition, his team is out to help. Edmonton has lost two straight games but going back, it has won three straight games against current non-playoff teams while winning four of its last five games against teams with a losing record. The Canucks meanwhile has won two straight games for the first time in nearly two months and they have not won three straight games since early December. Vancouver has lost 11 of its last 14 games following a victory while going 0-7 in its seven games this season off a home win by two goals or more. Here, we play against home teams in the second half of the season outscored by 0.5+ or more gpg, after allowing 2 goals or less in two straight games. This situation is 45-12 (78.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (17) Edmonton Oilers

This is a play on the MINNESOTA WILD as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. Dallas snapped a six-game slide with its win over Philadelphia on Tuesday, but it took overtime and the Stars were outshot 33-23 as they kept their heads above water for now. They were able to gain ground on Anaheim for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference but are five points behind that and also have Colorado ahead of them. The chances of catching either of those teams are slim as the remaining schedule is brutal with four of the last five games taking place on the road and all against playoff teams. Dallas has lost 23 of 37 road games this season and it is 1-12 in its last 13 road games against teams with winning percentages between .501 and .600. Minnesota is in third place in the Central Division and while it cannot catch Winnipeg, it is only four points from falling out of the playoffs altogether. The Wild have lost two straight games while St. Louis has won six straight and is now just three points back. The remaining schedule for Minnesota is nearly as bad but it has two home games left where it is 25-6-8 and on the season, the Wild are 11-1 following two or more consecutive losses. 9* (12) Minnesota Wild

This is a play on the FLORIDA PANTHERS as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. We played against Florida last night as it lost in Toronto to remain three points behind New Jersey for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. It has a great opportunity to cut into that tonight facing a team whose season is done while the Devils square off against a team fighting for playoff positioning. If ever there is a must win game, this is it as the upcoming schedule is not in their favor as the Panthers have to play Boston three times as well as Nashville as part of their final six games of the season. They are 13-4-1 over their last 18 games so it has been a good run to get here and it rolls into tonight going 19-2 in its last 21 games against teams allowing 2.85 or more gpg. Ottawa has dropped six straight games and is getting closer to Buffalo for the worst record in the league which is upping its odds in the upcoming NHL lottery in a chance for Rasmus Dahlin from Sweden, who is the highest ranked defenseman in 40 years. Poor offense and defense have been on display during this skid and on the season, Ottawa is 7-27 after allowing three goals or more in three straight games. 9* (7) Florida Panthers

This is a play on the TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS for our NHL Wednesday Power Play. With the NHL season winding down, edges can be tough to find with a lot of teams already eliminated from playoff contention and others still striving for a postseason opportunity. There is still a lot on the line for both teams with Florida on the outside looking in and while it may not seem like Toronto has much to play for, that is far from the case. The Maple Leafs have not clinched a playoff spot yet, but they are almost a guarantee to get in and on the line tonight are franchise records for wins in a season and home wins in a season which is a big deal for a team that has been around for a century. Toronto had a chance on Monday but lost to Buffalo which snapped a 13-game home winning streak. Florida is three points behind New Jersey for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference despite what has been a solid run where it has gone 13-3-1 over its last 17 games. This run is keeping the line in check as Toronto has been huge favorites of 2-to-1 or higher in eight of the 13 games during the streak. The Maple Leafs are 10-1 in their last 11 home games against teams with a losing road record and they fall into a situation where we play on home favorites after one or more consecutive losses going up against an opponent after two consecutive wins. This situation is 329-171 (65.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (52) Toronto Maple Leafs

This is a play on the DALLAS STARS as part of our NHL Tuesday Hat Trick. Dallas was looking pretty good for playoff consideration in early March, but it has been a complete slide as the Stars have dropped eight straight games to fall six points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The remaining schedule is not good as this is one of just two more home games remaining where Dallas is 24-12-3 on the season. Going back, the Stars are 21-4 in their last 25 home games after a loss by two goals or more. Philadelphia is right in the playoff mix as it currently holds a Wild Card spot and can jump over Columbus for third place in the Metropolitan Division with a win. The Flyers have been a decent .500 on the road but has lost five of their last six games and we play against underdog after one or more consecutive losses going up against an opponent after five or more consecutive losses. This situation is 121-53 (69.5 percent) since 1996. Additionally, we play on favorites revenging a loss of one goal, off a home loss by three goals or more. This situation is 45-14 (76.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (14) Dallas Stars

This is a play on the NASHVILLE PREDATORS as part of our NHL Tuesday Hat Trick. While Winnipeg is chasing, Nashville Needs to turn things around following three consecutive losses and hold off from collapsing. The Predators were 14-0-1 in their previous 15 games to leapfrog over the Jets so this skid cis a bit surprising but tonight presents a great opportunity to get back on track. The Predators are 8-0 this season after allowing three or more goals in three straight games while going 18-4 in their last 22 home games revenging a road loss by three or more goals. Minnesota closed its three-game homestand with a loss to Boston on Sunday as it remains in third place in the Central Division. The Wild are not guaranteed of anything with three teams on their trail that are four points o fewer back. Minnesota is two games under .500 on the road where it allows 3.44 gpg which is fourth worst in the NHL. Here, we play on home favorites against the money line after three or more consecutive losses, when playing their 3rd game in five days. This situation is 174-83 (67.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 8* (12) Nashville Predators

This is a play on the WINNIPEG JETS as part of our NHL Tuesday Hat Trick. Winnipeg is still chasing Nashville in the Central Division as it has won five straight games and coupled with the Predators three-game losing streak, it is only five points back. The Jets do not face Nashville again this season, but the schedule is on their side as after tonight, five of their last six games are against teams that will not be in the playoffs. Winnipeg lost the first meeting to Boston in a shootout and the Jets are 19-3 this season revenging a road loss. The Bruins have won two straight games and are right on the heels of the Lightning as they are two points back in the Atlantic Division. While each game is big, Boston has a home date with Tampa Bay on Thursday so there could be some lack of focus tonight. Winnipeg has a solid situation on its side as we play on teams against the moneyline that are coming off two or more consecutive home wins going up against an opponent off two consecutive road wins by one goal. This situation is 32-12 (72.7 percent) since 1996. 10* (8) Winnipeg Jets

This is a play on the VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS as part of our NHL Monday Hat Trick. Vegas is back home following a pair of road losses that each went to overtime with the most recent one going into a shootout on Saturday. That happened to be against Colorado, so revenge comes into play quickly as the Golden Knights try to extend their 26-9-2 home record, which is second best in the Western Conference. They are six points clear of San Jose in the Pacific Division who is charging up quickly with a seven-game winning streak. The Golden Knights are 8-3 in their last 11 games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. Colorado occupies one of the two Wild Card spots in the Western Conference as it has a one-point lead over St. Louis, but the Avalanche are also one-point away from missing the playoffs all together. Going bac, the Avalanche are 7-20 in their last 27 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Also, we play on home favorites of -200 or less that are coming off two or more consecutive road losses, when playing their 3rd game in five days. This situation is 113-52 (68.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 8* (66) Vegas Golden Knights

This is a play on the WASHINGTON CAPITALS as part of our NHL Monday Hat Trick. We backed the Capitals on Saturday as they won in Montreal to maintain their lead in the Metropolitan Division as they are now three points ahead of Pittsburgh and has one game in hand on the Penguins. While they are under .500 on the road overall this season, they have won four of their last five games on the highway and this is a great opportunity to extend their lead in this first game of a home-and-home set. The Rangers were expected to contend this season, but a poor start could not be recovered from as they have dealt with injuries and eventually traded away some of their top talent. New York has gone 2-14 in its last 16 games against teams that are averaging three or more gpg while Washington falls into a fantastic situation where we play against home underdogs of +150 or less after scoring four goals or more in their previous game going up against an opponent after playing a game where seven or more total goals were scored. This situation is 83-38 (68.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (57) Washington Capitals

This is a play on the FLORIDA PANTHERS as part of our NHL Monday Hat Trick. With its win over Arizona on Saturday, Florida kept pace with New Jersey for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers are three-points behind the Devils as they start this four-game roadtrip with a must win game, one of four winnable games where business needs to be taken care of. Florida is 18-2 in its last 20 games against teams allowing 2.85 or more gpg. While going 6-0 in its last six road games against teams with a losing road record. While the Islanders are not eliminated from playoff contention, they are very close as they trail New Jersey by 14 points following their second straight loss on Saturday. They have dropped six of their last seven home games while going back, they are 1-9 in their last 10 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, we play on road favorites in the second half of the season with a winning percentage between .450 and .500 coming off a home win scoring four or more goals. This situation is 131-62 (67.9 percent) since 1996. 9* (55) Florida Panthers

This is a play on the MINNESOTA WILD for our NHL Sunday Breakaway. We played against Boston on Friday and unfortunately, the Bruins came back from a 2-0 deficit and scored three goals in the third period with the game winner coming with less than 20 seconds remaining. The injuries continue to mount up for the Bruins as depth is becoming a real issue and tonight is not a good spot against one of the best home teams in the NHL. Minnesota is 25-6-7 at home and still chasing Winnipeg for the right to host a first round series. The Wild are coming off a big win last night over first place Nashville and they head out on the road to face the Predators again on Tuesday which makes this sandwich game a big one. The last victory snapped a two-game home slide and going back, the Wild are 7-1 in their last eight home games against teams with a winning road record and on the season, they are 8-1 in nine home games against teams with a winning percentage between .600 and .750. Minnesota lost in Boston in the first meeting this season and it is 19-7 in 26 games revenging a loss by two goals or more dating back to last season. 10* (8) Minnesota Wild

This is a play on the WASHINGTON CAPITALS as part of our NHL Saturday Hat Trick. Washington is coming off a 1-0 win at Detroit on Thursday and thanks to the Penguins loss last night, it has a three-point lead on Pittsburgh for first place in the Metropolitan Division. Winning the division is big as the Capitals would get to host a Wild Card team in the playoffs and a win here would give them a five-point edge with just seven games left. Montreal is coming off a 3-0 win at Buffalo last night to snap a four-game losing streak but the step up in competition is not in its favor as the Canadiens are 3-17 in their last 20 games against teams with a winning record. Meanwhile, Washington is 12-3 this season after a game where it scored one goal or less and it falls into a great situation where we play against home underdogs of +200 or less that are getting outscored by 0.65 or more gpg, after allowing one goal or less in their previous game. This situation is 162-69 (70.1 percent) since 1996. 8* (57) Washington Capitals

This is a play on the TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING as part of our NHL Saturday Hat Trick. Tampa Bay has won three straight games but saw its lead shrink to four points in the Atlantic Division after the Boston come-from-behind win last night in Dallas. This game and a home game on Monday against Arizona are huge for the Lightning as they travel to Boston next Thursday. New Jersey nearly blew a 3-1 lead last night in Pittsburgh but it was able to win in overtime to move three points ahead of Florida for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Devils have been solid on the road but average at home and point back, they are 3-16 in their last 19 home games in the second half of the season against winning teams. Tampa Bay is 12-1 this season in road games revenging a loss as a favorite it falls into a revenge situation where we play on road favorites that are revenging two losses by one goal or less, playing their 3rd game in five days. This situation is 27-5 (84.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (59) Tampa Bay Lightning

