Sports Picks & Predictions

The Islanders are playing as well as anyone right now. They have won six of seven, and the lone loss was last time out at the Rangers. They take a big step down in competition here against the already-eliminated Devils, and New York will want to keep their momentum going into the postseason, where anything can happen. This team was once lest for dead, but they are now a contender, and we like them to keep in going on Monday.

The home team has won three straight in this series, and we look for more of the same here on Sunday. Colorado is coming in on a back-to-back and Vegas has more rest. Vegas has been in better form over their last 10 games. Colorado was completely embarrassed last night at home with a 7-0 loss to Winnipeg, and that was their third loss in four games. Vegas barely broke a sweat in their 7-2 win over Minnesota on Friday, and they will be ready here today!

When Canadian teams meet up we always like to look at the underdog to see if they have value, since these games are always rivalries. And tonight fits the bill. The Canucks have won three straight in this series. They are well rested, while Edmonton comes in on a back-to-back. Not only that, but they lost to Arizona in OT and this will be their third game in four nights.

The Oilers have won seven straight in this series and eight of nine. Six of those wins came by multiple goals. This team has been very solid on the puckline at home, and we think they get the job done here in a big way on home ice. Edmonton has won three straight and they look to be getting playoff ready. They beat the Knights, Flames and Avs, and all with a goal differential of +10 and covered the puckline in all those games. Now they take a step down in class and we expect a similar result.

Nice value here on the Sabres at home. Last time these teams met here, just earlier this month, it was a 6-2 Buffalo win. The Sabres also scored a blowout in the Capitals previous visit as well, and we think they match up well here. Buffalo has been playing very well at home recently and we see the pattern continuing tonight.

Not only is this a rivalry game but this is pretty much a must win for the home squad. We think they will bring their A Game in what is one of their biggest games of the season. They will come into this one confident on a four-game winning streak and their playoff position is far from set in stone as there are a host of teams hot on their tail. We think this game means a lot more for the home team tonight.

This is one of the biggest rivalries in sports and the Canadiens have either won or lost by a goal in eight of the last ten meetings. This is their Super Bowl and since they aren’t going to the playoffs, this game is much more important to them than the Leafs. And Montreal has been one of the best puckline teams in the league this season. They are 24-14 at home ATS and 48-27 ATS overall. The Leafs are 17-20 ATS on the road. We have to lay some juice here but we expect a close game and it would not surprise us to see the home team win outright.

The Rangers are the much better team than last year when the Devils beat them in an epic playoff series. The Rangers have been getting revenge every time these teams meet, as all the games this season have been multiple-goal wins. The Devils have looked awful lately in multi-goal losses to Pittsburgh and Buffalo. It doesn’t get any easier tonight. With both teams at their best, and both should be motivated tonight, the Rangers score another multi-goal win.

Anaheim just can’t score right now. They have notched only 12 goals in their last 10 games. They put up a goose egg in four of those games as they couldn’t even muster a single goal. They are in tough tonight at Calgary, and we don’t see them breaking out here. Looks like they will have to rely on defense to stay competitive. They have been a bit inconsistent but overall they have been playing solid D, and they held the Canucks to only three goals last time out. Calgary hasn’t exactly been lighting the lamp themselves, and they have scored two or fewer in four of their last six. Four of the last five have gone under when these teams meet, and the last meeting was a 3-0 Calgary win. We expect a similar type game here.

The Kings have won three of the last four meetings and they have won three straight in Winnipeg. This is one of the best road teams in the NHL and their defense should get them through to the win tonight. The Jets are in a freefall and have lost six straight. They have scored only 10 goals in that stretch. The Kings have been in better form even though they have lost two straight, but they have won four of six and this should be a good spot for them to get back on track tonight.

Both teams have struggled offensively lately and especially the Ducks, who will have to rely on defense to stay competitive in this one. They have been shut out in four of their last nine games and scored 11 goals total in those nine games. It’s doubtful they are going to break out for a big day here. They have had a couple bad games defensively during that stretch but have generally been decent in defense, keeping the opposition from lighting up the scoreboard. Vancouver has been held to three or fewer goals in four of their last six games, and their offense isn’t exactly humming right now. We think they will get their goals, but nothing too crazy. They haven’t scored more than three goals in any of the last five meetings, and all of those games went under.

