Sports Picks & Predictions

4-unit Play Take St. Louis Blues/Tampa Bay Lightning OVER (7:05pm EST) The St. Louis Blues are in the middle of a seven-game road trip and they haven't looked very comfortable in their first three contests. They've dropped two of those games and have had some major problems on the defensive end yielding 110 shots on goal over the last three. Defense has been this team's calling card all season but it's a long season and every team gets in a funk every now and then and long road trips do that to teams. They still have surrendered only seven goals over those three games but their sloppy play will eventually catch up with them and they get a dangerous opponent tonight in the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning have a potent offensive attack and five of their last seven games have gone Over the total. They play an aggressive style and being at home they should be able to dictate the pace against a Blues team that usually likes to slow it down. The last time these teams hooked up in Tampa, the Lightning won 4-3 and there were 72 total shots on goal. We get some plus-money on the Over today and that's too generous.

6-unit Play Take Boston Bruins/Tampa Bay Lightning UNDER (7:35pm EST) The Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning square off in a game that might not play out like most observers think. Getting inside the heads of the teams is important in handicapping, and based on the results of the last several games for these teams it appears that both teams are looking at this matchup as a big game. The Bruins come into this game off of two straight losses - 5-2 to the Penguins and 4-3 to the Capitals. It's not very often that Boston surrenders nine goals combined in back-to-back games, especially with Tim Thomas in net. He should get another chance to redeem himself tonight and I don't expect him to fail for the third game in a row being one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. The Lightning have lost three straight games and given up 14 goals in the process. Rookie goalie Dustin Tokarski has been in the net for the last two games and he's slated to get another chance again in this one. I'm confident that the defense will step up in this one and provide a little more support than usual to protect him. With both teams coming into this game on losing streaks, the intensity will be high and that generally leads to more checking and better effort defensively. Even though both teams have surrendered a ton of goals lately, I have little doubt that they'll buck the trend and play a tight, fundamentally sound game tonight. That's why the Under in this one has been pegged as our Game of the Day, especially at a nice plus-juice price.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Calgary Flames/Minnesota Wild OVER (6:05pm EST) The Calgary Flames invade Minnesota to take on the Wild in a game that promises to have plenty of mistakes and defensive lapses. Both of these teams have been struggling mightily in their own zone of late; turnovers, mental lapses, poor goaltender play and whatever else you can think of. Calgary has given up at least 38 shots in three of their last four games, including 45 in their last contest against Winnipeg. The Flames have struggled offensively for most of the season, but they've taken more chances on the offensive end lately and it's paid off as far as goal scoring. However, they have sacrificed defensively and have given up a few more breakaways and odd-man rushes than usual. The Wild have also been an absolute mess defensively, ever since starting goalie Niklas Backstrom went down with an injury. They've allowed 22 goals in their last five games between their two backup goaltenders. Backstrom is still out so it won't be any prettier tonight. The Over is also 5-0-2 in Calgary's last seven games as a favorite. All signs point to plenty of scoring opportunities, so the Over looks enticing at only 5 tonight.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Dallas Stars/Anaheim Ducks OVER 5 (7:05pm EST) The Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks have both been playing some really aggressive hockey recently. The last three games for the Stars have seen 83, 60 and 78 shots respectively and they've made an effort to get good scoring chances and have compromised a bit defensively. Their last game against San Jose was an absolute shootout, literally and figuratively, and I expect some carry over to occur in this one. The Anaheim Ducks had a stretch earlier in the season where they couldn't score a goal to save their lives, but they've looked a little bit better recently and a lot of that has to do with some shuffling on the lines and getting some guys back healthy. When these teams get together, the game generally has a faster pace and that has translated into six overs in the last eight matchups. I'd be shocked if we don't at least get a push on the Over in this game, and more likely will get a winner. Play the Over here.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take New Jersey Devils/New York Islanders UNDER 5 (7:05pm EST) Small number for the total in this game between the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders but that shouldn't scare anyone off the Under in this one. This is the second of a home-and-home between these teams and the third meeting in a week. New Jersey has been one of the top defensive teams in the NHL for the last few seasons and they've locked it down even tighter lately. Over their last four games, they've only allowed a total of four goals. They also have the better of their two goaltenders in net tonight in my opinion - Johan Hedberg. The Islanders have surrendered quite a few goals lately but they've actually been able to keep shot counts down and I expect them to bounce back after allowing five goals against the Devils on Thursday. I like playing the Under when teams play each other twice in a row, as they generally learn the other team's tendencies and the defenses clamp down. That should be the case tonight, especially with these squads seeing one another for the third time in a week. There has also only been one over in the last seven meetings, so the play is definitely the Under again tonight.

3-unit Play Take Minnesota Wild/Colorado Avalanche OVER (9:05pm EST) Based on the final scores of the last few games played by the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche, you'd be hard pressed to pull the trigger on the Over in this spot. However, a closer look inside the numbers shows that the Over definitely has some value today. The Wild have been shut out in three of their last four games but two of those games still went Over the total and the Wild still put quite a few shots on goal in three of the games. They've been dealing with a lot of injuries lately but the guys out there understand that they can't focus on that. "We've used that excuse already -- injuries, injuries, injuries," right winger Devin Setoguchi said. "If the effort's there then we can be satisfied if we lose the game or if we play hard, but if the effort's not there and the mentality isn't there to play the game right -- even with all the injuries -- then that's not an excuse, win or lose." The Avalanche have only scored a total of three goals in their last three games, but they too have put a healthy amount of shots on net but haven't been able to put many in. These teams have been playing aggressively, but have just had a bit of bad luck lately. In addition, Minnesota will be going with its backup goalie Josh Harding as Backstrom is still sidelined with a strained groin. That's a huge drop off in the net, and we could see a couple of easy ones get past Harding as he's struggled with consistency in his starts. The value is with the Over tonight.

4-unit Play Take Phoenix Coyotes/Columbus Blue Jackets UNDER (7:05pm EST) This is the second game of a home-and-home series between the Phoenix Coyotes and the Columbus Blue Jackets. Three days ago in Phoenix the Blue Jackets came out on top 5-2 in a final score that was a little bit deceiving. Columbus scored an empty net goal with a minute left and there were a total of only 58 shots on goal for the game, so this one could have easily gone Under the total. I like playing Unders in the second game of a home-and-home matchup as the teams generally tighten up the defenses after seeing each other for the second time in a matter of days. Additionally, the Under is 10-4 in the last 14 games for the Coyotes and they've really seemed to be focused on the defensive end of the ice recently. Last night they played a tight 2-1 game against the Penguins. I think we get a little extra value based on the score of the last game between these two, so the Under is the play tonight.