This is a play on the CAROLINA HURRICANES as part of our NHL Saturday Hat Trick. This is the first game of a home-and-home between Carolina and Ottawa and this is a big series for the Hurricanes as they try to keep their playoff hopes alive. We played on Carolina on Thursday as it defeated Arizona at home which was the first of a good number of winnable games down the stretch that it needs to take advantage of. They have won five of their last six road games against teams with a losing home record. Ottawa has lost three straight games, the last two coming at home by a combined score of 13-4 as this team is starting to pack it in. The Senators -56 scoring differential is second worst in the NHL and they have struggled against lesser opposition, going 2-14 on the season against teams that are getting outscored by 0.3 or more gpg. Additionally, we play against home underdogs of +150 or less with a winning percentage between .300 and .400 that are revenging a loss where team scored 1 or less goals, playing a team with a losing record. This situation is 65-25 (72.2 percent) since 1996. 10* (67) Carolina Hurricanes

This is a play on the DALLAS STARS for our NHL Friday Breakaway. This line came out late due to some injury concerns for the Bruins. Boston has clinched a playoff berth but it is coming off two straight losses in overtime and will once again be without Patrice Bergeron and could be without Torey Krug for a second straight game, two of its top four scorers. The Bruins have lost five of their last seven road games and going back further, they are 2-6 in their last eight road games against teams with a home winning percentage greater than .600. While there have been no back-to-back games, Boston is playing its sixth road game in its last seven overall so this has been a tiresome stretch with two straight overtime games not helping. While the Bruins are in good postseason shape, the same cannot be said for Dallas which is coming off a six-game roadtrip where it lost all six games. This has put the Stars four points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference with just eight games left. This is the start of a three-game homestand and they cannot let these games get away from them as they are 24-10-3 at home on the season while going 12-3 in their last 15 home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (10) Dallas Stars

This is a play on the SAN JOSE SHARKS as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. After being the best team in the Western Conference for most of the season, Vegas has slipped considerably as it has lost six of its last 12 games and has fallen into second place in the conference, seven points behind Nashville. The Golden Knights still have an eight-point lead in the Pacific Division but than can be cut to six points after tonight and they still have one more meeting with San Jose down the road. They have won their last two games but those were against Calgary and Vancouver which have lost four straight and seven straight respectively. As mentioned, the Sharks can gain more ground on Vegas as they have won five straight games to remain three points ahead of Anaheim for second place in the division. More important, they are a point ahead of Minnesota for fourth place in the conference which comes with home ice in the first round of the playoffs. The big news here is that Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is out with a head injury and it will be missed as he is second in the league with a 2.18 GAA. Going back, the Sharks are 6-1 in their last seven home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (70) San Jose Sharks

This is a play on the WASHINGTON CAPITALS as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. We won with Detroit on Tuesday as it defeated the Flyers in a shootout after blowing a 3-1 lead which snapped a 10-game losing streak but we do not expect this momentum to continue. Most of those recent losses came on the road and while this is the first time the Red Wings have played consecutive home games in a month, they have been below average here. The offense averages just 2.47 gpg at home which is third worst in the NHL and on the season, they are 4-16 in 20 games after a game where seven or more total goals were scored. This is a big stretch for Washington as it is coming off a home win against Dallas and this is the start of five straight games against non-playoff teams before travelling to Pittsburgh on April 1st. The Capitals lost the first meeting last month in a shootout and they are 18-8 this season revenging a loss as favorites. Additionally, we play against home underdogs of +150 or less in the second half of the season that are getting outscored by 0.5 or more gpg, after a win by one goal in their previous game. This situation is 28-4 (87.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (59) Washington Capitals

This is a play on the CAROLINA HURRICANES as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. Because the Eastern Conference is weak after the top teams, Carolina is still mathematically in contention for a playoff berth although it will take a near-flawless run to get it done along with some help. The Hurricanes have a favorable schedule with five games remaining against non-playoff teams while also facing the two teams holding down the Wild Card spots. Carolina got blasted by Edmonton on Tuesday 7-3 which puts it in a good bounce back spot here. Arizona meanwhile has won two straight games as it closed a five-game homestand with a win over Calgary and then opened this road trip with a win over Buffalo last night. The Coyotes have won only 10 road games this season and they are 0-3 in the second of back-to-back road games with no rest. The defense has been spot-on during the last two wins but Arizona is 2-14 in its last 16 games after allowing two goals or less in two straight games. There is a great situation is play as we play against teams in the second half of the season that are getting outscored by 0.65 or more gpg, after allowing two goals or less in two straight games. This situation is 46-12 (79.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 8* (52) Carolina Hurricanes

This is a play on the CALGARY FLAMES for our NHL Wednesday Breakaway. With eight games remaining, Calgary is running out of time to sneak into the playoffs and tonight provides a great opportunity to close the gap. The Flames have lost three straight games and are now six points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference which happens to be held by Anaheim so a win cuts that to four points. It will not be easy the rest of the way with five of the final seven games coming up are against playoff teams so if they fall eight points back, it could be over. Home ice has not been great for Calgary but that is being reflected in this line. Anaheim has won three straight games to get into that final Wild Card spot and the schedule has been on its side with eight of its last 10 games coming at home, including all three during this winning streak. The Ducks have lost three straight road games and going back, they are 1-10 in their last 11 road games against the moneyline after three straight wins by two goals or more. Calgary falls into a tremendous contrarian situation as we play against road teams against the moneyline that are coming off two or more consecutive home wins going up against an opponent off two consecutive road losses by two goals or more. This situation is 25-7 (78.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (8) Calgary Flames

This is a play on the CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS as part of our NHL Tuesday Hat Trick. Colorado is tied with Anaheim for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference while sitting four points behind Minnesota for third place in the Central Division. The Avalanche are not guaranteed of anything however as Dallas and St. Louis are right on their tail so these games are must wins. That is easier said than done of course. Chicago is well out the playoff picture and is out to play spoiler at this point. The Blackhawks lost at home to St. Louis in overtime on Sunday but they have been playing better at home down the stretch as they are 5-2-1 in their last eight home games. Colorado is just 3-19 in its last 22 road games against the moneyline against teams with a winning percentage between .400 and .499. Here, we play on favorites against the moneyline after three or more consecutive losses, with a losing record in the second half of the season. This situation is 110-53 (67.5 percent) over the last 5 seasons. 10* (68) Chicago Blackhawks

This is a play on the DETROIT RED WINGS as part of our NHL Tuesday Hat Trick. Philadelphia is the second biggest consensus play in the NHL tonight as the public loves to ride winning streaks and keep fading the losing streaks. That is the case here as the Flyers have won two straight games following one win in their previous eight games while the Red Wings have lost 10 straight games to get officially eliminated from the playoffs. For Detroit, nine of those 10 losses were on the road while the lone home loss came against the second best team in the Western Conference. Detroit is coming off a 5-1 loss in Colorado in its last game on Sunday and going back, it is 24-4 in its last 28 games following a loss of four or more goals. Here, we play against road teams against the moneyline coming off a home win by two goals or more going up against an opponent off two consecutive road losses by two goals or more. This situation is 24-8 (75 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (60) Detroit Red Wings

This is a play on the FLORIDA PANTHERS as part of our NHL Tuesday Hat Trick. Florida is the lone remaining ream in the Eastern Conference that is not in the playoffs that still has a chance as the Panthers are three points behind New Jersey for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They have not been great on the road but catch a good opponent here and come in with momentum from a 2-0 win in Montreal last night. Ottawa had a three-game winning streak snapped in Columbus on Saturday and it heads back home where it has lost four of its last five. Florida is 16-2 in its last 18 games against teams allowing 2.85 or more gpg and fall into a solid situation where we play against home underdogs of +100 to +150 against the moneyline in the second half of the season that are being outscored by 0.65 or more gpg, after allowing two goals or less in two straight games. This situation is 39-9 (81.2 percent) since 1996. 10* (63) Florida Panthers

This is a play on the BOSTON BRUINS for our NHL Monday Power Play. Columbus has won seven straight games and those 14 points have been huge as the Blue Jackets have taken over the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference and they are now just six points out of first place in the Metropolitan Division. Five of those wins have come at home and on the road, Columbus is 15-17-3 and it has been a struggle for a while as the Blue Jackets are 34-90 in their last 124 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Boston has won 25 of its last 34 games as first place in the Atlantic Division is still in play as it trails Tampa Bay by just four points. The Bruins are back home where they went 2-2 on their four-game roadtrip and they bring in a seven-game home winning streak. Going back, they are 7-0 in their last seven games when their opponent allows two goals or less in their previous game. Also, we play against road underdogs against the moneyline that are revenging a road loss against opponent by four goals or more, with a winning percentage of between .450 and .550 on the season in the second half of the season. This situation is 60-17 (77.9 percent) since 1996. 9* (2) Boston Bruins

This is a play on the TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING for our NHL Saturday Power Play. Both Tampa Bay and Boston are coming off losses in their last game with the Lightning holding onto a four-point lead in the Eastern Conference over the Bruins. The Tampa Bay loss was a bad one as it lost to Ottawa 7-4 as a 3-to-1 favorite and the fact it was on Tuesday makes it great to back it tonight as having all that time off to stew about it puts the Lightning in a great bounceback spot. They are 25-7-2 at home and going back, the Lightning are 9-2 in their last 11 home games against teams with a winning road record. Boston lost to Florida on Thursday which was its second loss in the first three games of this four-game roadtrip and while this normally could be a great spot, the Bruins are catching Tampa Bay at the wrong time. The first meeting this season went the Bruins way which puts Tampa Bay into a revenge situation where we play on favorites against the moneyline that are revenging a one-goal loss and coming off a home loss by three goals or more. This situation is 44-13 (77.2 percent) over the last five seasons. Additionally, Tampa Bay is 16-5 this season coming off a loss while the Bruins are 1-6 in their last seven road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 9* (10) Tampa Bay Lightning

This is a play on the DALLAS STARS for our NHL Friday Breakaway. Following three straight losses, Dallas is barely hanging on to the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference as it is just one point ahead of Anaheim and a loss here could put the Stars on the outside looking in with the Ducks hosting Detroit tonight. The Stars have been a much better home team than road team, but the situation sets up well here for the skid to be broken. Ottawa is coming off a Florida sweep as it defeated the Panthers and Lightning as big underdogs so give it credit for playing hard despite no chance for the playoffs. The Senators head back home where they have lost four straight games and are catching Dallas at the wrong time. Dallas is 9-1 in its last 10 games after allowing six or more goals and 11-1 in its last 12 games after three or more consecutive losses. Meanwhile, the Senators are 0-5 in their last five home games after scoring four or more goals in two straight games while going 4-13 in its last 17 games after a win by three or more goals. Dallas has two solid situations on its side. First, we play against home underdogs between +100 to +150 in the second half of the season with a winning percentage between .300 and .400 coming off a win in their previous game, a bad team. This situation is 36-10 (78.3 percent) over the last five seasons. Second, we play on favorites against the moneyline after three or more consecutive losses going up against an opponent that has won two straight games. This situation is 100-40 (71.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (53) Dallas Stars

This is a play on the WINNIPEG JETS as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. Winnipeg opened its six-game roadtrip by winning the first three games, but the second half did not go as well as it lost the final three games, two coming by one goal including one of those in overtime. The Jets offense looked bad by scoring three goals or less in all six of those games, but on the flip side, the defense allowed three goals or less in all six games as well. They are now eight points behind Nashville in the Central Division so catching the Predators is unlikely, but they are still in the hunt for second place in the Western Conference and tonight is the start of a six-game homestand. On the season, Winnipeg is 8-0 in its eight home games following a road loss, 16-2 in 18 home games against teams allowing 2.85 or more gpg and 16-3 in 19 games revenging a road loss. Chicago is coming off an upset win at home against Boston and it has been a long year for the Blackhawks as they are going to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2007-08. Following a 1-9 road stretch, they have won just 13 road games which is tied for second fewest in the Western Conference and they have gone 4-13 in their last 17 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. The Jets falls into a solid situation as we play against road teams against the moneyline coming off a home win by two goals or more going up against an opponent off two or more consecutive road losses. This situation is 52-23 (69.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 8* (12) Winnipeg Jets