The Sharks are a dumpster fire and their only close game in their last eight was a home overtime loss to the Blackhawks. All other seven games were multiple goal losses. This team badly wants the offseason to arrive so they can reset last season. They waived the white flag on the season at the trade deadline, and team morale is nonexistent right now. The Wild are on the outside looking in of the playoff picture and can’t afford a loss here.

Wins and losses normally come in bunches in the NHL, and Boston has lost two straight, while the Panthers ended their losing streak last time out with a 4-1 win at Philly and look to start a winning streak tonight against the team they knocked out of the postseason last year. Boston already got their revenge as they have won both regular-season meetings, but we feel it is Florida’s turn now. They are the better team and they will definitely want this game as Boston normally gets the best from every opponent they face on a nightly basis. We feel this price is more than fair and a very public line in favor of the Bruins, who are one of the big public betting teams in the NHL.

We are getting a great price here for one of the best road teams in the NHL. And they have dominated in the last two visits to Vancouver, with a pair of dominating wins and a +7 goal differential. Vancouver doesn’t lose often at home, but they are vulnerable tonight. This is a more important game for the Kings regarding the postseason picture, and we think they will play their best here in this important divisional matchup.

Calgary has been trending heavily to the over, and we think this one is headed that way as well. We expect a close game here and think both clubs will get their share of the total. All of the last three meetings have gone over the posted total, and those games have averaged more than eight goals each.

Seattle is in a freefall right now and they have lost six straight. Not only that, but they are coming in on a back-to-back after playing in Vegas last night against the world champs, and they undoubtedly wanted to win that game more than this one over lowly Arizona. But the Kraken fell flat on their faces and lost, 3-1. They face a step down in competition here but the Coyotes are well rested and have won two of three against better teams than Seattle. They have 10 goals in their last three games, while Seattle hasn’t even racked up that many goals during their six-game losing streak.

Buffalo has been playing well lately but when they lose, they lose badly. And we think this is a bad spot for them. They are on a back-to-back and playing their third game in four nights. Vancouver is well rested and has enjoyed a very light schedule lately, which is crucial at this juncture of the season. Plus the Canucks need a win. They have lost two straight one-goal games to playoff teams. They don’t want a three-game losing streak with the playoffs looming, and Buffalo is definitely vulnerable tonight. Vancouver is one of the best home teams in the NHL and we think they take care of business in a big way tonight.

Both teams have been awful lately but the Red Wings are the much better team. They snapped their losing streak on Saturday with a big win over Buffalo and we think they will start a winning streak here. The Wings have won three of four meetings, and the last two by multiple goals, and they are more motivated tonight with their postseason lives on the line.

The Blackhawks have been surging and playing well. They have won three of four. Two of those wins were against Arizona and one against Anaheim, but they had a goal differential of +11 in those three games. The Kings have dropped three of five, so they aren’t in championship form right now. Six of the last nine games have been one-goal games, and five of those games saw extra time. We just don’t see the Kings dominating this one and expect a close game. The Kings play at Dallas on Saturday, so they are probably more focused on that matchup than the Hawks.

We love the Wings here as this is a big revenge spot for them from their game in Arizona last week. That was somewhat of a fluky game as the Red Wings had some shots that hit the post and besides a slow start they played a lot better than the final score indicated. They haven’t won since but have had a tough schedule. This is their best chance to end the losing streak, and we think they put all their effort into getting the win. They are in the thick of the playoff race but are now on the outside looking in after this losing streak. They are learning to play without Larkin, and they should have a big performance here as we think they win by multiple goals.

We think the Rangers still have revenge in their hearts for the playoffs last year and they have won both meetings this season by a comfortable margin. Both of those were on the road, and this one could get even uglier at MSG. The Rangers are the far superior team this season and they are in better form, as the Devils have dropped four of their last five. Three of those losses were by multiple goals. The cream rises to the top tonight.

This is the Super Bowl for the Canadiens and this is their biggest rival. They are having another bad season, but a win over Toronto will do a lot to make this bad season bearable. Montreal always play well at home when these teams meet, and we think they will give it their best effort here. Toronto has biggest aspirations, so this isn’t as big of a game for them. Montreal has been one of the best ATS teams in the NHL this season.