3-unit Play Take Minnesota Wild/Detroit Red Wings UNDER (7:35pm EST) The Minnesota Wild square off against the Detroit Red Wings in another game that might be considered a yawn fest for goal scoring enthusiasts. In their last six meetings dating back to December 2010, five of the games have gone Under the total and most haven't been close. The Red Wings have had some wild games lately, but I expect things to tame down some now that it looks like goaltender Jimmy Howard is back in the net for good. In addition, Detroit's best offensive player Pavel Datsyuk is out with a knee injury and that will have a trickle-down effect on every scoring line. The Minnesota Wild have some injuries to some of its skill position players including center Mikko Koivo. This should turn into a grind-it-out type of battle and I wouldn't be surprised to see one of these talented goaltenders pitch a shutout tonight. Take the Under in this spot.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take New York Rangers/Tampa Bay Lightning UNDER (7:35pm EST) The New York Rangers have been an Under machine this season as their games have gone Under in 28 of 49 games this season (not including pushes). Their games are even lower scoring when goalie Henrik Lundqvist takes the net, as he has established himself as one of the best goalies in the league. Defensively, the Rangers rank 7th best in shot prevention and they've been especially adept at that lately. Last night they held the Hurricanes to 23 shots and the game before they held the Devils to a paltry 13 shots on net. It's tough to score against a team when you can't even get shots off and no question it will be an uphill battle for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning come off two games in which there were only 84 shots on goal combined and they generally play to the Rangers style when these teams hook up. Three of the last five meetings have gone Under and I have a hard time believing that there will be enough shots to get too many goals tonight.

3-unit Play Take Ottawa Senators/Boston Bruins OVER (7:05pm EST) This will be the fifth meeting of the season between the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins and all four previous meetings have gone Over the total - by a wide margin. In fact, the teams have combined to score 30 goals in the four games, for a whopping average of 7.5 goals per game. Ottawa has been an Over team all season long and nothing has changed lately as they've had five straight Overs in their last five games. In addition, Ottawa is going with backup goaltender Robin Lehner again tonight, and he has yet to prove himself in the NHL. The Bruins have had a surprisingly great offense this season and only the Flyers average more goals per game than they do. On the defensive side, goalie Tim Thomas is still a monster in the net, but his numbers have not been nearly as good as last season and he has the occasional off game. I expect a fast-paced game with lots of shots on goal and that should get us the Over tonight.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

6-unit Play Take New York Islanders/Ottawa Senators UNDER 5.5 (5:05pm EST) The New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators meet up for the second time in a week tonight. The Senators got the upper hand in the first meeting in a dominating 6-0 victory on Long Island this past Monday. After being thoroughly embarrassed, especially on the defensive end, I expect the Islanders to buckle down here and make it a grind-it-out type of game. The Islanders offense has also been struggling lately and has averaged only 1.9 goals per game over their last 10. So they know that they'll need to step it up on the defensive end to win this game. The Under is 10-4 in the last 14 games in which the Islanders have been underdogs. While the Senators are an offensive-focused team, the Under is 5-2 in their last seven games with no rest. They played last night and surrendered five goals in a loss to the Bruins, so I think they'll be focusing their efforts on defense tonight also. There is a lot of public money on the Over in this one, providing us great value in playing the Under as our Game of the Month.

3-unit Play Take Chicago Blackhawks/Los Angeles Kings UNDER 5 (8:05pm EST) Here's another game tonight that will be difficult to watch if you're looking for great offensive play. The Los Angeles Kings are an Under machine recently, seeing only two Overs in their last 17 games - a pretty amazing statistic. They yield the fifth fewest shots on goal per game and have one of the best goaltenders in the league in Jonathan Quick, a deadly combination. The Chicago Blackhawks have been very streaky lately and haven't had more than 29 shots on goal in any of their last five games. Goalie Corey Crawford has also seemingly found some rhythm after a rough stretch a few weeks ago. The icing on the cake is the recent matchup history between these teams. The Under is 10-1 in their last 11 meetings spanning the last three years. This one has the potential to be a 1-0 type of game very easily, and don't be surprised if we see less than 50 total shots in this one. The value is with the Under once again.

3-unit Play Take Buffalo Sabres/New York Rangers UNDER 5 (7:05pm EST) If you like tons of shots and aggressive play, then tonight's game between the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers probably won't be for you. When these teams get together, it's usually a grind-it-out style that leads to tight lowing scoring affairs. As a result, the last five meetings between these two clubs have gone Under the total. The Rangers will be playing a back-to-back game tonight as they were beaten by the Islanders 4-3 last night in a shootout. After surrendering four goals, I expect their defense to really step it up tonight. In addition, their starting goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will be back in the net after a night off last night. He's one of the best in the business and usually arises to the occasion when he needs to. The Rangers have been struggling lately, so they'll be leaning on their leader in this one. Despite a couple of high scoring games lately, the Sabres games have been playing at a fairly slow pace and low shot rates. They battled the Bruins to a 2-1 victory last night in a shootout. The Rangers prefer that conservative style most of the time as well since they are a chip and chase team, so don't expect too many odd-man rushes. The Under is the safe play tonight.

3-unit Play Take Minnesota Wild/Florida Panthers OVER 5 (7:35pm EST) The Florida Panthers come into tonight's game losers of three straight games and the main culprit has been lack of goal scoring. They've only scored three goals combined in their last three games but it's not due to lack of aggressiveness as they've put 98 shots on goal, but have been a bit unlucky. They should come into tonight's game even more focused on the offensive end of the ice so I expect them to put close to 40 shots on net tonight and that should hopefully lead to three or four goals. As for the Minnesota Wild, they are coming off of a 2-0 shutout against the Boston Bruins. They did, however, yield 48 shots on goal in that game and didn't look too stellar in their own zone. Goaltender Niklas Backstrom has posted very solid numbers this season but hasn't looked as good as he did back in October and November. The Panthers should be able to get a few past him tonight. The Wild offense hasn't been as consistent as it needs to be, but I expect them to take advantage of a Florida team that is clearly going to be focused on the offensive end of the ice rather than on its defense. This definitely feels like good value and with the way we've been nailing our totals all season long, I think we have a good edge here again tonight on the Over.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

2-unit Play Take Washington Capitals/Carolina Hurricanes OVER 5.5 (7:35pm EST) Tonight we have a matchup of two teams that might be a little bit more tired than usual. The Washington Capitals will be playing their third game in four nights, all of which have been on the road. All of their recent games have been tight and have featured a lot of shots on goal, but not too many goals are finding the back of the net. The Carolina Hurricanes are also playing their third game in four nights and they have scored at least three goals in each of their last four games. They've had five straight games that have seen 60+ shots on goal in the game combined. I expect to see some fatigue setting in for both teams, especially as the game wears on, and that usually leads to sloppy defense and some easy goals. Seeing how aggressive these teams have been playing lately, the pressure will be on the goalies in this one and so far this season neither goaltender has been able to step up and deliver. Take the Over tonight.

3-unit Play Take Washington Capitals/Tampa Bay Lightning OVER (7:05pm EST) Neither one of these teams is proud of the season that they've had so far, but a matchup between the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning is always sure to have some fireworks. They are currently 9th and 12th in the Eastern Conference, respectively, and both are fighting for their playoff lives. These rivals have always played up-tempo styled-games evidenced by Overs going 6-1 in their last seven meetings. Tampa Bay's defense has been hideous over the last several games as they've given up a ton of shots and 13 goals over their last three contests. They surrendered 50 shots on goal in their last game against San Jose, which was actually a 6-5 win in overtime. Washington has been putting a lot of shots on net lately but they've had problems finding the back of the net consistently. I don't expect that to be a problem tonight with Mathieu Garon in net for the Lightning. He's had a down year and has been even worse over the last couple of weeks. Tomas Vokoun hasn't really been any better for the Capitals so don't expect any shutout performances from tonight's goalies. I think we'll see close to 70 shots on goal in this game and with two struggling goalies, and that should be plenty to get us Over the total tonight.