This is a play on the ST. LOUIS BLUES as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. St. Louis needed something good to happen on its current roadtrip as after a 2-0 shutout loss in San Jose, the Blues found themselves having dropped nine of their last 10 games including six straight on the road. They scored three goals or less in all 10 of those games but the offense found something as they scored 11 goals in Los Angeles and Anaheim to conclude their roadtrip with a pair of wins. St. Louis has been unable to gain ground in the Western Conference playoff race though as all the teams in front of it up to the final Wild Card spot have all won at least their last game. The Blues are three points out of that final spot with two teams in-between and making this game even more important is that the final spot is being held by Colorado. The Avalanche are coming off a road upset win at Minnesota on Tuesday which was a rare road win, snapping a six-game road losing streak. Colorado has only 13 road wins this season and going back, they are just 4-22 in their last 26 divisional road games. St. Louis has won the first three meetings this season and while the Avalanche will be out for road revenge, that is not an ideal situation to go after and they fall into a negative situation after losing at home 6+-1 in the most recent meeting. We play against road underdogs against the moneyline in the second half of the season with a winning percentage between .450 and .550 that are revenging a road loss by four goals or more. This situation is 59-16 (78.7 percent) since 1996. 8* (14) St. Louis Blues

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA FLYERS as part of our NHL Thursday Hat Trick. The Flyers are coming off a loss to Vegas on Monday to make it six losses in their last seven games, but they are still in third place in the Metropolitan Division but not by much. They are ahead of New Jersey by just one point and Columbus by two points, so things have gotten tight, but they are in a great spot to break out of their offensive slump tonight. Philadelphia has scored two goals or less in seven of its last eight games, but it faces a Columbus team that allows 3.12 gpg on the road and going back, the Flyers are 10-3 against the moneyline in their last 13 home games after scoring two goals or less in three straight games. Columbus has narrowed the gap against Philadelphia so much thanks to wins in five straight games, although the final four have come at home. The Blue Jackets are 10 games over .500 at home and six games under .500 on the road, so the fact the offense has ramped up of late has a lot to do with home ice. They are averaging just 2.65 gpg on the road and they are 5-11 against the moneyline after scoring three goals or more in two straight games this season. The Flyers have a strong contrarian situation on their side as we play on home teams when the moneyline is between -100 to -150 after scoring two goals or less in three straight games going up against an opponent after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. This situation is 34-9 (79.1 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (2) Philadelphia Flyers

This is a play on the TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS for our NHL Wednesday Breakaway. Toronto is holding onto the third spot in the Eastern Conference, but it is just three points away from falling down to the fifth seed, so the Maple Leafs need to keep plugging along. They won their last game against Pittsburgh 5-2 and the Penguins are a team they are trying to hold off so that was a big win. That game was on Saturday and this is just the second game in nine nights so any letdown from that is completely gone and the confidence at home has been shining as Toronto has won 10 straight home games. Their enthusiasm should win out over the Stars fatigue, as Dallas arrived late after playing on Tuesday night in Montreal against the Canadiens. Dallas is on a six-game road trip, which began with a loss in Pittsburgh Sunday in which they managed just 18 shots on goal and while it doubled that last night, it lost 4-2 to make it four losses in five games. The Stars have scored just five goals over their last four games, none of them during 5x5 play so the offense is struggling, and things will not be any easier here as Toronto is allowing just 2.67 gpg at home while Dallas averages 2.45 gpg on the road, third lowest in the NHL. The Maple Leafs are 7-0 in their last seven home games against teams with a losing road record. 10* (52) Toronto Maple Leafs

This is a play on the CALGARY FLAMES for our NHL Tuesday Power Play. Following a pair of road wins at Buffalo and Ottawa, Calgary had the chance to keep the momentum going as it hosted the Islanders, which were riding an eight-game losing streak, but the Flames were defeated 5-2. They are now two points behind Colorado for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference with two other teams in-between, so these must win games cannot be passed up. The remaining schedule is difficult with eight of the final 12 games against teams currently in a playoff spot and the other four consist of Edmonton twice and Arizona twice. The Oilers are riding a three-game winning streak which concluded a five-game homestand and they come in having dropped six of their last nine road games. The last victory was a 4-1 win over Minnesota and on the season, Edmonton is 0-9 following a win by three or more goals. Edmonton has won the first three meetings this season after sweeping all four games last year, so revenge is in play which puts Calgary in a solid situation. We play on favorites revenging a loss of one goal, off a home loss by three goals or more. This situation is 43-13 (76.8 percent) over the last five seasons. Additionally, we play against road underdogs between +100 and +200 off two or more consecutive home wins, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .400 and .499. This situation is 67-20 (77 percent) since 1996. 8* (12) Calgary Flames

This is a play on the ANAHEIM DUCKS as part of our NHL Monday Hat Trick. At one point, St. Louis was sitting atop the Central Division, but it has been on a horrible two-month run including losses in nine of its last 11 games. The Blues did win their last game however as they hammered Los Angeles 7-2 on Saturday, but they have won consecutive games only once since the beginning of February. St. Louis is three points out of the final Wild Card position in the Western Conference, so every game is big, but it is in a tough spot here as it heads to Anaheim which is looking to snap a two-game slide. Both of those games were on the road and against two of the best home teams in the conference and the Ducks return home where they are 19-9-5 and hold a one-point lead over the Kings which is the difference between third place in the Western Conference and sitting outside the playoffs. Anaheim has won the first two meetings and St. Louis is 4-13 this season revenging a loss while going back, Anaheim is 4-1 in it last five home games against teams with a losing road record. Also, we play on home favorites of -200 or less off two or more consecutive road losses when playing their 3rd game in five days. This situation is 112-51 (68.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 8* (62) Anaheim Ducks

This is a play on the WASHINGTON CAPITALS as part of our NHL Monday Hat Trick. Washington capped off a three-game roadtrip with a victory against San Jose after dropping its first two games. The Capitals are now a point behind Pittsburgh, which won last night, in the Metropolitan Conference so they have a chance to retake first place tonight. Washington is 23-9-2 at home including three straight wins and with only three of its next eight games coming at home, this is a big one. The Jets had a three-game winning streak snapped on Saturday to fall back under .500 on the road and remain seven points behind Nashville in the Central Division. They face the Predators tomorrow which could result in a lookahead and they fall into a negative situation where we play against road teams against the moneyline in the second half of the season with a winning percentage between .600 and .700 after having won four of their last five games, playing a team with a winning percentage between .501 and .600. This situation is 143-93 (60.6 percent) since 1996. Additionally, Winnipeg is 3-13 when playing its 3rd road game in five days over the last two seasons while going 11-29 in its last 40 games after allowing two goals or less in two straight games. Meanwhile, Washington is 13-2 in its last 15 games after playing three consecutive road games. 10* (56) Washington Capitals

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA FLYERS as part of our NHL Monday Hat Trick. We won with the Flyers on Saturday as they snuck past Winnipeg to snap a five-game losing streak and we will back them again as they look to keep the momentum rolling. Philadelphia fell from first place to third place in the Metropolitan Division as the offense has struggled by scoring two goals or less in four straight games and six of its last seven games, but the contrarian aspect is on its side as noted later. Vegas has fallen into second place in the Western Conference as it has been unable to keep pace with Nashville, but it does arrive on a two-game winning streak. However, those two wins came against Detroit and Buffalo which are not going to be playing in the postseason. The Golden Knights have been solid on the road, but one issue has been defense where they are allowing 2.94 gpg which help the Flyers offense get going. Here, we play against road favorites of -150 or less after allowing two goals or less in two straight games going up against an opponent after scoring two goals or less in three straight games. This situation is 48-25 (65.8 percent) over the last five seasons. The Flyers are 10-2 against the moneyline in its last 12 home games after scoring two goals or less in three straight games. 10* (58) Philadelphia Flyers

This is a play on the PITTSBURGH PENGUINS for our NHL Sunday Breakaway. The Penguins head home following a loss in Toronto last night where the defense came up small once again. the defense has been troublesome all season, but the spot is good here for a bounceback as Pittsburgh is 25-8-1 at home on the season. Pittsburgh can retake the lead in the Metropolitan Division with a victory and also reclaim the coveted fourth spot in the Eastern Conference. Dallas won its last game against Anaheim on Friday to remain in the top Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The Stars are 0-5 in their last five games following a win and catch the wrong opponent at the wrong time. The Penguins are 14-3 at home this season against teams with a winning record while going 9-1 in their 10 games following a road loss by three or more goals. Additionally, they fall into a situation where we play on favorites against the moneyline that are allowing three or more gpg on the season, after a loss by three goals or more in their previous game. This situation is 134-68 (66.3 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (6) Pittsburgh Penguins

This is a play on the SAN JOSE SHARKS as part of our NHL Saturday Hat Trick. Washington has opened this three-game road trip with a pair of losses at Los Angeles and Anaheim and it is now 1-5 in its last six road games, the lone win coming at Buffalo. The Capitals are securely in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference and while this could typically be a play on situation based on a bounce back, it is a very bad spot. They are just 1-5 in their last six games against the Western Conference and face a San Jose team that is in the playoff standings but is just three points from ninth place. The Sharks beat St. Louis on Thursday to make it 6-2 in their last eight home games and on the season, they are 9-2 in their last 11 games coming off a home win by two or more goals. San Jose has won four straight games against the Capitals before a loss in Washington this season, so revenge is in play and in this spot, we play against road underdogs of +100 to +200 against the moneyline off two consecutive road losses by two goals or more, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team. This situation is 49-14 (77.8 percent) since 1996. 9* (62) San Jose Sharks

This is a play on the COLORADO AVALANCHE as part of our NHL Saturday Hat Trick. Colorado heads back home following a pair of road losses which extended the losing streak to three games, all of which came in overtime. The Avalanche catch a break here with a weak opponent and a very favorable line as they are one of the best home teams in the league and own the best home record of team not currently in a playoff spot. We played on Minnesota last night as it was in a revenge spot against a bad Vancouver team and losing to poor teams can fire up a good team and that will be the case again here. Colorado is 7-2 against the moneyline revenging a home loss of two goals or more this season. Arizona defeated Vancouver on Wednesday which was only its ninth road win of the season. The Coyotes are 0-10 in their last 10 road games after having won four or five of their last six games and they fall into a negative situation where we play against teams coming off a divisional road win going up going up against an opponent off two consecutive one-goal road losses. This situation is 26-10 (72.2 percent) since 1996. 8* (60) Colorado Avalanche

This is a play on the PHILADELPHIA FLYERS as part of our NHL Saturday Hat Trick. Winnipeg is off to a 3-0 start on its current six-game roadtrip and going back, it has won five straight road games. The Jets remain in second place in the Western Conference as they have been unable to gain ground on Nashville, which has won 10 straight games. The last three wins have some against weak Eastern Conference teams and this will be the biggest test before closing the roadtrip at Washington and Nashville. The Flyers have dropped five straight games but remain in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Three of the recent losses have come against the top three teams in the east, two of which have come on the road. This is a big game for Philadelphia and it catches Winnipeg in a vulnerable spot as the Jets are 11-27 in their last 38 games after allowing two goals or less in two straight games. Additionally, we play on favorites after three or more consecutive losses going up against an opponent after two straight wins. This situation is 99-40 (71.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (54) Philadelphia Flyers