Detroit is in the thick of the playoff race, while the Coyotes are in a freefall. Some teams are chasing the Red Wings for the Wild Card, and they can’t afford a loss here. If they give full effort, this should be no problem picking up the win here. Arizona has lost 16 of their last 18. This homestand is not going well to start off. They lost to the Blackhawks to start things off, 5-2, and Chicago is probably the absolute worst team in the league. Then they played on Thursday and lost to the Wild by an identical 5-2 score. So they come in on a back-to-back against the strongest team of that bunch, and we don’t see things going well for them tonight. The Red Wings aren’t in the greatest form, however. They have lost three straight. Those losses were to the Avs, Panthers and Islanders, though, so this is their chance to get back on track tonight in a very winnable game against the team possibly playing the worst in the league right now. The Coyotes don’t have that home mystique that they enjoyed last season and this squad looks like a team that is already looking to the offseason.

This is the first time in a long time we aren’t getting this matchup at 7 on the total. These teams have topped this total in seven straight meetings. Buffalo had been trending to the under, but they played high scoring games in their last two and now they are trending the other way. We think this will be a competitive game and both teams will get their share of the total. Both of the last two meetings saw 10 or more goals scored, and we think they will put on a show once again.

These teams played a very high scoring game about two weeks ago in Edmonton. That was just one of two games that have gone over in the last 10 meetings. We don’t see these teams having a repeat, and as we inch closer to the postseason we think teams will really start to amp up the defense in preparation. Edmonton hasn’t allowed more than two goals in four straight games, and Boston is coming off an excellent showing at Toronto, holding the Leafs to only one goal. 

Calgary has a very strong history here as they have won 8 of 10 meetings. We think that trend holds strong today, and this price is more than fair. Calgary has won five straight and they are playing great team hockey right now. Those wins weren’t against slouches, either: they beat Winnipeg, Boston, Edmonton, LA Kings and Pittsburgh. We expect another strong effort here today, and this is a very winnable game against a Seattle team that has been quite inconsistent lately. Their offense hasn’t been efficient lately, and Calgary has been excellent on both sides of the puck.

Buffalo has actually won two straight in this series and three of four. They have gone under in five straight games and they have been playing excellent defense. We think they can hold the Knights to a low score here at home. Vegas hasn’t looked great on this road trip and this is a prime letdown spot for them after playing road games at Toronto and Boston.

Arizona have lost seven of their last nine games by multiple goals. They are currently playing probably worse than the Blackhawks, meaning at the moment they are the worst team in the NHL. So right now, no bet against them is a bad one. Ottawa is not a great team but they have won half their recent games and beat teams like Vegas, Dallas, and Tampa Bay, with an OT loss at Florida mixed in there. So the talent level goes way down here and we expect a strong showing from the home cliub.

This is a huge game for both teams and we think the defenses will be out in full force. Boston has lost three straight and they haven’t played great defense on the road, but you know they have been eyeing this matchup and will bring their best effort back at home. That effort will likely be on the defensive end, since Vegas isn’t going to allow a lot of goals. When two contenders meet late in the season like this, it should be a playoff like atmosphere, and that means stepping up on D. These teams met just last month in Vegas, and the game was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation. We see another situation similar happening tonight, and we just don’t see this being a high scoring matchup. Some may be scared away from the 5.5 low total, but not us and we love that we are getting nice juice on the thing.

The Blue Jackets have surprisingly been one of the best ATS puckline teams in the NHL this season. They are 18-10 ATS on the road and they are more competitive than they are given credit for. The Rangers are only 12-15 ATS at home, where they often win by a goal. These teams played Sunday In Columbus, and the Blue Jackets thoroughly outplayed them en route to a 4-2 win. While this sets up a possible revenge scenario for the home team, we think that NY has bigger aspirations than focusing too much energy on this matchup. We see a close game here and think that the road team will keep it within a goal.

None of the last six meetings have gone over, and four straight have gone under with two pushes. We expect another low scoring game here. Buffalo has been playing well recently and winning on the strength of their defense. They have held five of their last seven opponents to two or fewer goals. These teams played earlier this month in Buffalo, a 4-0 Panthers win. We don’t see Buffalo breaking out offensively here but expect them to continue with solid defense.

These teams met earlier in the month, in LA, and the game was totally one-sided in favor of the Kings. We think they match up well here also. Los Angeles is one of the best road teams in the NHL this season and they have won more on the road than has Edmonton at home. The Oilers have cooled off big time from their hot streak and they enter this one having lost three straight. We think they make it four tonight and this is excellent value on the Kings.