5-unit Play Take San Jose Sharks/Carolina Hurricanes OVER (7:05pm EST) We've been locked in on totals of late and tonight presents another great opportunity as the San Jose Sharks head into Carolina to take on the Hurricanes. Both of these teams have been playing at a faster pace since the All-Star break and have been firing away plenty of shots on goal. For San Jose, seven of their last 8 games have gone Over the total and the last two games have seen an average of 76 shots on net. For Carolina, their last three games have seen a minimum of 67 shots on goal and two games were easily Over the total. Neither goaltender is having that great of a season and I think it's going to be a long night for Antti Niemi and Cam Ward. The last five matchups between these two teams have gone Over the total as well. On top of all that, San Jose is coming off of an overtime game last night and will surely be a bit winded for this game, which usually translates to some hiccups on the defensive side. All signs point to an easy Over here tonight, and that's why this is our Game of the Day.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Buffalo Sabres/Philadelphia Flyers OVER (7:05pm EST) When the Buffalo Sabres and Philadelphia Flyers get together, there's usually plenty of action on the ice. We have seen six Overs in the last eight meetings between these clubs and five of the games featured at least seven goals. These teams know each other well and it seems like they can break down the opposing defense with ease each time out. It appears that Ryan Miller will be in net for the Sabres and that bodes well for Philadelphia, unlike in past years. While Miller has played a bit better of late, he is struggling through his worst season yet with a 2.75 goals against average and 0.909 save percentage. The Flyers counter with goalie Ilya Bryzgalov who is going through a tumultuous season of his own putting up even worse numbers. As a result, neither goalie can be trusted to fully shut down these offenses. Bottom line, these teams know that this will be a shootout coming into the game and we should see plenty of scoring chances. Throw in two struggling goaltenders and getting to six goals should be rather easy. Take the Over in tonight's Buffalo-Philly game.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Anaheim Ducks/Pittsburgh Penguins UNDER 5.5 (7:05pm EST) Over the last four five weeks or so, the Anaheim Ducks have actually played pretty good hockey. They've come a long way since having the worst record in the NHL in early January, and now have hopes of contending for a playoff spot. How did they do it - great defense and stellar goaltending. This team has started to play a different style hockey lately and it's worked out well for them. They'll have a good challenge tonight as they face a high-powered Pittsburgh Penguins squad. But the Penguins have scored 12 goals in their last two games and I can see the offense losing a little bit of its edge and resting on its laurels tonight. Jonas Hiller has been amazing in the net for the Ducks and he usually gets up for the big games. Unders are 8-2 in Anaheim's last 10 games and I expect a tight, low scoring affair again in this matchup.

4-unit Play Take New York Islanders/Winnipeg Jets UNDER (7:05pm EST) I like this Under spot primarily because the Winnipeg Jets got blasted 8-5 by the Penguins last night in Pittsburgh. It was an embarrassing loss, especially on the defensive end of the ice and I don't think they let it happen two games in a row, especially with this one being at home. In fact, the Under is 8-0 following a Jets' loss of three or more goals this season. Winnipeg has also been a much better team at home this season (16-8-2), and they usually control the tempo at home - which usually means it will be slow. The New York Islanders haven't exactly been a juggernaut on offense lately either, averaging only 1.83 goals per game in their last six contests. In their last nine games in the underdog role, the Islander games have had a record of 8-1 on Unders. Finally, the last four times these teams have met have all resulted in Unders also. This one feels right as I just can't see these teams getting to six goals unless we see some unusual breaks.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take San Jose Sharks/Washington Capitals OVER (7:35pm EST) The San Jose Sharks invade Washington to take on the Capitals in this matchup tonight. The Sharks are coming off a loss to the Blues yesterday in which they were shutout 3-0, so I expect the offense to get extra aggressive tonight to prove a point. That may take the edge off a little on the defensive end, especially on a back-to-back situation, so we should see some action on both sides. It looks like Washington will be going with backup goaltender Michael Neuvirth, who has had an awful season with a 3.07 goals against average and 0.894 save percentage. That should make things even easier for the Sharks if they can put enough shots on the struggling netminder. These teams faced off about a month ago and the Sharks won 5-2 and there were a total of 69 shots on goal. I expect this game to be very similar, and if that's the case, our Over should be a solid play.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Boston Bruins/Buffalo Sabres OVER (7:35pm EST) Tonight's matchup is between Northeast Division rivals who know each other very well - the Boston Bruins versus the Buffalo Sabres. In this series, the offenses have definitely gotten the best of the defenses as the Over is 7-0-4 in the last 11 meetings between these two clubs. It's been almost three years since we've seen an Under in this series and based on the way these teams have played post-All Star break, there's no reason to believe that anything will change. While the scores haven't really indicated it, the Bruins' four games since the break have seen plenty of action. In those contests, there has been an average of 66 shots on goal per game and none of the games have seen overtime. The Sabres have played three games since the break and their games have seen even more shots, averaging 68.7 shots on goal. Again, you have to look deeper than the final score to see how the games have been played, and I think we get some good value given how aggressively these squads are playing on the offensive end right now. Take the Over in this spot.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take St. Louis Blues/Ottawa Senators OVER (7:35pm EST) These teams haven't seen each other in almost 15 months, but when they face off tonight I expect to see some aggressive fast-paced action. The St. Louis Blues are coming off of a 3-1 loss to Nashville on Saturday night in which they had 43 shots on goal but could only put one in the back of the net. The Ottawa Senators had an even rougher time of it on Saturday as they lost 5-0 to Toronto in a game that they were able to get an amazing 49 shots on goal without scoring. Even though neither team could put goals on the board, I like the aggressive play and that should translate to some goals tonight. St. Louis was a huge Under team during the first half of the season (28 unders vs. 12 overs), but that trend tends to regress to the mean over the course of the season so I expect more Overs in the second half. Take the Under 5 in tonight's matchup that should see plenty of action.