This is a play on the MINNESOTA WILD for our NHL Friday Power Play. Coming off two straight wins, Minnesota remains in third place in the Central Division and catching Nashville and Winnipeg seems unlikely at this point. However, the Wild are in fourth place in the Western Conference, which comes with home ice in the first round, and they have just a two-point lead over San Jose, so these winnable games become very important as the regular season winds down. For Minnesota, winnable road games are huge since nine of its last 15 games are on the highway where it has struggled to a 14-17-1 record. Vancouver has lost three of four games on this current homestand with the last one coming against Arizona. The Canucks are just 12-16-6 at home this season and those 12 wins are tied for second fewest in hockey. Vancouver has worn down late in the season the past two years and unable to take advantage when it can as it is 4-22 against the moneyline in its last 26 games in the second half of the season against teams allowing 2.85 or more gpg. Vancouver has pulled off two upsets against the Wild this season which sets up a situation where we play on teams against the moneyline in the second half of the season that are revenging two straight one-goal losses with a winning percentage between .501 and .600, playing a losing team. This situation is 27-6 (81.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (7) Minnesota Wild

This is a play on the BUFFALO SABRES for our NHL Thursday Underdog Shocker. We played against the Sabres last night as they were in a tough spot against a hungry Calgary team, but they are in a much better spot tonight getting an overpriced number. Buffalo has been competitive on the road as going back to late January, it is 6-2-1 in its last nine games away from home and while the offense is not great, it is better on the road than on home ice. The Sabres have won their last four games after allowing three goals or more and are 6-3 over their last nine road games against teams averaging 29.5 shots per game. Ottawa is coming off a win in Dallas to close out a 2-2 roadtrip and while it had a five-game home winning streak going to open February, it has dropped its last two home games albeit against solid teams. The Senators have struggled more against the poorer teams as they are 2-12 against the moneyline this season against teams that are getting outscored by 0.3 or more gpg. Buffalo has a great situation on its side as we play against home teams against the moneyline in the second half of the season that are getting outscored by their opponents by 0.5+ gpg, after allowing two goals or less in two straight games. This situation is 43-12 (78.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (57) Buffalo Sabres

This is a play on the CALGARY FLAMES for our NHL Wednesday Breakaway. Calgary has dropped four straight games as it is now three points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference after picking up a point in its last game. The Flames have been fortunate that all of the teams ahead of them in the playoff race have lost at least their last game as well, so they have not lost much ground. Three of the losses came at Colorado, Dallas and Pittsburgh which have 23, 23 and 25 home wins respectively so they definitely get a break tonight and have to take advantage. Buffalo is 3-1 over its last four games including home upsets over Boston and Toronto, the latter coming on Monday, and the Sabres had not won consecutive home games since March of last season, going 0-10 in their last 10 home games after a win in their previous home game. Buffalo has lost 22 of 32 home games this season including a 1-9 record against the Western Conference and it is averaging just 2.38 gpg which is deal last in the NHL. While we are not an advocate of road revenge, Calgary suffered a home loss to Buffalo in January and it has won 13 of its last 20 road revenge games where it was held to one goal or less. Additionally, we play against home underdogs of +100 to +150 in the second half of the season with a winning percentage between .300 and .400 off a win in their previous game. This situation is 35-9 (79.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (1) Calgary Flames

This is a play on the NEW JERSEY DEVILS for our NHL Tuesday Power Play. The Devils remain in the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference despite losing their last three games including a home defeat against Vegas last time out. New Jersey is 17-13-3 at home which is nothing great, but it is in a great spot tonight as its last six home losses dating back to January 23 have all come against teams in current playoff spots and that is not the case tonight. Montreal is coming off an overtime loss at Boston on Saturday to fall to 9-19-3 on the road for the season and those nine road wins are tied for second fewest in the NHL. The Canadiens are getting outscored by 1.16 gpg on the road as they are averaging only 2.26 gpg which is second fewest in the league. This season, Montreal is 2-11 against the moneyline in road games off a road loss while going 9-24 against the moneyline as an underdog. Montreal won the first meeting this season which puts New Jersey in a great payback situation as we play on favorites against the moneyline revenging a loss of one goal and coming off a home loss. This situation is 205-89 (69.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (52) New Jersey Devils

This is a play on the EDMONTON OILERS for our NHL Monday Power Play. As mentioned before a few times, Edmonton has had a miserable season after coming into the season as a Western Conference favorite. The Oilers are not going to make the playoffs after a surprising postseason run last year as they are 27-34-4 including losses in three straight games, the last two coming at home on Thursday and Saturday. We expect a bounce back tonight. Playing the second toughest schedule in the NHL has not helped matters but now they take a big step down in competition and are in a prime spot. Arizona is coming off a seven-game homestand where it went a very solid 5-2 including two wins in its last two games. This is just the Coyotes second road game in nearly a month and while that last one was an upset against San Jose, they have lost 22 of 30 road games this season with those eight wins tied for the fewest in the league. Going back, Arizona is 0-10 in its last 10 road games after having won four or five of its last six games and Edmonton falls into a solid contrarian league-wide situation. We play on favorites against the moneyline after three or more consecutive losses going up against an opponent after consecutive wins. This situation is 98-39 (71.5 percent) over the last five seasons. 8* (8) Edmonton Oilers

This is a play on the TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS for our NHL Saturday Breakaway. Washington is tabbed as the home team, but this game is being played in Annapolis as part of the NHL Stadium Series. Weather has been a concern leading up to this game, but the good news is that severe winds will have eased by puck drop at 8 p.m. at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Toronto comes in riding a two-game losing streak, both coming on the road in extra time and the Maple Leafs are still a solid 17-12-5 away from home. Washington is coming off a win over lowly Ottawa but is just 3-4 in its last seven games. Here, we play on teams against the moneyline coming off two consecutive road losses by one goal, in a game involving two with winning percentages between .501 and .600. This situation is 36-13 (73.5 percent) since 1996. Additionally, the Maple Leafs are 5-0 in their last five games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game while the Capitals are 0-4 in their last four games after allowing two goals or less in their previous game. 10* (11) Toronto Maple Leafs

This is a play on the NEW YORK ISLANDERS for our NHL Friday Power Play. This is the second game of the Canadiens/Islanders home-and-home with Montreal taking the first game at home 3-1 on Wednesday. That was the fourth straight loss for New York which now sits four points behind Columbus for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The problem has been the road for the Islanders all season as they have 20 losses which is tied for seventh most in the NHL. They are a much more respectable 16-11-4 at home and this is their first home game in over a week and going back, they are 9-2 in their last 11 home games following a road trip of seven or more days. Montreal is coming off a 2-0-2 homestand which came after a 0-3-1 roadtrip, part of a five-game losing streak. The Canadiens are 1-12 in their last 13 road games including seven straight losses which has added to their atrocious road performance the entire season as their seven wins are tied with Arizona for second fewest in the entire league. Montreal is averaging just 2.17 gpg on the highway which is tied with Ottawa for the lowest in the NHL. The Canadiens are 1-5 in their last six games following a win and this is a huge game for the Islanders which embark on a four-game roadtrip starting in Pittsburgh on Saturday. 10* (52) New York Islanders

This is a play on the ARIZONA COYOTES for our NHL Thursday Breakaway. Arizona heads into Thursday having come off a three-day break following a loss against Vancouver in its fifth game of a seven-game homestand. It has clearly been a bad season for the Coyotes, but they are in the middle of one of their best stretches of the season as they are 6-2-1 over their last nine games. They have won just 10 home games all season and that is being taken into consideration with this line and they have gone 4-1 in their last five home games against teams with a losing road record. Minnesota has won five straight games including an 8-3 blowout over St. Louis in its last game on Tuesday. The Wild are eight points behind Nashville in the Central Division thanks to a great home ice edge yet despite winning three straight road games, they are just 14-15-1 on the highway and they are in a spot where they are winless this season in two different situations. Minnesota is 0-7 against the moneyline in its seven road games off a home win this season and it is 0-8 against the moneyline in its eight games off two or more consecutive home wins this season. Additionally, we play on home teams against the moneyline after scoring two goals or less in three straight games going up against an opponent after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. This situation is 64-29 (68.8 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (12) Arizona Coyotes

This is a play on the ST. LOUIS BLUES for our NHL Wednesday Power Play. The Blues have gone from contending for second and third place in the Central Conference to being taken out of playoff contention following its seventh straight loss last night. They were hammered in Minnesota 8-3 and are now sitting two points behind Anaheim for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. St. Louis is 19-14 at home and while it has lost three straight home games, all three came against current playoff teams and the last time it lost to a non-playoff contender at home was way back on January 20. The Blues are 4-1 in their last five games after allowing five goals or more in their previous game while going 22-6 in their last 28 games playing with no rest. Detroit qualifies as a non-playoff team as it is sitting seven points out in the Eastern Conference with a 26-26-10 record. The Red Wings have won two straight games but those were against the Rangers and Hurricanes which possess scoring differentials of -24 and -26 respectively. Detroit has struggled after good offensive efforts as it is 2-9 against the moneyline after scoring three goals or more in two straight games. St. Luis falls into a strong contrarian situation where we play on favorites against the moneyline having lost six or seven of their last eight games going up against an opponent after having won two of their last three games. This situation is 108-55 over the last five seasons. 8* (56) St. Louis Blues

This is a play on the SAN JOSE SHARKS for our NHL Tuesday Top Shelf Dominator. San Jose returns home following a four-game roadtrip that started well with a win at St. Louis but ended poorly with three losses including an overtime loss at Minnesota on Sunday That loss put the Sharks two points behind the Wild for fourth place in the Western Conference so continuing their winning ways at home is imperative. They are 17-9-3 at home including wins in 11 of their last 16 games which includes a 6-4 win over the Oilers in the last meeting. Edmonton has won three straight games including a pair of underdog wins on Saturday and Sunday and the Oilers have not won four straight games since December. While the Oilers have won three straight road games as well, they are 14-16-2 on the highway this season. They defeated Anaheim 6-5 in their last games and on the season, they are 1-10 in their 11 games following a game where they scored five or more goals including a 0-7 record after scoring six or more goals. Meanwhile, San Jose is 7-0 this season after allowing three goals or more in consecutive games and falls into a spectacular situation where we play on home teams when the moneyline is between -100 to -150 after scoring two goals or less in three straight games going up against an opponent after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. This situation is 33-9 (78.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (18) San Jose Sharks

This is a play on the DALLAS STARS for our NHL Tuesday Power Play. Both Calgary and Dallas have been off since Saturday and while this is a big game for both sides for playoff positioning, we give the edge to the home team. The Stars lost at home against Winnipeg in their last game but are still a strong 21-10-1 at home and still hold down the top Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. They are just one-point ahead of Los Angeles and Calgary and two points ahead of St. Louis so nothing is safe meaning taking care of home ice is a must. The Stars are 19-4 in their last 23 home games after a loss by two goals or more in their previous game. The Flames defeated Colorado 5-1 in their game on Saturday to make it two straight wins following a three-game losing streak. This includes a win at Arizona on Thursday and while Calgary has been solid on the road all season, it is not in a good spot as it has gone 7-23 in its last 30 road games against the moneyline revenging two consecutive losses to opponent as a favorite. Dallas falls into a great situation where we play on home favorites against the moneyline after one or more consecutive losses going up against an opponent that has won consecutive games. This situation is 321-168 (65.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (14) Dallas Stars