We think this is a fair price for the much better team on the road. And one that has had success here with two straight wins, with a goal differential of +8 in those two games. Neither game was close. Buffalo have won four in a row on the road, so they have been playing well away from home. And Columbus is home for the first time after a road trip, and those can be tricky situations for the home club as they have personal matters to attend to.

Florida is the better team here and they have won five straight meetings, including two straight at Carolina. Home ice isn’t as valuable in NHL as other sports, and when two good teams are at their best we think the cream rises to the top tonight. Both teams have been racking up wins, but Florida has done it against a tougher slate and they will be ready tonight.

The Coyotes have lost nine straight, and most of those have been by multiple goals. The Oilers have won two of the last three in Arizona by multiple goals, and the other game saw an Arizona rally that ended in a one-goal Edmonton win. But the Coyotes are on a back-to-back here, and they played one of their most hard fought games during this stretch at Colorado on Sunday. We feel like the Oilers are going to dominate this one.

Arizona is in a free fall with nine straight losses and they are in their worst stretch of the season. They are normally formidable at home but have been playing badly there, too. Now they have to go on the road against one of the NHL’s best. This should be an easy win for the Avs. Colorado is in a bad stretch also, but they have an excuse as they have been on the road against a murderers row of opponents. This looks like a great bounce back spot on Sunday.

The Kings were almost unbeatable on the road to start the season and as a result were one of the best bets in the league early in the season. But, oh, how times have changed. They are 2-9 in their last 11 road games and they are just not playing well at the moment. Their last game, on the road, was them get beat down 7-0 at Buffalo. New Jersey smacked around a couple mid-tier teams in their last two and will come into this one with a lot of confidence. They have also won the last two meetings, one here at the Prudential Center and one in LA. LA has been inconsistent and downright bad on the road, and we think there is nice value on the home team at this short number.

San Jose was playing well entering the all star break winning four of six. One of those losses was in OT. Strangely this is their first game back from the all star break, so we think they will have a lot of energy. Winnipeg is the much better team but they are not playing well lately and have dropped five of six. Their two most recent wins have been by one goal each, and the last two meetings have been one goal games.

Both of these teams stink, but the Canadiens are a decently better squad and we think they should be laying more juice here at home. They won the last meeting in Southern California in November and we think they have what it takes to win this one at home. While we didn’t take the spread here, Montreal has been one of the better teams at covering, and they could win this one by multiple goals. But the price on the moneyline is too good to pass up.

The Flyers have won four of five in this series and they are the much better team. While home ice is not a huge factor in the NHL like as in other sports, this Coyotes team is a completely different club on the road vs at home. They are just 8-13-4 away from home. We see a tough day for them here. They have dropped five straight entering this one, and we think that trend continues here.

We always first look to the under when these teams play each other. They have a strong recent history for the under as eight of the last nine meetings have gone under the posted total. The Rangers were masterful defensively in their first game back from the break, as here at home they held the Avalanche to only one goal. We think they bring the same energy on defense tonight. And Tampa Bay is back for their first game after the break. This is one of the highlight games of their season playing in MSG and they should have a ton of energy on the defensive end and will want to get off to a strong start for their post all-star game stretch with the playoffs now on every team’s mind.

The Capitals didn’t look great on defense heading into the all-star break and we could see them giving up some goals here. Washington went over in three straight and four of five entering the break. Montreal has been wildly inconsistent on defense. Six of the last eight meetings between these teams have gone over, and we think this 5.5 total will be easy to beat in a competitive game.

Both teams had been trending to the over, but the all-star break will serve as a reset. And these teams should have lots of energy on defense tonight. Three straight meetings and four of five have gone under the posted total. And three of those were games that went to extra time. We expect a close, low-scoring, hard-fought game from both sides.

The Kings are in a freefall and it seems they are favored here based on name rather than performance. The Predators have won three straight meetings in this series. The Kings are possibly not as good as they looked early in the season. They have dropped 12 of their last 14 and are in horrible form right now. Nashville has only won four of nine, but they have been much more competitive and they have a strong recent history in this series.

Seattle has dropped five of seven and they don’t deserve to be favored by any team by this much on the road right now. San Jose has won three of four and is actually in better form right now. We think this one will be low scoring, which makes getting the goals on the puckline even more valuable. Six of eight lifetime meetings have gone under the posted number.

Both teams have been offensively challenged lately and we don’t see either team breaking out for a big scoring night tonight. The losing team has scored one or fewer goals in six of the last seven meetings. Six of the last eight for Vegas have gone under the posted total, and two of the last three for NY have gone under. We expect a low scoring game here.