3-unit Play Take Detroit Red Wings/Phoenix Coyotes OVER (8:05pm EST) The Detroit Red Wings and Phoenix Coyotes hook up in a game that promises to see aggressive play. Detroit is coming off a 5-4 loss in Edmonton on Saturday in a contest that saw 71 shots on goal. This is the last game of a 4-game road trip for the Wings and their defense has looked worse and worse as the trip has progressed. The All-Star break has definitely thrown them off their rhythm and to make matters even worse, the Wings have lost their star goalie Jimmy Howard to an injury for a few weeks. As a result, they'll have Ty Conklin in the net, which is a significant downgrade as he's one of the weakest backups in the NHL. The Coyotes were also involved in a thriller in their last game as they won 5-3 versus San Jose. The Over is 7-3-3- in the last 16 games that Phoenix has played on one day of rest. They should come out aggressive knowing that they have a weak opponent in the net. Finally, the Over is 6-2 in the last eight meetings between these squads. All signs point to an Over tonight and that's where your money should be especially with plus juice.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Dallas Stars/San Jose Sharks OVER (10:35pm EST) When the Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks get together, we usually see quite a bit of action. In fact, over their last four meetings in the series, the game total has averaged 6.75 goals. More importantly, both of these teams have gotten plenty of shots on goal during their recent matchups, so there's no reason to believe that this trend will end. In addition, the Over is also 6-1-1 in the last eight road games for the Stars. I also think that both starting goalies had a little bit better first half of the season than expected, and that they will come back down to earth a bit in the second half. This game should see close to 70 shots on goal, so the goalies will get plenty of work, and I expect them to falter tonight. Play the Over 5.5 goals as we get some nice plus juice to boot.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Dallas Stars/Anaheim Ducks UNDER 5.5 (8:35pm EST) If this game were played two weeks ago it would have had a completely different feel. The Ducks were in dead last in the conference and had very little hope for the playoffs back then. However, they are 8-0-1 in their last nine contests and have currently moved to within 11 points of 8th place in the West. The Dallas Stars have been struggling mightily of late losing six consecutive contests, and are now in 11th place in the conference but only four points away from the last playoff spot. With these teams going in opposite directions and both looking up at the playoffs right now, I feel like this game will have a lot of energy and have a playoff-like atmosphere especially considering this will be the fourth meeting of the season already for these two. As a result, I expect a good fundamentally-played tight matchup with few mistakes, which should keep scoring down. The last two meetings between these two saw the total go Over, but that's only because the goaltenders had poor efforts. There weren't many shots on goal in either game and if we can just get them to play an average game in net we should have no problem keeping the total below the number today.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Detroit Red Wings/Dallas Stars OVER (8:35pm EST) This is an easy Over to pull the trigger on as we have two very suspect goaltenders between the pipes in this matchup between the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars. Ty Conklin of the Wings is simply one of the worst backups in the NHL and his 0.888 save percentage backs that up. Richard Bachman of the Stars is a rookie that's only played 10 games this season and is still learning to play the net in this league. It's safe to say that both teams will be aggressive tonight against weaker goaltenders and knowing that their own goalies may be giving up a few tonight. On top of that, these two teams have combined for 31 goals in their last four matchups, for an average of 7.75 goals per game. The Over is the clear play in this one as we should see a shootout.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit Play Take San Jose Sharks/Chicago Blackhawks OVER 5.5 (7:05pm EST) There are lots of reasons to favor a high goal-scoring game in this matchup between the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks. For starters, the Sharks have been ambushing opponents with shots over the last couple of weeks. In their last 10 games, the Sharks have averaged an amazing 37.5 shots on goal per game (tops in the league). Goaltending isn't one of the strengths of the Blackhawks and with that many shots, I expect a few to get past the likely starter Corey Crawford. The Blackhawks offense is on a roll as well, as they've scored 12 goals in their last three games and have looked sharp. They will likely be going against former teammate Antti Niemi, which always adds a little extra motivation. The last time these teams hooked up about a month ago, the Hawks won 3-2 but there were 71 shots on net, which tells us a lot about how these teams play against one another - aggressively. Another telling trend is that the Over has gone 12-4 in the last 16 games in which the Hawks were playing a back-to-back situation, as they are today. It's also the third game in four nights for both teams, and tired teams generally slip on defense when they're tired. Play the Over as our Game of the Week.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Carolina Hurricanes/Tampa Bay Lightning OVER (7:35pm EST) We have two struggling clubs matching up tonight as the Carolina Hurricanes invade Tampa Bay to face the Lightning. The Hurricanes have dropped four of five games, but four of those games went Over the posted total. In addition, there were a ton of shots put up in those contests so it's clear that the Hurricanes are continuing to play aggressively despite losing efforts. The Tampa Bay Lightning have lost four in a row and are staying fairly aggressive too. The last 10 meetings between these two teams have either gone Over the total are have pushed. The Over is also 21-7-2 in Tampa Bay's last 30 home games overall. Expect to see some more goals tonight as the Over is definitely the play based on the trends and how these teams have been playing of late.

3-unit Play Take Pittsburgh Penguins/Washington Capitals UNDER (7:35pm EST) Both the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins come into this matchup struggling. The Penguins have dropped a season-high five straight games and have only scored a total of six goals over that span. This is partly due to some significant injuries but also due to some bad luck running into some hot goaltenders. Washington has dropped their last two games by the same score of 5-2, games in which they were absolutely dominated by the Sharks and Kings. It's been an odd season for the Capitals, but they have to get things straightened out sooner than later as they are currently 10th in the Eastern Conference. One of the biggest problems has been the poor season by goalie Tomas Vokoun, which I can't imagine lasting an entire season. He has been one of the better goalies in the league during his tenure, but currently has a 2.66 GAA and 0.912 save percentage this season (both well below his career numbers). The last six times these squads have hooked up, the total has went Under and most of them have not even been close. I like this one to stay low scoring as well as both teams try to clamp down and get a much needed victory.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Minnesota Wild/Vancouver Canucks OVER (10:05pm EST) Even though the Vancouver Canucks have been on an unbelievable run over the last month or so, their defense has been suspect over the last couple of weeks. They've been able to cover it up by putting plenty of goals on the board offensively and the fact that they have two great goaltenders. However, they're allowing way too many shots on goal and it's only a matter of time before that catches up to them. The Minnesota Wild have been struggling a bit on the offensive end of the ice recently, but I liked the way that they've moved it around the last couple of games. They should be getting right-winger Devon Setoguchi on the ice after missing a month, which will be a big boost to the offense. The Over is 9-4-1 in the last 14 meetings between these teams. When these teams met last month, the final score was 4-0 Vancouver, but there were a total of 66 shots on goal. If we get that many again tonight, I like our chances to get over the total.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Ottawa Senators/Buffalo Sabres OVER 5.5 (7:05pm EST) The Buffalo Sabres are back home tonight after only scoring two goals combined in their two games on a brief road trip the last few days. With their struggles on the road, I think they'll look to get aggressive tonight at home to put some goals on the board. Being at home, they should be able to dictate the pace a little better and get up and down the ice. It also doesn't hurt that their opponent is the Ottawa Senators. The Senators allow 3.40 goals per game, which is dead last in the NHL by a wide margin. They prefer to play at a quicker pace and take some chances when they can. In the last six meetings between these clubs, the average total has been 6.2 goals. I don't envision too much defense being played in this matchup, especially with the focus possibly being more on the New Year's Eve festivities than the game itself for some of the players. Take the Over in this game.

4-unit Play Take Phoenix Coyotes/Minnesota Wild OVER 5 (6:05pm EST) We have overrated goalies in both nets in this matchup between the Phoenix Coyotes and Minnesota Wild. The combination of Jason LaBarbera and Mike Smith for the Coyotes has vastly exceeded expectations, combining to allow only 2.60 goals per game this season (10th in the NHL). Neither of these goalies has any indications in their career that they can sustain these numbers and I expect to see more goals getting past them going forward. It looks like LaBarbera will get the nod in the net tonight. Niklas Backstrom has been even better for the Minnesota Wild, posting a 2.34 goals against average and a 0.924 save percentage so far. He has single-handedly carried the Wild at times this year. While he has more upside and is more talented than the pair for the Coyotes, Backstrom still is playing a bit over his head. Neither of these teams is gifted offensively, but they should be able to get enough pucks in the back of the net against these overrated goaltenders. Take the Over with a very low total of 5 tonight.