This is a play on the COLORADO AVALANCHE for our NHL Monday Power Play. Colorado returns home following a three-game roadtrip where it dropped the final two games and overall, it has lost four of its last five games. Tonight begins a very important stretch for the Avalanche which are four points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference as this is the first game if a four-game homestand that concludes with games against Calgary, Minnesota and Nashville. That makes this the most winnable game of the upcoming stretch and Colorado is 20-8-1 at home on the season. This includes a perfect 6-0 record after allowing three goals in three straight games. Vancouver is coming off a win last night in Arizona which snapped a two-game skid, but the situation is much more difficult tonight. The Canucks opened the season 8-3 on the road but has gone just 5-13-3 over their last 21 road games. Vancouver is just 9-25 this season when playing against teams that allow 2.85 or more gpg while Colorado falls into a great situation where we play on home favorites of -200 or less against the moneyline off two or more consecutive road losses when playing their 3rd game in five days. This situation is 106-50 (67.9 percent) over the last five seasons. 8* (58) Colorado Avalanche

This is a play on the ANAHEIM DUCKS as part of our NHL Sunday Hat Trick. Edmonton has won two straight games following a victory in Los Angeles last night and it is in prime position to end that streak tonight. This comes after a 1-7 stretch that has knocked the Oilers out of playoff contention as they are 17 points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference which happens to be held by Anaheim. They have gone 1-5 in their last six games plating their third game in four days. The Ducks pitched back-to-back 2-0 shutouts over Dallas and Vegas but has that role revered on them last night as they lost 2-0 at Arizona. Anaheim is 16-9-4 at home and it is 14-6 in its last 20 games coming off a road loss by two goals or more. Here, we play against road underdogs of +100 to +200 against the moneyline after winning two or more consecutive games, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .400 and .499. This situation is 194-83 (70 percent) since 1997. 8* (8) Anaheim Ducks

This is a play on the MINNESOTA WILD as part of our NHL Sunday Hat Trick. Minnesota is coming off a three-game roadtrip sweep to move into third place in the Central Division. The Wild are back home for a two-game homestand where they are 20-5-6 on the season and will be out to snap a two-game home losing streak. They are 13-4 this season at home against teams with a winning record. The Sharks conclude a four-game roadtrip that started with a win at St. Louis, but they have dropped their last two games by a combined score of 10-2. They have been decent on the road this season but most of the success has come against poor teams as they are 2-10 in their last 12 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Minnesota falls into a great situation where we play against road teams against the moneyline coming off two consecutive road losses by two goals or more, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team. This situation is 61-18 (77.2 percent) since 1996. 8* (10) Minnesota Wild

This is a play on the NEW YORK RANGERS as part of our NHL Sunday Hat Trick. It has been a rough stretch for the Rangers as they have lost six straight games and are now eight points back of the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Two of the recent losses have come at home where New York is still a respectable 18-12-3 and it is 23-12 in its last 35 games coming off a home loss. Detroit is coming off a win last night at home against Carolina to conclude a four-game homestand after losing the first three games. The Red Wings have won just once in their last six games of a back-to-back and have gone 0-7 in their last seven games plating their third game in four days. Additionally, we play on favorites against the moneyline that are revenging a loss by one goal and coming off a home loss by three goals or more. This situation is 43-12 (78.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (6) New York Rangers

This is a play on the FLORIDA PANTHERS for our NHL Saturday Breakaway. Pittsburgh is rolling once again as it has won six straight games, the last two coming on the road including a win at Carolina last night. This is only the third time all season that the Penguins have won consecutive road games and they failed to make it three straight the previous two times. Overall, they are just 13-15-3 on the road and going back to last season, the Penguins are 2-10 in their 12 games playing the second of back-to-back road games. The defense has been problematic, allowing 3.03 gpg on the highway. Florida won on Thursday at home against Washington as it was able to close the gap to five points for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Panthers are 14-9-3 at home and they have won seven of their last eight games against losing road teams. They are a perfect 8-0 in their last eight games against teams allowing 2.85 or more gpg and they fall into a great situation where we play against road favorites against the moneyline in the second half of the season that are averaging 2.85 or more gpg after four straight wins by two goals or more. This situation is 32-10 (76.2 percent) since 1997. 10* (62) Florida Panthers

This is a play on the ST. LOUIS BLUES for our NHL Friday Breakaway. Winnipeg had an opportunity win create some space between it and the rest of the Central Division as it has a 10-game homestand where it was 17-3-1 but it lost some ground to Nashville as it went 6-3-1. That is a respectable homestand but not what was expected and now the Jets hit the road for the first time since January 25th which was before the All-Star Break. Eight of their next 10 games are on the road where they have lost 17 of 29 games and could be in danger of falling out of second place in the Central Division. The Jets are 3-11 in their last 14 road games against teams with a winning home record. St. Louis has lost four straight games including the last three by one goal and it is sitting in the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Most surprisingly, the Blue outshot the four opponents by a combined 127-95 which is a good sign that things will turn around. The last victory for the Blue came at Winnipeg so while the Jets will be out for revenge, they are 0-9 this season revenging a home loss. Additionally, we play on teams after three straight one-goal losses going up against an opponent after playing a game where seven or more total goals were scored. This situation is 28-10 (73.7 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (6) St. Louis Blues

This is a play on the LOS ANGELES KINGS for our NHL Thursday Breakaway. The Kings are back home following a seven-game roadtrip where they went 4-3 including victories in their final three games. They are now 33-22-5 on the season and are still on the outside looking in at the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference despite being tied with Minnesota with 71 points. The Los Angeles schedule has been one of the most lopsided in the NHL as has played eight more road games than home games, so it comes as no surprise it has played the No. 4 ranked schedule in the league. Dallas got shutout in Anaheim last night and while that normally could suggest a bounce back, the Stars have been too inconsistent on the road. The Stars are 10-27 in their last 37 road games against teams with a winning home record while the Kings are 8-3 in their last 11 home games against teams with a losing road record. Additionally, Los Angeles 13-1 in its last 14 home games after a three-game unbeaten streak. The Kings have a strong situation in place as we play against road teams coming off two consecutive road losses by two goals or more, with a winning record on the season playing another winning team. This situation is 61-17 (78.2 percent) since 1996. 10* (72) Los Angeles Kings

This is a play on the VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS for our NHL Wednesday Power Play. Vegas is coming off a rare loss at home and it was just the second time the Golden Knights have been shutout at home. This despite outshooting the Ducks 32-20 and this was the second loss during this homestand where they handily outshot the opponent, the first coming against the Flyers 4-1 while possessing a 39-18 shots-on-goal edge. They are 15-5 this season following a loss while going 7-0 in their last seven home games against teams with a winning road record. Calgary is coming off a pair of losses at home where it has struggled this season and is now two points out of the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The Flames have been strong on the road, but this is not a good spot for them facing Vegas coming off that loss. They are allowing 2.52 gpg on the highway but face a Vegas offense that averages 3.52 gpg at home. Additionally, Calgary is 0-7 in its seven road games revenging a loss where its opponent scored four or more goals this season while going 4-10 in 14 games after a one-goal loss in its previous game this season. 9* (6) Vegas Golden Knights

This is a play on the ST. LOUIS BLUES for our NHL Tuesday Power Play. St. Louis has lost three straight games to fall out of the top three in the Central Division and into the top Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The Blues lost to Pittsburgh at home but then lost the next two on the road against two of the best home teams in the league. St. Louis is 19-12 at home with the defense leading the way as it is allowing 2.48 gpg which is tenth best in the league. San Jose has won 15 of 30 road games and it is coming off a three-game homestand including wins in the final two games by three goals each. That puts St. Louis in a great situation as we play against road teams against the moneyline coming off two consecutive home wins by two goals or more going up against an opponent off a road loss. This situation is 43-15 (74.1 percent) over the last five seasons. Additionally, we play on teams against the moneyline that are coming off two consecutive one-goal road losses, in a game involving two teams with winning percentages between .501 and .600. This situation is 36-12 (75 percent) since 1996. Going back, the Sharks are 1-9 in their last 10 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 9* (64) St. Louis Blues

This is a play on the VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS for our NHL Monday Power Play. Vegas opened its seven-game homestand with a 4-1 loss to Philadelphia, but it has won its last three games to improve to 22-4-2 at home and retain its post at the top of the Western Conference. The Golden Knights have a three-point lead over Winnipeg, which is playing a 10-game homestand presently, so they need to continue to keep pace on home ice. They are 10 points ahead of San Jose in the Pacific Division partly due to an incredible 14-2 record against divisional opponents. Anaheim has won two straight games after losing its first game of this four-game roadtrip. Overall, the Ducks have lost 18 of 32 road games this season as the offense is managing just 2.66 gpg on the highway. Vegas falls into a great situation where we play on teams against the moneyline that are coming off two or more consecutive home wins going up against an opponent coming off two consecutive road wins by one goal. This situation is 31-10 (75.6 percent) since 1996. Anaheim is 2-8 in its last 10 games after allowing two goals or less while Vegas is gunning for the most home wins in a season for an NHL team in its first season so there will be plenty of motivation. 9* (12) Vegas Golden Knights

This is a play on the CAROLINA HURRICANES for our NHL Sunday Power Play. This line came out late because New Jersey played last night and teams playing the second of a back-to-back have not had overnight lines this season. Carolina has dropped two straight games following a three-game winning streak with one of those losses coming at New Jersey on Thursday so there is the immediate revenge angle going today. The Hurricanes are tied with Columbus at a point behind the Islanders for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They are 15-10-5 at home and catch New Jersey at a good time. The Devils are coming off an upset win last night in Tampa Bay for their third straight victory which has them in the first Wild Card spot and on the cusp of taking over third place in the Metropolitan Division. Despite a decent 14-10-5 road record, New Jersey has lost 10 of its last 14 on the highway and Carolina falls into a situation where we play on home teams against the moneyline that are revenging a loss where opponent scored five or more goals, off a divisional loss by three goals or more. This situation is 43-19 (69.4 percent) over the last five seasons. 9* (56) Carolina Hurricanes

This is a play on the EDMONTON OILERS for our Saturday NHL Breakaway. We won with Edmonton earlier this month as it defeated Tampa Bay at homer but since then, the Oilers have lost five straight games, four of which have come on the road against Western Conference playoff contending teams. That is not the case today as Edmonton faces the worst team in the conference and presents a great opportunity to get back into the win column. Arizona has won three straight games for just the second time this season and it failed to make it four in a row last time. The Coyotes are just 8-16-4 at home this season and have struggled against the lesser teams as they are 1-7 in their last eight home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. A great situation is in play as we play against teams against the moneyline in the second half of the season that are getting outscored by .65 or more gpg, after allowing two goals or less in two straight games. This situation is 42-11 (79.2 percent) over the last five seasons. Adding to that is the fact Arizona is 1-13 against the moneyline in its last 13 games after allowing two goals or less in two straight games. 10* (7) Edmonton Oilers

This is a play on the DALLAS STARS for our Friday NHL Breakaway. Dallas is coming off a rare home loss as it was shutout by Vancouver 6-0, but it has a lot in its favor to make a strong comeback tonight. The Stars have had four days off since that defeat, so the added time off helps with the situation. They are 20-9-1at home and are in possession of the top Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Dallas is 8-1 against the moneyline in its last nine games after allowing six goals while going back, it is 18-4 against the moneyline in its last 22 home games after a loss by two goals or more. St. Louis has lost two straight games after a two-game winning streak and the Blue are now in third place in the Central Division. They have been solid on the road, but the Blues are 2-5 in their last seven road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Additionally, Dallas falls into a great league-wide situation as we play on home favorites against the moneyline that are coming off a home loss by three goals or more going up against an opponent off a road loss. This situation is 77-29 (72.6 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (58) Dallas Stars