Boston comes in on a back-to-back and this will be their third game in four nights. They already looked kind of tired in a home loss to Carolina last night. Ottawa isn’t a good team, but they will likely play their best when Boston comes to town, and they are a winning team on home ice. Not to mention that they have beat Boston the last two games in Ottawa.

Our first instinct when Canadian teams meet is to always examine the underdog first, and this is a dog we think should be a slight favorite here tonight. They are not only in better form overall, but they have more road wins than Toronto has at home. Toronto has had their number in recent meetings, but things have changed, and we think the Jets have a better than 50 percent chance to win at an underdog price.

San Jose, surprisingly, has won two straight. They beat the Ducks and then last night beat their arch rivals, the LA Kings, on the road in OT. That was the biggest win they will likely have this season and creates a very strong letdown spot tonight. The Sharks have no reason to exert themselves on a back-to-back here. There was probably a great celebration last night. This team isn’t chasing a wild card or anything. This is the definition of a team Fat and Happy and they probably just don’t care much about this game. The Rangers have lost six of their last nine against a very difficult schedule, so this is the perfect Get Right game for them and we think this matchup will be very one-sided.

Winnipeg is one of the best road teams in the NHL and we have to jump on this nice underdog price even though Boston rarely loses at home. These teams met in December in Winnipeg and the home team won 5-1. We think the Jets match up well with the Bruins and we think they will bring their A Game here. They are in better recent form as well.

Arizona has been playing very strong defense recently, and their offense leaves a lot to be desired. We think this game goes one of two ways: a close, low scoring game, or a Vancouver blowout. We think both possibilities bode well for the under, and we just don’t see the Coyotes engaging in a shootout here.

With Bedard out, we are pretty sure the Blackhawks are a worse team than San Jose. The Sharks have actually won two of their last three visits to Chicago, and that loss was in a shootout. San Jose has been better recently on offense and we think they are the more capable team of scoring goals tonight. Chicago has scored only three goals in their last thee games. We think the Sharks come in with a positive mentality and confidence they can get the win here, and that is exactly what we expect them to do.

The Preds are being punished too much by the oddsmakers for this B2B. They barely broke a sweat in their win over Dallas on Friday and now face an Islanders team that is having a down year. They used to win on the strength of defense and goalkeeping, but those areas are down more than we are used to. Nashville has won nine straight meetings, and we like them to make it 10 straight tonight.

These teams played here Saturday and Nashville scored the upset win. This creates a great revenge spot. Before that game, their last two visits here resulted in 5-1 losses. When Dallas is motivated, we have no doubt they are the better team. They had won five straight meetings before Saturday. They also looked really good in their two games since vs. Minnesota and both the offense and defense seem to be clicking now.

These teams have been trending in the opposite directions as far as totals go, with the Capitals trending heavily to the over and the Kraken trending to the under. But any time you see a total at 5.5 you have to look at the over and see if it makes sense. We think it does tonight. The Kraken have gotten good offensive production lately and have scored an average of four goals in their last three games. Washington’s defense has given up an average of five goals per game in the last three. We see both teams here getting their share of the total in what we think will be a competitive game.

The last two meetings have both been one-sided wins by the home club and we think we will see the same tonight. Colorado has one of the best home ice advantages in the NHL. Vegas hasn’t been a strong puckline team and they are always overvalued by the oddsmakers since they are one of the most popular betting teams with the public.

The Avs have one of the best home ice advantages in the NHL. Boston won here 4-0 last time in December, so this is a major revenge spot as that was an embarrassing showing for the home club. Boston has been playing well lately, but this is by far their toughest game in awhile. Boston is always shaded by the oddsmakers, so even though they are a great team we still get value when going against them.

Great value here as four of the last five meetings have totaled nine goals or higher. We expect a shootout here. These are two of the best over teams in the NHL as the over is 45-27-3 combined in their games this season. The Devils had a streak of three straight overs snapped last yesterday against the Blackhawks. We were on the under in that game because of the poor Chicago offense. The Canucks are much better, and the Devils defense won’t be effective on a back-to-back. We see a competitive game and both teams get their share of the total tonight.

The Blackhawks have one of the worst offenses in the NHL and we just don’t think they will have any success here tonight on the offensive end. If they want to be competitive here, they need to step up the defense. Two of the last three meetings have gone under, including the 4-2 Devils in in Chicago in November that was only close because of an empty netter.