10-unit Play Take Los Angeles Kings/San Jose Sharks OVER 5 (10:35pm EST) It's no secret that the Los Angeles Kings have struggled to score goals over the last 15 games, as they have averaged only 1.80 goals per game over that span. However, that statistic is very deceptive as the Kings have actually gotten off a ton of shots recently, but have just found some bad luck as they haven't hit the back of the net very often. Over their last eight games, Los Angeles has averaged a whopping 36.5 shots per game but has only scored 15 goals in those games. So the team is playing aggressively and it's only a matter of time before some of those shots turn into goals. They go up against another team that has been firing away lately in the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks have put up 15 goals in their last three games and have 114 shots in that span. Neither one of tonight's goaltenders has been anything better than average this year so I don't expect any dominating efforts that will hurt us tonight. The Over is also 5-2 in the last seven games in San Jose overall. I feel very confident that we'll see aggressive play in this one and plenty of goals getting past the netminders. That's why Over 5 is our Total.

3-unit Play Take Vancouver Canucks/ Minnesota Wild OVER (10:05pm EST) The Vancouver Canucks have been on a very nice run for the last few weeks, and their offense is the number one reason. Over their last 22 games, the Canucks have averaged 3.55 goals per game. They've been getting contributions from a variety of their players on different lines, and have managed to come together despite being pretty banged up. This is the Vancouver team that struck fear into the NHL last year. They're the fourth best offense in the league this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if they keep climbing up the charts into the number one spot by year-end. They face a Minnesota Wild squad that is in a mini-slump, losing their last three games and only scoring a combined four goals. They've vowed to play a little more aggressively after three straight lackluster performances on the offensive end. "There should be more urgency and desperation in our game," coach Mike Yeo said. "I'm understanding of the fact that we have guys out ... but right now, I'm a little edgy just because I expected something different. The Over is 9-3-1 in the last 13 meetings between these teams. I expect to see lots of pucks in the back of the net again tonight, so take the Over here.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Calgary Flames/Chicago Blackhawks OVER (7:05pm EST) Things have changed in Chicago since the beginning of the season. Ray Emery has taken over as the starting goaltender for the time being while previous starter Corey Crawford is riding the bench due to poor results. Since the change about two weeks ago, the Blackhawks have gone 5-1 and have been playing a little bit more aggressively. I'm not sure if it's because they feel that they need to give some support for the new goalie, but the Hawks have definitely been on the attack more frequently and have scored at least three goals in seven straight games. Tonight they face Miikka Kiprusoff and the Calgary Flames. Kiprusoff is past his prime and is not having a particularly good year, which has also put more pressure on the Flames offense. The Over is 11-4 in Flames last 15 in the third game of a 3-in-4 days situation, which they face tonight. For the Blackhawks, the Over is 13-6-1 in Blackhawks' last 20 home games. I expect to see two very aggressive teams on the ice tonight, leading to a high scoring affair.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Edmonton Oilers/Phoenix Coyotes OVER (8:35pm EST) This is an automatic play on the Over based on overrated goaltender performance alone. The total on this game is set at a low number of five because Nikolai Khabibulin of the Edmonton Oilers and Mike Smith of the Phoenix Coyotes have been absolutely amazing this year. Khabibulin has a 1.95 goals against average and a 0.933 save percentage while Mike Smith is at 2.49 goals against and a 0.923 save percentage. However, these numbers are simply not sustainable for these goalies for the entire season based on their numbers the last few years. Khabibulin is past his prime and Smith has never been a good netminder. Bottom line, we will see some regression and their numbers will come crashing back down to earth. Both of these squads allow over 30 shots per game, which makes it even tougher on the goalies. I look for a big score tonight as at least one of these goalies will melt down.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Phoenix Coyotes/Detroit Red Wings OVER (7:35pm EST) When these two teams met in the playoffs last season, the Red Wings won in a sweep. But the games were certainly fun to watch as all four games went over the total and the teams combined for 28 goals in the short series. I expect tonight to be much of the same story as Detroit leads the league in shots per game and Phoenix is in the top half of the league. That's not good news for the goaltenders Jimmy Howard and Mike Smith. Both of them have put up unbelievable numbers thus far on the season, but I look for some regression and think that some pucks will definitely get by them tonight. The Over is 5-2 in the Red Wings last seven games as favorites and the Over is 16-6-4 in the Coyotes last 26 games as underdogs. Things seem to be lining up perfectly for another shootout tonight, so play the Over 5.5 goals.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Boston Bruins/Pittsburgh Penguins UNDER 5.5 (7:05pm EST) Tonight we have a matchup of two of the hottest teams in the NHL as the Boston Bruins hit the ice against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Bruins have won 13 of their last 14 games and have been brilliant on both ends of the ice. Most impressively, the goalie combination of Tukka Rusk and Tim Thomas has not allowed more than three goals in a game since before Halloween. After shaking off the Stanley Cup hangover, this Bruins team has played near perfect fundamentally and especially so on the defensive end. The Penguins come in riding a high ever since the return of Sidney Crosby. They're 5-2 since he returned, but the unsung hero of the Pittsburgh team is goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. He is 14-4-1 and has a 2.11 goals against average and a 0.923 save percentage on the season. Pittsburgh hasn't played as well on defense as they would have liked recently, but I expect them to turn it up a notch against a red hot Bruins squad. Take the Under tonight as I don't envision too many getting past these top tier goalies.

3-unit Play Take Toronto Maple Leafs/Anaheim Ducks OVER (9:05pm ET) Many reasons to play the Over in tonight's matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks. First off, Toronto just doesn't know how to play low-scoring games. Only once all season has a Toronto game totaled less than five goals, and that was the season opener. The Over is 14-9 in Toronto's games this season and they are an aggressive offensive unit that likes to move it up and down the ice and take their shots when they can. The Leafs go up against a struggling goaltender tonight in Jonas Hiller of the Ducks. He has given up 14 goals in his last three games and is having the worst season of his career with a save percentage below 90% on the season. The Ducks have been struggling to score goals this season but their offense has been a little better of late and their last four games have all gone over. They also get the benefit of going up against a weak goalie tonight as they face Jonas Gustavsson of Toronto. Gustavsson has a save percentage below 90% as well and never should have been given a starting job this season. In his 12 starts in the net this season, 11 of them have gone over. These teams are going to try and get as many shots on goal as they can tonight as I fully expect a classic shootout. Everything clearly points to the Over tonight.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Columbus Blue Jackets/New Jersey Devils OVER (7:05pm EST) We've been looking for opportunities to fade an aging Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils wherever we can lately. Tonight gives us the chance to do that by playing the Over. The Columbus Blue Jackets have scored four goals in each of their last two games and have actually played well recently. Teeing off against future hall of famer Brodeur almost seems unfair as he comes in with a putrid 0.888 save percentage on the season. Some say that this is only a bad stretch for him and that he'll pick it up, but honestly he's probably done and should have hung it up a couple of season ago. Curtis Sanford should be in goal for the Blue Jackets and he has been superb in the net since getting his chance to start. He has a 1.46 goals against average and a 0.943 save percentage in his four starts. These are great numbers but don't expect them to last, as Sanford wasn't a starting goaltender in the NHL for a reason. I expect the Devils to get a few past him tonight and bring him back to reality. The Over is the play tonight.