This is a play on the OTTAWA SENETORS for our NHL Thursday Breakaway. There have not been many winnable games for Ottawa of late, but it has one tonight as it returns home after a pair of 6-3 losses in Toronto and Pittsburgh. The Senators have an overall losing record at home, but they bring in a three-game winning streak and those victories were against three teams all sitting in current playoff spots. The problem at home has been defense but Buffalo has been one of the lowest scoring offenses at home. They fall into a situation where we play on home teams against the moneyline after allowing four goals or more two straight games going up against an opponent after scoring four goals or more in four straight games. This situation is 25-9 (73.5 percent) since 1996. Buffalo has won three of its last four games and while it is the offense that has led the way, only one of those games was on the road. The Sabres are averaging 2.55 gpg on the road which is fourth worst in the NHL and the recent run puts them into a negative situation as we play against road teams against the moneyline that are coming off a home win by two goals or more against opponent off two consecutive road losses by two goals or more. This situation is 23-8 (74.2 percent) over the last five seasons. 10* (8) Ottawa Senators

This is a play on the NEW YORK ISLANDERS for our NHL Tuesday Breakaway. Both the Islanders and Blue Jackets have been on inconsistent runs with have put them both on the outside of the playoff standings. Columbus won in its last game at home against New Jersey which snapped a five-game losing streak including three in a row at home. The Blue Jackets have won consecutive games only once in the last two months as they are 1-8 in their last nine games following a win while also having lost 12 of their last 17 road games. New York lost against Calgary on Sunday to remain in a tie with Columbus with 60 points, one point out the final Wild Card spot. The Islanders are 15-9-4 at home and a surprising home underdog here against a team that is four games worse on the road. While Thomas Greiss looked to be the initial starter in goal tonight, it has been confirmed that Jaroslav Halak will be starting tonight. That is significant as Greiss has a 4.03 GAA, one of only six goalies that are allowing four or more goals on the season and he is has by far the worst GAA in the league of goalies that have played 1,000 or more minutes. 10* (8) New York Islanders

This is a play on the EDMONTON OILERS for our NHL Monday Power Play. It is amazing how inconsistent the Oilers have been this season as they came into the season as sleeper Stanley Cup candidates and are currently tied with Vancouver as the second worst team in the Western Conference. After rolling over the best team in the Eastern Conference a week ago, Edmonton hit the road last week for three games and dropped all three of those. They came against three of the better teams in the Western Conference that are all in the playoff hunt and it takes a big step down in competition here. The Oilers are 6-2 in their last eight games against teams with a losing record. Florida had won four straight games but dropped the finale of its three-game homestand against Los Angeles on Friday. The Panthers possess a winning home record but they have lost 17 of 27 road games and the 10 wins are tied for sixth fewest in the NHL. They have dropped nine of their last 12 games against the Western Conference and going back, the Panthers are 3-9 in their last 12 games when their opponent allows five goals or more in their previous game. 8* (56) Edmonton Oilers

San Jose hits the road following a home win last night against Edmonton which snapped a two-game losing streak. The Sharks improved to 15-8-3 at home and moved a point in front of the Kings in the Pacific Division and fifth place in the Western Conference. The road has not been as kind as they have lost three of their last five away games and they have struggled going back further against good competition as they are 3-9 in their last 12 road games against teams with a winning home record. One of those wins was a 6-2 victory in Anaheim and that has been the only loss at home for the Ducks since losing to Vegas way back on December 27th so there will be revenge in play tonight. Anaheim is also coming off a win over Edmonton in its last game but that was on Friday so it has the rest advantage with an extra day off. The Ducks got off to a slow start at home this season but as mentioned, they have been great at the Pond and they are 6-1 in their last seven home games against teams with a losing road record. 8* (16) Anaheim Ducks

This was a late line release due to Columbus playing last night. It has been a rough stretch for the Blue Jackets which have not lost five straight games and have completely fallen out of the Eastern Conference playoff standings. The Metropolitan Division is the most competitive with just 12 points separating first place and last place and only five points separates six teams vying for the third playoff spot coming out of the conference. Columbus is four points out and needs to get back on track as New Jersey is the team everyone is chasing. The Blue Jackets are 16-10-1 at home and they will be out to win their first home game in three weeks. New Jersey has lost tow in a row while going 3-6 over its last nine games. The road has been a real problem of late as the Devils have dropped nine of their last 11 games on the highway. They are 1-5 in their last six games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game while going back further, the Devils are 15-40 in their last 55 games when their opponent scores two goals or less in their previous game. 10* (56) Columbus Blue Jackets

This line came out late due to the questionable status of Winnipeg center Mark Scheifele, who has been upgraded to probable after missing 16 games, and the fact St. Louis played last night. The Jets continue to play solid hockey as they have not lost in regulation since January 13 and they are currently tied with Nashville in the Central Division with a chance to take a two-point lead after tonight. This game is the midway point of a 10-game homestand and despite a 3-1 start, Winnipeg has not been able to gain any separation in the division but a win here takes them from a four-point advantage to a six-point advantage over St. Louis. The Blues rolled last night in a 6-1 victory over Colorado and while they have been decent on the road this season, they have not been great of late as they are 4-6-1 in their last 11 road games with three of those wins coming against Vancouver, Ottawa and Buffalo, three of the four worst teams in the NHL. The Blues are 1-4 in their last five road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while the Jets have won 26 of their last 31 home games. 9* (12) Winnipeg Jets

We won with Colorado on Tuesday as it returned home from a six-game roadtrip and continued its solid play at the Pepsi Center. It was a short stint though as this is the start of another roadtrip, this one being three games. The Avalanche have lost 15 of 25 road games on the season including four of their last five. They have one of the best home defenses in the league but they possess the eighth worst road defense, allowing 3.28 gpg. The offense is not much better as the scoring is down close to one goal per game on the road which makes the loss of second leading scorer Nathan MacKinnon that much tougher. St. Louis is coming off a loss at home against Minnesota in a rare game where the defense put up a clunker. The Blues remain in third place in the Central Division as they trail Nashville by five points and Winnipeg by six points and they are three points ahead of San Jose for the fourth spot in the Western Conference. Their offense has been average on home ice, but the defense makes up for it as they allow 2.48 gpg which is ninth best in the NHL. They have won five of their last seven games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. 7* (62) St. Louis Blues

Nashville lost in Toronto last night but thanks to going extra time, it was able to salvage a point and stay within a point of Winnipeg in the Central Division. The Predators are now favored on the road, but it is deserved, and they are in a good spot for a bounce back victory to overtake the Jets. Because Winnipeg is in the middle of a 10-game homestand, Nashville cannot afford to lose these winnable games and this is one of those. The Predators are 4-0 in their last four games playing with no rest and 5-0 in their last five games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. Ottawa is coming off a rare regulation victory as it defeated New Jersey on Tuesday which was its first regulation win since January 10th and first ho0me regulation win since January 6th. It has been a long year for the Senators as they are ahead of only Buffalo in the Eastern Conference. They possess the third worst defense in the league including the second worst home defense where they allow 3.52 gpg. Ottawa has lost 10 of its last 12 games against the Western Conference. 9* (59) Nashville Predators

New Jersey closed the first half of the season with four straight losses, managing a total of just three goals in those four games. The Devils came out of the break and won three in a row before losing at Ottawa on Tuesday. They are back home where they are 15-8-3 on the season including wins in nine of their last 13 games and they need to continue to take care of home ice. They are a point behind Pittsburgh in the Metropolitan Division and currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference but just four points out of falling out of the playoffs completely. Calgary is coming off a home-and-home sweep of Chicago which halted a six-game losing streak, five of which came at home. The Flames have been a strong road team but that is being taken into consideration with this line. Despite owning the same amount of points as New Jersey, they are on the outside of the playoff picture in the rugged Western Conference. The Flames are 0-4 in their last four games against teams with a winning record. 10* (52) New Jersey Devils

The Rangers have slipped to 11th place in the Eastern Conference following a dreadful run where they went 1-6 over a seven-game stretch. Six of those games were on the road however while three of the losses were against teams in the current playoff standings while the other three were against Western Conference teams that are one or two points out. The challenge will not be any easier tonight but at least New York is back home where it is 17-9-3 on the season while going 5-0 in its last five home games against teams with a road winning percentage of greater than .600. Boston has been the hottest team in the NHL for the last seven weeks as it has lost just once in regulation over its last 22 games, going 17-1-4 over that stretch. The Bruins are coming off a win in Detroit last night and they have struggled when playing with on rest during this stretch. They have played back-to-back games four times and have lost the second game twice while one of the wins was against Buffalo. Going back, they are 7-17 in their last 24 games playing with no rest and playing in New York is not ideal as they have dropped seven straight games in this series. 10* (4) New York Rangers

Colorado is back home following a six-game roadtrip where it went 2-3-1 including a shutout loss in Winnipeg in the finale on Saturday. The Avalanche have lost 15 of 25 road games on the season but have held their own at home where they are 18-7-1 including wins in eight straight games. Despite having the seventh best scoring differential in the Western Conference, they are on the outside looking in at the playoffs as they are tied with Calgary and Anaheim for ninth place, one point out of the final Wild Card spot. Colorado is averaging 3.65 gpg at home which is second in the NHL behind Winnipeg and it has won nine of its last 11 games against teams with a winning record. San Jose is in fifth place in the Western Conference thanks to a pair of road wins at Columbus and Carolina to move to 2-1-1 on this current roadtrip which comes to an end tonight. The Sharks have played .500 hockey on the road this season which is better than most and that is keeping this line much lower than it should be. They have done well against the teams they should beat but they have gone 1-8 in their last nine road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. 10* (72) Colorado Avalanche

We won with Minnesota last Friday as it continued its torrid pace at home but fell flat the next night in Dallas as it lost 6-1. The Wild are now 10-15-1 on the highway and defense can be to blame. They are giving up just 2.08 gpg on home ice which is the best in the league but once they hit the road, things regress as they are giving up 3.65 gpg which is second worst and that home/road split is the biggest in the NHL. Minnesota has lost six of its last eight road games and has lost five of the last six meetings here. St. Louis is coming off a win in Buffalo on Saturday to make it four victories in their last five games. The Blues remain in third place in the Central Division as they trail Nashville and Winnipeg by four points and they are three points ahead of San Jose for the fourth spot in the Western Conference. Their offense has been adequate at home, but the defense makes up for it as they allow 2.36 gpg which is sixth best in the NHL. The Blues are 5-1 in their last six games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. 10* (66) St. Louis Blues

Vegas won in Washington on Sunday to move to 3-1 on this current roadtrip that concludes Thursday in San Jose. The Golden Knights have been one of the top home teams in the league, but they do take a step back on the road and they have a tough test tonight in a below average spot. Vegas has one of the best defenses at home where it allows a second best 2.21 gpg but it has not been nearly as strong on the road where is gives up 3.04 gpg and now face one of the top scoring offenses. The Penguins lost in New Jersey on Saturday which halted a four-game winning streak. They remain in sixth place in the Eastern Conference because they have been horrible on the road as their 15 regulation losses are tied for the most in the league. Pittsburgh is 19-7-1 at home where it is averaging 3.52 gpg, sixth best in the NHL. Overall, the Penguins have won seven straight home games while going back, they are 28-10 in their last 38 home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (58) Pittsburgh Penguins

Tampa Bay is off to a 5-2 start on this current roadtrip which concludes tonight in Edmonton and it could very well be looking forward to heading back home. This is the fourth time this season the Lightning have had a four-game or longer roadtrip and they have gone 1-2 in the final game of the first three. The lone victory did come in the most recent one however it came after losing the previous two games whereas they come into this one following two straight wins. Tampa Bay has been one of the best road teams in the league this season but that is being reflected in this line and the value is on the underachieving home team. Edmonton is 2-1-1 on its current homestand which comes to an end tonight with six of the next seven games coming on the road. The Oilers are arguably the biggest disappointment in the league as they are 13 points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Cam Talbot will be back in goal tonight and he has won four of his five starts and going back, the Oilers are 5-1 in their last six games when their opponent allows two goals or less in their previous game. 10* (8) Edmonton Oilers