San Jose always seems to play well in this matchup and they have won six of the last eight meetings. They have played pretty well the last couple games and had a couple empty netters go against them that make the games look more lopsided than they actually are. We think the Sharks put up a fight tonight.

We look at this as a coin flip type game, and we will take plus-money on a coin flip any day of the week. The Capitals get the job done with little offense and suffocating defense. They are strong at home, and they have also won the last two meetings, both in New Jersey, and both by multiple goals. Sometimes they do it in strange ways, but the Capitals find a way to win.

This line offers incredible value. Carolina is purely an average team on the road, while the Rangers are not only one of the best home teams in the league but possibly the best team in the NHL this year. We think they will be up for this game big time. They have won six of the last seven meetings, so they are not only the better team but they have a better track record when looking at history.

We think here soon that teams will once again start taking San Jose as an easy W and they will have a surge and start covering at least some pucklines. But that time is not here yet. And this isn’t the opponent. Colorado has one of the best home ice advantages in the NHL. They have won eight straight meetings. Meetings in Colorado are normally a blowout and the Avs have a +10 goal differential in the last two meetings at home.  

The over is 8-1-1 in the last 10 meetings and these clubs always create some fireworks when they meet on the ice. These teams met earlier this month and 13 total goals were scored. Four of the last seven meetings have seen 10 or more goals scored. Columbus has been a hot over team recently and their offense has been playing well above the defense. Buffalo has had two straight games against the best of the best defensively, and you just get the feeling the offense will break out here on Saturday.

Buffalo may have turned a corner. Last time we saw them here at home, they demolished the Maple Leafs, 9-3. Next time out they played a great game at NY Rangers and played well enough to win before losing in OT. This team is like an Oilers lite, and once their offense starts synching they will win some games. Boston is reeling. We knew this team wasn’t as good as last year’s version but they fooled us into thinking maybe they were with a hot start. They are finally showing cracks, however, with four straight losses and five of six. Buffalo already won in Boston earlier in the month in a game that wasn’t really close, and we think they match up well tonight.

Any time the Blackhawks are a favorite, bet against them. Very simple. This is the worst team in the NHL and the Canadiens are a much better team. They have more wins on the road than Chicago does at home. They have also won the last three meetings.

We think this is a very public line. After a historic bad start to the season, the Sharks have righted the ship and are playing as well as any middling team the month of December. They won road games against New Jersey, NY Islanders and Detroit this month, as well as a home win over Winnipeg. They played good enough to win but fell short at the Rangers, at Vegas (shootout loss), and at Arizona (1-0 loss). That loss at Arizona was less than a week ago, so recent enough to where it will be on the minds of Sharks players (revenge). Also, the Sharks very much played well enough to win there but had two goals called back (interference and offsides). Arizona is on a three-game win streak, but those were all at home. They have lost three straight on the road. They have had a ridiculously home heavy schedule that likely has them overrated by the oddsmakers. Don’t get us wrong, we like the Coyotes and they are an improving team. But San Jose just isn’t that bad anymore, and we had them handicapped as a slight favorite here in this matchup. The Sharks have a strong history here as they have won five of the last seven meetings.

The home team has won five straight meetings in this series, and we think home ice will prevail again. On paper, the Oilers should win this one. But the game is played on the ice, not paper. No way Edmonton should be favored by this much over a quality team on the road. They literally have as many road wins (4) as the Chicago Blackhawks, widely considered the worst team in the NHL. New York has been playing well. They had that OT loss to Boston and had a letdown the next night in a B2B at Montreal. But they have won six of their last nine. After the Oilers winning streak, which was against a home-heavy schedule, they have dropped two straight and their defense looks awful while the offense has sputtered. Doubt they have a break out night against this solid Islanders defense.

Florida broke out last time in a big win at Edmonton, but this team was shut out in their previous two games. We think the Oilers didn’t show up in that game but expect Calgary to tonight. Calgary beat Tampa Bay and Carolina in two of their last three home games, and we expect them to be up to the task tonight at an underdog price. They bring their A Game when facing Florida, as they have won three straight meetings and five of the last six. Calgary has several former Panthers players on their squad who are itching to beat their old club. We expect that to happen tonight, and the value is certainly here in this line.

Edmonton has won eight of nine and they can’t afford to take any games for granted after their slow start. So even after a bad loss, we see them bouncing back well here. This team is almost an automatic play since they are back on track and have to make up for lots of early losses. Florida has lost two straight and was shit out in both games.