3-unit Play Take New Jersey Devils/Tampa Bay Lightning OVER (7:05pm EST) You'd be hard-pressed to find a matchup that featured two more overrated goalies than this one. The New Jersey Devils send 39-year old Martin Brodeur to the net while the Tampa Bay Lightning go with 42-year Dwayne Roloson. Brodeur was an excellent goaltender for a long time but he should have hung it up a couple of years ago. He comes in with a hefty 3.02 goals against average and weak 0.885 save percentage so far this season. Cleary he has lost his edge. Roloson is even older and is definitely past his prime, if he ever really had one. His numbers are equally as bad with a 3.07 goals against average and a 0.902 save percentage. Tampa likes to move the puck around and get up and down the ice pretty quickly, while the Devils like to slow it down usually. However, with these goalies in net, I have a feeling this will turn into a good ole shootout. Take the Over knowing that these goaltenders aren't going to be able to stop them all.

3-unit Play Take Chicago Blackhawks/Calgary Flames OVER (9:05pm EST) The Chicago Blackhawks are third in the NHL in shots per game at 33.4 and fourth in goals per game at 3.42. They love to get up and down the ice and take advantage of their talented youngsters. The Calgary Flames are near the bottom of the charts in shots per game and scoring goals but they recently brought up talent from their minor league system to shake things up a bit. They're hell bent on putting the puck in the net more often and I think you'll see some changes on offense to make that happen. They go against somewhat of a cold goaltender in Corey Crawford of the Hawks. Crawford has surrendered 22 goals in his last 6 games and has looked out of sorts after a strong start to the season. Finally, when these teams hook up, there usually are some fireworks. In the last 9 meetings between these teams, the average score has totaled 6.89 goals per game. No reason to expect anything differently here tonight, as the Over is the play.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take New York Rangers/New York Islanders OVER (7:05pm EST) You can expect to see some fireworks when these two fierce rivals square off in the battle of New York. These teams love to go up and down the ice when they hook and the statistics back it up. The total has gone Over in 7 of the last 8 meetings between these two teams. In those games, the average goals scored is an amazing 7.75 per contest. The Rangers have won six straight games and have done a good job of preventing shots on goal and pucks in the net during that stretch. However, you can throw all of that out the window when these teams get together. The Islanders have struggled on the defensive side of the ice and have problems figuring out who their starting goaltender is going to be on a nightly basis. It looks like they'll be going with Rick DiPietro in the net tonight, who is the worst of the bunch. Hard to imagine us not getting over the posted total of 5 goals in tonight's matchup with everything pointing up.

3-unit Play Take Edmonton Oilers/Chicago Blackhawks OVER 5.5 (7:05pm EST) Today's matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and the Chicago Blackhawks will be all about style of play and which team can impose their will on the other. The Blackhawks like to get up and down the ice and possess the puck for long periods of time while firing away as many shots as they can. As a result, the Hawks are third in the league in shots on goal per game at 33.6, but they also surrender 29.7 shots per game. Their young guns thrive on the aggressiveness and they take advantage of the offensive talent that they possess. The Oilers, on the other hand, play a little bit slower and not nearly as aggressive. They average only 25.4 shots per game and allow 29.0 per contest. With the game in Chicago and the Hawks playing better hockey of late, I expect the Hawks style to prevail tonight. If Edmonton trails early they'll be forced to be on the offensive and that shoot lead to enough goals to get us over the hump in this one. Play the Over 5 goals in tonight's matchup.

4-unit Play Take New York Islanders/Colorado Avalanche OVER (9:05pm EST) This game screams Over for one main reason - poor goaltenders in the net tonight. Rick DiPietro goes for the New York Islanders and he has only 3 starts this year due to early injuries. He was awful in net last year yielding 3.44 goals per game and doesn't deserve to be in the NHL quite honestly. Colorado counters with the ageless Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Once a dominant netminder, Giguere has regressed significantly from a skills standpoint. Don't let his 2011 numbers fool you as he hasn't played enough games to demonstrate just how much he has lost from his game. In keeping a close eye on all of the goalies in the NHL, I can safely say that these are two of the worst ones in the NHL of the ones who actually get decent playing time. On top of the poor goaltending, neither one of these team's defenses do them any favors as both teams allow over 30 shots per contest. With 60+ shots likely on net tonight, it's hard to imagine not seeing 6 or 7 in the back of the net. Take the Over here.

4-unit Play Take Florida Panthers/Montreal Canadiens OVER (7:35pm EST) The Montreal Canadiens have been an absolute mess on the ice ever since they were plagued by injuries a couple of games into the season. The injury list includes 3 of their top 6 six defensemen, which has led to absolutely dismal results on the defensive end of the ice for Montreal. Over their last five games, the Canadiens have surrendered 21 goals and the damage could have been much worse if goaltender Carey Price hadn't stepped up his game. However, Montreal is going with backup goalie Peter Budaj tonight, so who knows what kind of effort they will get. With their top defensemen still on the sidelines and the backup goaltender in net, there doesn't seem to be any relief on the way. Florida just made a trade with Vancouver to shake things up on the offensive end and it paid off as the Panthers put in four goals in their last game. This team has potential on offense and I think they step it up against a weak Montreal defense. On the other end of the ice, Florida will also be going with a backup goaltender in Jacob Markstrom tonight, which is a step down in talent. I expect him to let in at least two or three goals against a Montreal offense that has been clicking of late. Play the Over tonight in this one as it is set fairly low at 5.

5-unit Play Take Toronto Maple Leafs/Boston Bruins OVER (7:05pm EST) There are several indications that we are going to see some goal-scoring tonight in this matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins. First and foremost, the Bruins have been struggling on offense this season and head coach Claude Julien has made it a point recently to focus on this in practice. They are long overdue for a breakout game and they have a great chance to do it tonight against the backup goalie for Toronto, Jonas Gustavsson, who is one of the weaker backup netminders in the NHL. Toronto has gotten off to a great start offensively, led by leading scorer Phil Kessel, and are 6th in the NHL in goals per game. They will likely go up against Tim Thomas, who is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL if not the best. However, there is no way he can repeat the numbers he had last season and I expect significant regression. Finally, these teams played four times last season and they scored seven goals in each of the last three meetings. The Over is the easy choice in this game and that's why this is my Game of the Week.

6-Unit Play. Take Over (5.5) Detroit at Minnesota (8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 15)

Weak number, Detroit always has a talented offensive team but this year they have focused on the defensive end and on the surface it looks good posting shutouts in two of their first four games with the last coming on Thursday night in 2-0 home win vs Vancouver. Detroit came out flat offensively in that one after having four day's off in between games, Vancouver who is still without high scoring Ryan Kessler was in a tough spot playing their first three games in four night's of the season after losing 5-4 the night before in Philadelphia. Vancouver only put five shots on goal in the third period at Detroit, not to take anything away from the Red Wings but I think the Canucks didn't have their full legs. Detroit will get a Minnesota team that bumped up their skill level at the forward position in the off season and a Wild team themselves that had a slow start being out shot in the first period 12-9 vs the Oilers before ending the game with a 35 to 22 shot advantage for the Wild in front of a 15,000 plus home crowd which is small for Minnesota. Expect a full house tonight with plenty of emotion, I think this pace will be a track meet,the Wild will also have Josh Harding in the net for the first time in 19 months after returning from a hip injury, now Harding is a good backup goalie but he isn't Nick Backstrom. I think this total should be 6 with under money attached but here we get to go over 5.5 at basically even money, great value !