Both Ottawa and Montreal are coming off wins last night as the Senators defeated Philadelphia while the Canadiens defeated Anaheim. Montreal has a sizable advantage today as it remains home following the win last night while Ottawa must travel for a second straight road game and following one that went into a shootout. The Senators are 7-13-4 on the road this season and have lost 17 of their last 21 games on the highway. Ottawa has not won consecutive road games since starting the season 3-0 as it has now gone 0-3-1 in its last four roadies following a road victory in its previous game. Additionally, the Senators are 0-7 in their last seven road games against teams with a losing home record. Montreal has a lot of work to do to climb back into the Eastern Conference playoff conversation as it is nine points back from the final Wild Card spot. The Canadiens have the third fewest win against top 16 teams, but they have won 14 of 25 against teams below that and are 4-1 in their last five games against teams with a winning percentage below .400. Going back, they are 33-16 in their last 49 home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 9* (56) Montreal Canadiens

Calgary owns the longest current losing streak in the NHL as it has dropped its last six games, but Saturday presents a great opportunity to put that to an end. The Flames had won seven straight games heading into their mandatory five-day layoff, but the time off came at a bad time as they dropped four straight games in extra time. Things were looking up as they had a lead on Vegas with less than two minutes remaining but allowed three goals in that span to lose 4-2. Calgary felt the effects of that loss in its next game as it allowed four third period goals against Tampa Bay in a 7-4 loss, making it back-to-back meltdowns against the two best teams in the league. The Flames will be out to end a five-game home losing streak as they sit three points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Chicago was upset in Vancouver two nights ago which ended a four-game road winning streak. The Blackhawks have been equally average at home where they are 12-10-3 and on the road where they are 12-10-4 as they are three points behind the Flames. The Blackhawks are 9-24 in their last 33 games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game while the Flames are 8-2 in their last 10 games following a loss of three or more goals. 10* (22) Calgary Flames

We lost with Winnipeg on Thursday as it fell against Vegas in a rare home loss in overtime. The Jets were able to salvage a point out of it, but it was not what they wanted in what was a controversial game with a possible goalie interference no-call. Nonetheless, Winnipeg must move forward after getting its seven-game home winning streak snapped where it is now 18-3-2 on the season. This is the third game of a 10-game homestand for the Jets which are now three points behind the Golden Knights in the Western Conference and they are also only two points ahead of second place Nashville in the Central Division. The Jets have won five of their last six games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. Colorado snapped a three-game slide with a win at Edmonton, but it is still just 10-11-3 on the road this season. The Avalanche will be playing their first game against a quality opponent with a strong defense without the services of center Nathan MacKinnon, who is third in the NHL with 61 points, as he will be out for at least two weeks. The Avalanche has lost seven of their last nine road games against teams with a home winning percentage of .600 or better. Winnipeg is playing with some double-revenge as well as it lost twice in Colorado this season by identical 3-2 scores, both defeats coming in overtime. 7* (10) Winnipeg Jets

Vegas burnt us last night as it won in overtime over Winnipeg in a controversial game over a goalie interference no-call. Nonetheless, the Golden Knights celebrated well into the night as they improved to 34-12-4 through 50 games, breaking the NHL record for most victories by a team in an inaugural season. This was the second straight win that easily could have been a loss as they scored three goals with less than two minutes remaining against Calgary on Tuesday. This is the second straight game against a team with a huge home ice advantage and going back, the Golden Knights are just 4-4 this season in the second of back-to-back road games with no rest. Minnesota defeated Columbus in a shootout on Tuesday, which gives it an extra two days of rest, as it finally reached double-digit victories on the road. The Wild have been great at home as they are 17-4-4 which is keeping them right in the playoff mix as they are just a point out of the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Vegas managed just two regulation goals last night, one which could have been overruled, against a strong defensive team at home and it gets tough tonight. Minnesota has allowed just 2.08 gpg at home which is the lowest in the NHL. The Wild have won five straight home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (58) Minnesota Wild

A showdown of the top two teams in the Western Conference takes place Thursday night as top team Vegas heads to second place Winnipeg. With their win over the top team in the Eastern Conference, a 3-1 victory over Tampa Bay, the Jets now have a three-point lead over Nashville and there could be much more separation from now until February 20 as this is the second game of a 10-game homestand. The Predators have three games in hand so a big homestand is necessary and winning these big games can quiet down the doubters. The Jets are 18-3-1 at home and going back to last season, they have lost just four times in their last 28 home games. Vegas is coming off a miracle win on Tuesday as it was down 2-1 to Calgary with 1:46 remaining and scored the tying goal and then added the game-winner 10 second later before adding an empty-netter to seal the 4-2 victory. The Golden Knights have 13 wins over top ten teams in the league, but the 13-5 record includes a 9-1 record at home, so they are just 4-4 on the road against the top-rated teams. The potent offense faces a real test as the Jets allow 2.32 gpg at home which is fourth fewest in the NHL. Vegas has been nearly unbeatable at home, but it is certainly more vulnerable on the road and like the Winnipeg game on Tuesday, this line is being kept in check because of the opponent that the public is backing. 10* (14) Winnipeg Jets

Thanks to an 18-game point streak, Boston made a big move in the Atlantic Division as it moved within five points of first place Tampa Bay. That run was snapped on Tuesday as the Bruins lost to Anaheim 3-1 at home and that was just the fourth time over the last 26 games they have scored fewer than three goals. Surprisingly, all those low output efforts came at home but even going back further, Boston has bounced back well as the Bruins are 7-0 in their last seven games after scoring two goals or less in their previous game. Boston is 16-6-4 at home and averaging 3.19 gpg which is 10th best in the league. St. Louis hots the road for the first time since January 18th as it is coming off a four-game homestand where it finished 3-1 including wins in the last three games. The Blues are now tied with Nashville for second place in the Central Division with 65 points, three points behind division leader Winnipeg. They catch Boston at the wrong time coming off a poor offensive effort which negates the exceptional play of goalie Carter Hutton who has taken over the starting job for Jake Allen although he has struggled on the road against top offenses. The Blues are 4-9 in their last 13 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Boston has lost consecutive games only once since mid-November and is 7-0-1 in its last eight games after a loss. 10* (4) Boston Bruins

This line came out late because Toronto played last night and pitched a shutout, a 5-0 win over the Islanders. That was the third consecutive win for the Maple Leafs which closed the first half with a pair of wins at Chicago and Dallas and in addition to the current streak, they are riding a three-game road winning streak. Toronto is in third place in the Atlantic Division and likely is not going to drop as it has a 15-point lead on Detroit so there is no looking over the shoulder which can hurt as it suppresses motivation. Going back, the Maple Leafs are 14-37 in their last 51 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600 while going 0-6 in their last six games after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. New York is playing its first game since before the All-Star Break which ended well with a 6-5 win over San Jose which snapped a three-game losing streak. It has not been a good stretch as they have lost eight of their last 13 games but nine of those were on the road where they are 8-12-2. New York is 17-8-3 at home and fighting for a playoff spot as it is on the outside looking in, sitting a point out of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers are the only team in the Eastern Conference not in a playoff spot that has a positive scoring differential and they are 6-0 in their last six home games against teams with a winning road record. 10* (8) New York Rangers

This line came out late with the only possible reason being the status of Washington forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, the team's second-leading scorer with 45 points, but he practiced Tuesday and said he will play Wednesday. The Capitals have a four-point lead over the Penguins in the Metropolitan Division and this is the start of an important stretch with four of the next five games coming against divisional foes, all of which are in current playoff spots, with the fifth game coming against Vegas. The Washington defense is allowing 2.27 gpg at home which is third lowest in the league and a lot of that is attributed to goalie Braden Holtby. In 15 road starts, he has a 3.49 GAA but in 21 home starts, he has a 2.13 GAA which is a significant difference. The Flyers are on a solid run as they are 8-3 this month while going 16-6-1 since December 4 following a 10-game losing skid and the recent run has pushed Philadelphia into the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers have won their last two road games, but both of those came in overtime and one of those came courtesy of the Capitals just over a week ago. Washington is playing with double-revenge after dropping both meetings this season. 10* (54) Washington Capitals

Both Chicago and Nashville picked up road wins in their final games before the All-Star Break and this has been a good and favorable stretch for the latter. The Predators closed the first half with home games in five of their last six and now they open the second half with a three-game homestand. This is important since they trail Winnipeg by just one point in the Central Division and winning on home ice is vital considering the Jets have a 10-game homestand upcoming. Nashville is 16-4-3 at home this season as the offense is averaging 3.30 gpg which is No. 8 in the NHL. The Predators are 11-3 in their last 14 games against teams with a losing record. Chicago has been respectable on the road this season as it is 11-9-4 which is helping to keep it afloat in the Western Conference as the Blackhawks are four points out of the final Wild Card spot. They have been horribly inconsistent however as they have won back-to-back games only once in the last five weeks and additionally, they have lost five straight games when playing with three or more days of rest, so the lengthy time off has not been beneficial. Going back, the Blackhawks are 8-22 in their last 30 games against teams with a winning record. 8* (14) Nashville Predators

The All-Star Break came at a bad time for Buffalo as it is back home after closing the first half with three straight wins, all on the road, as the defense stepped up huge by allowing just one goal and posting two straight shutouts to close it out. Goalie Robin Lehner was responsible for both of those which is surprising considering his 2.87 GAA but we do not expect his hot run to continue. The Sabres have lost 15 of 21 home games this season as the defense has not been very good but the offense has been horrific as they are averaging just 2.10 gpg which is deal last in the NHL. Going back, the Sabres are 16-36 in their last 52 games after allowing two goals or less in their previous game. Conversely, the break came for New Jersey at the right time as it is riding a four-game losing streak. The Devils managed only three goals in those four games as they are in the top half of the league in scoring, but part of the reason can be explained. The Devils will get left winger Taylor Hall back tonight after he missed the last three games and his absence was evident with that lack of offense. They are in a good spot for a rebound and they are 11-5 in their last 16 games following a loss of three or more goals. 9* (1) New Jersey Devils

Minnesota has one of the better home ice advantages in the NHL, but the Wild have been one of the worst on the road. Their nine road wins are ahead of only Arizona in the Western Conference while their 14 regulation losses are tied for most in the league. The big reason for the lack of success is a porous defense as Minnesota is allowing 3.63 gpg on the highway which is tied with the Islanders for the most in the NHL. Because of that, the fact they are such a small underdog is surprising and going back, the Wild are 32-70 in their last 102 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. Columbus closed the first half with a win at Arizona and while it was an up and down stretch before the break, the Blue Jackets have played on the road a ton. 11 of their last 17 games were on the highway including five sets of back-to-backs although none with no rest. They went 4-2 in the six home games and are a very impressive 16-8 at home this season thanks to a defense that allows 1.25 gpg fewer than what the Wild allow on the road. Columbus is tied for fifth in that category in home games and it has gone 15-6 in its last 21 games after scoring two goals or less in its previous game. 10* (8) Columbus Blue Jackets

Buffalo is coming off its second shutout victory of the season as it defeated Edmonton 5-0 on Tuesday night. The Sabres have won two straight games, both on the road, and as hard as it may sound, this is just the second time they have won consecutive games the entire season and they are now 2-10 following a victory. This is the first time this season Buffalo has won two straight road games where it has lost 20 of 27 games overall and the Sabres are 1-4 in their last five road games against teams with a home winning percentage of less than .400 while going 1-7 in their last eight games in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation. It has not bee a good season for Vancouver either, but they catch an opponent that puts it into a good spot to feed off their most recent game, a 6-2 victory over Los Angeles. Goalie Jacob Markstrom has been solid of late and has had a good season overall as he is 13-15-5 with a 2.74 GA. This includes a 2.60 GAA in 19 home games. While there are not many excuses for losing, Vancouver has played the fifth toughest schedule heading into the All-Star Break and a two-game winning streak can provide momentum heading into the second half. 9* (76) Vancouver Canucks

Anaheim is coming off a blowout win over the Rangers to make it three wins in four games on this current homestand that concludes tonight prior to a five-game roadtrip right after the All-Star Break. The Ducks are still on the outside looking into the playoffs as they have 55 points and trail Colorado, Minnesota and Los Angeles by two points as those four teams are fighting for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Anaheim is 7-2-1 in its last nine home games and have won four of its last five home games against teams with a losing road record. Winnipeg has won three straight games including two on the road in Calgary and San Jose, both coming after regulation. The Jets are back in sole possession of first place in the Central Division and this road weary team will be looking forward to heading home. Seven of their last 10 games have been on the road so not only do they want to head home for the break because of that, the Jets have a 10-game homestand on deck and sitting at 17-3-1 at home, they can make a big separation in the division and make a run at Vegas for the lead in the Western Conference. This is the last road game until February 23, so the focus tonight will be lacking. 10* (78) Anaheim Ducks

Columbus looks to avoid a second straight loss before heading into the All-Star Break. We played against the Blue Jackets two nights ago when they visited Vegas but now they take a huge step down in competition and these are the types of games they need to win to remain in playoff contention. Columbus has 55 points which is good for a tie with Pittsburgh for the two Wild Card spots in the Eastern Conference. Just as important, the Blue Jackets trail Philadelphia and New Jersey by just one point so they could go into the break sitting in second place in the Metropolitan Division. Arizona is riding a rare two-game winning streak to improve to 3-8 in games following a victory so winning streaks have been few and far between. The Coyotes snapped a three-game home losing streak with the win over the Islanders on Monday and their 15 home points are tied for fewest in the NHL with the Sabres. Columbus has not been great on the road due to a poor defense, but Arizona is averaging just 2.30 gpg at home which is second worst in the league. The Coyotes are 3-13 in their last 16 home games against teams with a losing road record while the Blue Jackets are 8-0 in their last eight games following a loss of three or more goals. 10* (69) Columbus Blue Jackets

Vegas is back home following a split in its four-game roadtrip which was good enough to remain in first place in the Western Conference with 66 points, three points clear of second place Winnipeg. The Golden Knights have dominated at home this season, going 18-2-2 and this mini two-game homestand is a big one as they head back out on the road after this for a six-game trek, all against teams currently sitting in playoff spots. Vegas lost in overtime in its last home game against Edmonton and it has not lost consecutive home games this season, going 3-0 in the previous three games following a defeat. Columbus is back on the ice after its six-day break which came after a shootout win at home against Dallas. The Blue Jackets have been inconsistent on the road with a 10-10-3 record as the offense is averaging just 2.70 gpg and they will have troubles scoring here as Vegas allows 2.18 gpg at home, which is second lowest in the NHL. The Blue Jackets 2-7 in their last nine road games and 1-6 in their last seven games following a win while the Golden Knights are 10-2 in their last 12 games against teams with a winning record. 8* (70) Vegas Golden Knights

This line came out late due to Colorado playing last night and winning its tenth consecutive game. We went against the Avalanche as they were able to score a late third period goal and then added on an empty-netter to keep their winning streak going. They are still under .500 on the road and currently in the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference showing how bad they were playing prior to this run. the defense has been outstanding during this stretch but remember, eight of these games came at home and Colorado is allowing 3.25 gpg on the road. Montreal remains home following a 4-1 loss against Boston on Saturday which was its fourth loss in five games including three straight at home. The two prior to that came in extra time and we are catching a good number with the Canadiens tonight as they are in a good spot to put an end to this streak. The Canadiens are 21-7 in their last 28 games following a home loss of three or more goals. The Avalanche are 2-8 in their last 10 road games against teams with a losing home record while going 1-5 in their last six games in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation. 10* (58) Montreal Canadiens

Pittsburgh heads home following a 1-2 west coast roadtrip and it has had its struggles on the highway all season with losses in 16 of 26 games. The Penguins are riding a three-game home winning streak where they are 15-7-1 this season and this is the start of a four-game homestand which gives them a good opportunity to remain the playoff mix. They are tied with the Rangers and Islanders with 53 points, good for a tie for the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Carolina is three points behind that as it is on a 3-6-1 run following a four-game winning streak at the end of December. The Hurricanes have been below average on the road with losses in 15 of 26 games and the Penguins will be out avenge a pair of losses against the Hurricanes including a 4-0 shutout here earlier this month. The Hurricanes are 5-14 in their last 19 games following a loss of three or more goals while going 1-7 in their last eight games against teams with a winning record. Meanwhile, the Penguins are 39-13 in their last 52 home games against teams with a losing road record. 9* (54) Pittsburgh Penguins

We won with Toronto on Saturday as it defeated Ottawa 4-0 on the road which snapped a four-game losing streak while getting some revenge from a 4-3 home loss against the Senators 10 days before that. The Maple Leafs return home looking to snap another streak as they have dropped three straight home games where they are now 13-7-1 which is still very solid. Two of those losses came in overtime while the other one was that one-goal loss against Ottawa so they have just been on the wrong side of close games, something that can easily be turned around. Colorado is the hottest team in the NHL as it has won nine straight games to get back into the playoff picture as it currently holds down the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. A big reason for the successful winning streak is that eight of those nine games were played at home where the Avalanche are 18-7-1 on the season. While the lone road win during this streak was against a very good Dallas team, they are just 8-9-2 on the highway. Defense has been the issue as Colorado is allowing 3.32 gpg away from home, which is seventh worst in the league. Going back, the Avalanche are 16-35 in their last 51 road games against teams with a winning home record. 8* (2) Toronto Maple Leafs

Despite two straight losses, the Capitals still sit atop the Metropolitan Division by four points over New Jersey and look to get back to their winning ways this afternoon. In addition to two straight losses, Washington has dropped its last two home games dating back to January 11, the first time they have lost consecutive home games since October, and the Capitals were put into a tough scheduling spot as they were forced to play back-to-back games following their five-day layoff. They have won four straight games in the third game of three games in four days, Philadelphia has won two straight games including a win over New Jersey yesterday making this a quick turnaround for the Flyers. They have been playing well with wins in six of their last seven games, but this includes just one road victory where they are 9-8-4 on the season. They have gone 1-4 in their last five road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than .600. The first meeting this season series was way back in October, but Washington has not forgotten it as it lost 8-2 in Philadelphia so there will be payback in this rivalry. 9* (52) Washington Capitals

Toronto has had a rough go of it of late as it closed out on a 0-1-1 run prior to its bye week and then came back only to go 0-0-2 in its two games since the time off. The four-game losing streak is a season high but the Maple Leafs cannot get too discouraged over it considering each of the four games have been winnable and decided late. They are in a good spot to get back into the win column tonight as their 12-10-3 road record is not horrible and seven of those losses have come against teams currently sitting in playoff spots with three others against teams just on the outside looking in. Toronto has a better offense on the road than at home as it is averaging 3.28 gpg which is second in the NHL. Ottawa is sitting in second to last place in the Atlantic Division after dropping 20 of its last 27 games and its playoff run from last season will not be repeated. Defense has been a real problem as goalie Craig Anderson is having one of his worst season ever of his 15-year career as he is allowing 3.21 gpg and his home numbers have been worse as he possesses a 3.33 GAA in 19 home games. Ottawa is just 5-15 this season against teams ranked within the top 16 of the league and Toronto will be out for payback from a 4-3 home loss to the Senators which came right before their bye week. 10* (9) Toronto Maple Leafs

Vegas let us down last night as it stifled Tampa Bay with a 4-1 victory, but we will go against the Golden Knights again tonight in a difficult back-to-back spot. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was outstanding once again as he improved to 10-3-2 and he now has a 1.33 GAA on the road which is by far the best in the NHL. He will be resting tonight and Malcolm Subban will be getting the start and while he has been solid as well, he has a 2.58 GAA on the road which is a significant difference. Vegas is 2-2 in its last four road games with Fleury starting three of those and allowing a total of four goals. Subban allowed four goals in his one road start. Florida lost to Calgary in its last game and it comes into tonight coming off its six-day layoff, so it has the rest advantage with the Golden Knights having to play last night. It was a rare home loss for the Panthers as they had won four straight prior to that and are now 10-7-1 at home. They have played the eighth toughest schedule in the NHL and going back, the Panthers are 20-8 in their last 28 games playing on three or more days rest. 10* (54) Florida Panthers

The NHL schedule can be quirky at times and Tampa Bay can attest to that. The Lightning are coming off their five-day mandated break following a home loss to Calgary and after tonight, they go out on an eight-game roadtrip making this their only home game in a span of 28 days which is a little over the top. Tampa Bay want to get this win for the fans since they will not be a round for a while but more importantly, will want to bounce back from that last home loss which was just their four of the season in regulation. The Lightning have won their last four games following a loss by three or more goals. Vegas is coming off a loss at Nashville on Tuesday as it was shutout 1-0 despite unleashing 43 shots. It was the second straight losses for the Golden Knights which remain in first place in the Western Conference and they are not in a good situation based on the time they are facing Tampa Bay. Vegas has lost three straight games on two other occasions this season and both of those involved road games in the final two games. The Vegas offense has managed two goals or less in four of its last five games and we see that continuing against Andrei Vasilevskiy who is 16-2-1 with a 2.43 GAA at home. 8* (14) Tampa Bay Lightning

The NHL schedule is nearly back to full strength as most teams have taken their league mandated five-day break and one of the teams just coming off it is Columbus. The Blue Jackets closed with two straight losses prior to their break and they were not good as they lost in 11-24-9 Buffalo on the road and 18-21-6 Vancouver at home. Columbus had won three of its previous four games but since a 10-3 run that ended December 9, Columbus has been very inconsistent. The five-day layoff came at a perfect time and the recent struggles is keeping the moneyline down lower than it should be as the Blue Jackets are still a solid 15-8 at home and going back, they are 7-0 in their last seven games following a loss of three or more goals. While Columbus is rested, Dallas will be playing its fourth game is six days which immediately followed a six-day break, so fatigue could be an issue. The Stars have won their last two games, both on the road, so there is travel involved which as well heightens the situation. Dallas is 10-11-2 on the road and it is 3-11 in its last 14 games in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation. 10* (8) Columbus Blue Jackets

If the season ended today, Pittsburgh would be back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, barely. The Penguins are tied with the Rangers with 51 points for the final two Wild Card spots but since the season is not over, there is plenty of work to be done or plenty of time for other teams to catch the Penguins. They hit the road following three straight home wins, two coming after their five-day break and overall, they bring in a four-game winning streak to Anaheim. Winning on home ice has not been an issue as Pittsburgh is 15-7-1 but the road has been problematic as it is just 9-12-2 and the offense is to blame the most as the Penguins average just 2.57 gpg. Going back, they have lost seven of their last eight games against the Western Conference. Anaheim dropped its last game at Colorado to conclude a 2-3 roadtrip and it returns home for the first time this month. The Ducks are four points out of the playoffs to holding serve on home ice is imperative going forward especially considering they have been fairly average at 10-8-3. That is keeping the price down however and going back, the Ducks are 4-1 in their last five home games against teams with a road winning percentage of less than .400. 10* (54) Anaheim Ducks