10-unit Play Take Colorado Avalanche/Ottawa Senators UNDER 5.5 (7:35pm ET) The Colorado Avalanche visit the Ottawa Senators in a game where goals look like they will be hard to come by. The Senators made several additions to improve their paper thin defense. They added goalie Craig Anderson, from Colorado, earlier this year in a move that instantly reduced their goals against average. They also brought in a new head coach in the offseason, Paul MacLean, who has vowed to tighten up the defense and change the overall mentality of the team. Colorado also upgraded at goaltender when they traded for Semyon Varlamov in a move that the organization was very excited about. The Avalanche had a host of injuries to its blueliners last season, which was devastating to the team's defense. They're healthy right now and I expect a grittier performance on both ends of the ice. They played in tight one last night where they trailed 2-1 up until the last minute of regulation, eventually winning by a goal in a shootout. Both of these teams should be playing better fundamental hockey this season, which should lead to a tight low scoring affair in this one as well.

3-unit Play Take Nashville Predators/Columbus Blue Jackets OVER (7:05pm ET) When the Nashville Predators take on the Columbus Blue Jackets, you don't normally envision a game where the teams are lighting up the lamp all night long. However, there are some indications that things could be changing this season. The Blue Jackets brought on center Jeff Carter and defenseman James Wisniewski this offseason, which will definitely give a jolt to a previously inept power play. Wisniewski (unavailable for tonight due to a suspension) is a power play specialist and Carter is gifted at creating chances. Add them into the mix with All-Star center Rick Nash, and you have the makings of a decent offense for this team. That should be music to the ears of Columbus fans, as the team ranked 24th in goals scored last season.
As for Nashville, they've made a living off playing great defense and being conservative on offense in the past. The trio of defenseman Shea Weber and Ryan Suter and goaltender Pekka Rinne has been the backbone of the team and turned in a stellar campaign again last season. However, once you get past the stud defenders, there are some glaring holes on the backend. Strapped for cash with a smaller budget to work with, Nashville wasn't able to address any of these weaknesses in the offseason. And Nashville would also be hard-pressed to get a better performance from Rinne this season. Rinne had an outstanding .930 save percentage last season, which will be very difficult to repeat at that level so you can forgive him if a few more get past him this season. The Nashville offense will need to step it up if that's the case and break away from their conservative style. Take the Over in this one as these teams are going to be playing some higher scoring games this season.
Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4 Unit Play Take New Jersey and Pittsburgh UNDER (7 pm ET) We hardly ever play totals, but this one really stands out. In their last 11 games the Devils have gone under this total seven times and hit it right on four times. That means, of course, that they haven't gone over it at all. They are getting two things that have defined this team for years - great defensive play and great goaltending. They are also offensively challenged, and that helps here. Pittsburgh is struggling badly - losers of nine of 12. Against this total they would have been 3-3-6 over that stretch, so they are certainly capable of keeping the score low. There is a good chance that this one will be a low scoring affair - especially since Pittsburgh is in the heart of a long road trip that isn't going great.

4-Unit Play. #59 Take Over 6 Goals Vancouver vs Colorado (Thursday @ 9:00pm est).

Corey Snyder gets the start in net for the Canucks as they visit the Avs tonight. He has been stellar at home in his previous 2 starts with a 1 GAA. Different game on the road. The Avs will be looking for revenge after loosing a heartbreaker in Vancouver earlier this year. The home dog will set a brisk pace to try to get to Snyder early in the game. The Avs are scoring in bunches averaging a solid 4.25 in their last four games. Peter Budaj will start for the Avs. He has been inconsistent between the pipes to say the least. He did have a nice one goal outing on Saturday. The previous three games he has a 5 GAA. That's not going to change tonight. Corey Snyders first start on the road along with Budaj's generous netminding will make this one fly over the total. Over is 5-0 in the last 5 meetings. We're looking to make that 6-0. Play the over.

2 Unit Play Take Atlanta/Los Angeles Under (10:30 pm ET) The Kings are a team with strong defensive play, and very strong goaltending. Combine that with an Atlanta team that lacks offensive depth and explosiveness and you could easily see a low scoring total for the Thrashers. The Kings have only scored three times in their first two games, so they aren't flying offensively, either. They are also facing Chris Mason, a guy who is very talented, and who played in the West before so he has faced the Kings. This number is very attractive in this situation.

1 Unit Play Take Chicago and San Jose under (8 pm ET) Both of these teams are strong defensive units that are going to be well rested thanks to an extra day off. That means that we should see solid defense and solid goaltending by both teams. Chicago will be playing with defensive intensity because they are looking to maintain the advantage they have established in the series. San Jose will be disciplined to try to get back into the series. Both teams need this game, so they will be focused and on task. That should lead to a close, exciting, low scoring game.

4 Unit Play Take Detroit and San Jose under (7:30 pm ET) Detroit has their backs against the walls after losing three in a row by identical 4-3 scores. Because of that, I expect two things from the Red Wings - increased defensive intensity, and a strong game from Jimmy Howard. Those both lead to a lower likely score from San Jose. Evgeni Nabokov has been solid enough in the playoffs that I don't expect him to get beat often. That all points to an under. Detroit has gone under in 46 of their 87 games this year - 53 percent - yet they have gone over in five in a row. That's well above expectations, so I expect a correction. Similarly, San Jose has been 44-43 O/U on the season, yet has gone over in their last four.

6 Unit Play Take Philadelphia and Boston under (7 pm ET) Series often tighten up when there is a change of venue, and that could certainly be the case here. There is a lot to point to the under - Boston has gone under in 15 of their last 21 against the Atlantic, and Philly has gone under in nine of their last 15 at home, for example. Philadelphia is coming off two tough road losses, so they are going to be playing tight and tough to try to get the edge here in a game they just can't afford to lose. Boston is going to be tight as well - this is the biggest game they have played so far in these playoffs. This game has the feel of a potential goaltending duel, and five points is a lot in a game like that.

2 Unit Play. #8 Take Under in Detroit @ Pittsburgh (8:05 pm Versus) The Penguins will try and even up this series at one game apiece tonight at Mellon Arena. Two of the first three games have gone under and I suspect that the scoring will be less and less as this series moves deeper. Only 2 goals was scored in the last two periods on Tuesday (1 was an empty net) and it seems that Fleury is finally starting to play towards his capabilities. We will not worry who wins game four tonight and just collect with the under.

2 Unit Play. #16 Take Under in Pittsburgh @ Carolina (7:35 pm Versus) The Hurricanes have looked awful this far and now face a must win game tonight at the RBC Center. The fourth game is always the toughest to win and expect this to be a low scoring battle, talk about a perfect spot to step in with the under.

3 Unit Pick Over (5.5) Detroit at Anaheim (Tuesday May 12th, 10:05) The Red Wing's come to Anaheim leading the series (3-2) and if it wasn't for Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller this series would be over. In the five games played in this series Detroit has held a shot advantage in every game (game 1 37-24, game 2 62-46, game 3 46-23, game 4 39-28 and game 5 37-17 totaling 221-138) a huge shot advantage in five games and while game two went to triple overtime the offense has ruled the series. Every game has been fast pace and I believe that will be the case here tonight in game six, even dating back to the regular season where these two teams went over the total three out of four games, this is just the style when these two get together. I look for this total to get up and over here tonight.

3 Unit Pick. Take Over in Anaheim at Detroit (2:05 pm NBC) These two teams combined for 61 shots and 11 power play's in a 3-2 Red Wings game one win. I think these two teams will play a up tempo game in game two, in the four times they meet in the regular season they combined for 26 goal's in 12 periods of hockey. The game on Friday had every chance to go over and should have. Some teams tighten up in the playoffs, but for the most part these are two veteran hockey teams and I expect a loose fast paced game today.

4 Unit Pick. Take Under in San Jose at Anaheim (10:35 pm) San Jose gets back in the series with a 4-3 win on Tuesday and now trail the under dog Duck's 2-1. This sets up a important game 4 after a sloppy played game 3. Sixty five shots went on net in game 3 for a combined 7 goal's. Both goalies weren't on top of their game and Nabokov let in a real bad goal, I don't think game 4 will play out like that. I think the defense will be tight, and I expect this game to be played with both teams not wanting to make a mistake. Under 5 has some value

5 Unit Pick. #10 Take Over 5 in Detroit at Columbus (7:05 pm) Columbus comes home down 2-0 to the mighty Red Wings looking for some offense after putting up one goal in the two games. This will be the ninth time these two teams meet this year with the under going 2-6. After routing Detroit on March 15 8-2 the Blue Jackets have put up just one goal in nine periods of hockey vs the Red Wings. The odds maker makes a adjustment after listing all eight totals this year at 5.5 has moved the total down to 5, in two of the under's this year in the series the total landed on 5. In game one Detroit out shot Columbus 34-21 in game two that shot total raised to the Red Wings out shooting Columbus 39-25.To me this adjustment makes little sense and I think this will be a fast paced full of emotion type game and I look to take advantage of the adjustment and I think this total will easily get over the 5.

6 Unit Pick. #80 Take Under Montreal at Boston (April 18, 8:05 pm) Game two goes tonight after a 4-2 win by the Bruins in game one. As expect a couple of little fights broke out at the end of the game on Thursday as these two hate each other. In the first game the total did go over the 5.5 goals and while Boston did get the win they were out shot by ten 38-28. I don't think that will happen tonight, teams will make adjustments over the course of a series and I think Boston does just that tonight. I think the Bruins will try to slow the game down here and on the heels of what happen with the fights the other night usually the referee will crack down something the players and coaches will be told a head of time, just too important of a game for either team to be giving the other a power play advantage, shorten scoring chances. Under holds some value here.

6 Unit Pick #60 Take Over in Montreal at Boston (April 16th 7:05 pm) Hockey excitement is back in Boston with the Eastern Conference points leader Boston Bruins take on the hated Montreal Canadians. Most game ones of a playoff series are usually played, but I don't think that is what we will be facing tonight as these two know and hate each other. Both teams can put the puck in the net and both during times this year especial Montreal has struggled in the net. I think this game tonight could get chippy and give us some power play chances, I think we will get over this total easy tonight

Best of Luck

2 Unit Play. #68 Take Over 6 in Carolina/Washington (7:05 pm NHL Center Ice) Both teams coming off low scoring one goal games, both teams like the fast paced offense style which I think will happen tonight. These teams have meet four times this year with the total going over once, under twice and pushing on six the fourth time. I

3 Unit Play. #70 Take Over 5.5 in Dallas @ St. Louis (8:35 Eastern NHL Center Ice) These two teams hooked up a couple week's ago in 3-1 blues win at Dallas. Both teams

8 Unit Play. #2 Take Over in Calgary @ Philadelphia (7:05 pm NHL Center Ice) NHL Game of the Year. Two playoff teams are set to do battle this evening at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA. Calgary has won five straight road games and scored six goals in their victory over Ottawa on Tuesday. The Flames have scored 23 combined goals in their last two games and have reinvented themselves this season from a defensive powerful to a team that can score goals at will. Also they have just picked up Olli Jokinen and his 21 goals will only increase their offensive production. The Flyers are coming off an impressive performance in a victory over Boston and have a couple of the top goal scores in the league in Jeff Carter and Simone Gagne.

4 Unit Play. #14 Take Over 5 ½ in Los Angeles @ Ottawa (7:35 pm NHL Center Ice) The Senators did not look sharp on Sunday giving up seven goals to the Washington Capitals and have made a coaching chance during the off day. The Kings are on a cross country road trip and did not fare well in the first leg giving up four goals in a loss to Montreal. Their last four games have gone way over the posted number and we will ride that wave into Tuesday night and expect a big winner with the over.

4 Unit Play. #72 Take Over 5 in Minnesota @ Vancouver (10:05 pm NHL Network) Vancouver enters this game off of 7 straight losses and they now see themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs. In their last 10 games, a gambler would have lost just one time with this posted number this evening and thus it presents great value. Minnesota gave up three goals last night to Edmonton and if they do that tonight, we will collect with this proposition.

4 Unit Play. #64 Take Over 5 in New Jersey @ Nashville (8:05 pm NHL Center Ice)

In both of these games we will again ride the two goal meaning that if each of these teams scores at least two goals we cannot lose these bets. We nailed two of these last week and expect more of the same on Monday.

4 Unit Play. #62 Take Over 5 in Minnesota @ Chicago (8:05 pm NHL Center Ice)

In both of these games we will again ride the two goal meaning that if each of these teams scores at least two goals we cannot lose these bets. We nailed two of these last week and expect more of the same on Monday.

6 Unit Play. #8 Take Over 5 ½ in Philadelphia @ Florida (7:35 pm NHL Center Ice) The Panthers have been on an offensive tear of late having scored at least four games in each of their last five games (27 total goals), talk about a perfect situation for the over. The Flyers have some outstanding weapons on offense and usually win games by outscoring their opponents since their goaltending is shaky. We will not worry about who wins this game and just collect with the over.

5 Unit Play. #60 Take Over in Edmonton @ Minnesota (8:05 pm NHL Center Ice) If you have been with us, you will realize that not much analysis is needed as to why we are making this selection. We will again ride the two goal theory and attack the total of five. We easily collect with a 5 the last time Minnesota plays, as they combined for 9 goals. We will not worry about who wins this 4-2 game and just collect with the over.

4 Unit Play. #66 Take Over 5 in Phoenix @ Minnesota (8:05 pm NHL Center Ice) Both teams do not score many goals but we will again apply the two goal theory on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center. Both teams need to pick up the scoring pace if they have visions on making the playoffs and this will be a 4-2 game and we will not worry about who comes out on top and just collect with the over.

4 Unit Play. #24 Take Over 5 in New Jersey at Los Angeles (10:35 pm NHL Center Ice) We pounded the total of 5 in the Kings last game and easily won and expect more of the same tonight when the Kings welcome in the New Jersey Devils. We just need two goals each and we cannot lose.

4 Unit Play. #22 Take Over in Anaheim @ Los Angeles (10:35 pm NHL Center Ice) Very seldom do we find totals plays at 5 in the NHL, but we will bite on this one Thursday and if both teams score two goals we cannot lose this wager. The Ducks have went over this posted total five times in their last eight games and we will not worry about who wins this game and just collect with the over.

4 Unit Play. #14 Take Under 5 ½ in Dallas @ Vancouver (10:05 pm NHL Center Ice)

4 Unit Play. #2 Take Over in Ottawa @ Philadelphia (7:05 pm NHL Center Ice) the Flyers scored nine goals over the weekend and we expect another high scoring game tonight when they welcome in the Ottawa Senators. The Flyers have been scoring 38% on the power play and giving up 23% on penalty kills. Talk about a perfect situation for the over.