The Blues have looked awful lately and have lost four straight, including on the road to Columbus and Chicago, two of the worst teams in the league. We are fading them more than backing the Senators here. Ottawa has won three of five, however, and they have faced an incredibly difficult schedule that included a host of playoff-type teams. Those wins included vs. the Rangers and at Red Wings. So, they are in better form at the moment and they have also won two of the last three meetings. The Blues defense has been horrible, and they haven’t been producing enough goals on offense to stay competitive. We see their struggles continuing tonight.

In the rare cases that the Bruins are installed as underdogs, there is usually a reason. They traditionally haven't done well on the road as an underdog, and they are a strong fade tonight. They have a long history of success against the Devils, but despite the Bruins record this season we don't think they are as strong of a team as last year. They cruised through the regular season last year and were exposed in the playoffs. We think the Devils will treat this one like a playoff game and we think this is one they want badly, as opposed to the Bruins, who this is just another game for. New Jersey is playing some of their best hockey this season recently as they are 6-2 in their last eight. This was a very difficult schedule and road heavy. They are coming off a multi-goal loss to the Oilers, and they were probably looking ahead a bit to this matchup. We like to take a good team off a bad loss as they normally are more focused the next time out, and we think that will be the case here.

San Jose scored a lot of goals on their recent road trip but we watched some of those games and some of those goals were a bit flukish. Hats off to San Jose because they have been playing better, but maybe not as well as those scores might indicate, at least on offense. And they face a tough test tonight against a Winnipeg squad with one of the best defenses in the NHL. They are playing exceptionally well at the moment and have allowed less than two goals per game on average in their last four, all against teams better than the Sharks. This team has been hitting the under at a high rate recently and also for the season. We think the Sharks will step up the defense as they are home and rested and we expect a low scoring affair here.

Buffalo has not met expectations to start the season, but the talent is there and we think this team will start to win games. They had their big win at Boston on Thursday, so maybe that is a sign of big things coming. They have won three of four meetings with the Coyotes. Arizona has been playing well but playing above expectations.

This road trip has not started well for Carolina as they have lost three straight and they face another formidable opponent tonight. Vancouver has been very good at home, while the Hurricane have been way below average on the road. This line has been set according to potential and not how these teams have been performing on the ice.

Columbus is coming in on a back-to-back and they allowed a ton of goals to the Islanders last night and we don’t see them bouncing back defensively here. St. Louis has won three of the last four meetings by three goals apiece, and we don’t expect a drained Columbus team, playing their third game in four nights, to play well defensively.

San Jose averaged a little over half a goal on the road headed into this road trip and hadn’t scored more than one goal in a road game this season. But all the sudden their offense is looking like the Oilers in their prime. They have averaged five goals per game in their last three, not including overtime, and two of those games were against strong defensive teams, the two NY clubs. Their defense has given up four goals per game on this road trip. We think they will continue to see success on offense and expect another high scoring game here.

Four straight meetings have gone over the posted total, and we expect a very competitive game here and a shootout. These teams have combined to go 32-13 to the over this season. The Devils have gone over in four straight games. These are two Top 4 offensive teams for goals scored. We see both teams getting at least three goals here, and the winner could score well above that. The winner when these teams have met has had at least five goals for the last four meetings.

Washington is 15-6 to the under this season and we think this is a trend that could stay strong all season. They play great defense, their offense leave a lot to be desired, but they find ways to win. The under is 4-1 in the last five meetings in Arizona and 18-7-1 in the last 26 meetings. Arizona has been playing very good defense lately.

The Rangers might prefer the road more than home ice. They have two more wins on the road vs. at home. Nashville has been streaky and they ended their six-game winning streak last time out in an embarrassing home loss to Minnesota. Things won’t get any easier today.

Columbus is actually playing playoff-caliber hockey the last few games. They are 3-1 in their last four and just sent Boston home with their tails between their legs. Their lone loss was at Carolina and they played well enough to win in a one-goal road loss. Montreal has won two of their last seven, but those wins came against San Jose (SO) and Anaheim by one, so not impressed. The Canadiens have won only two of their last 10 visits here.

Boston didn’t win the cup last season, but this is the team that most opponents get hyped to play. Are you going to get more hyped if Boston or Vegas comes to town? The answer is obvious. Columbus is playing their best hockey of the season recently. They have won two of the last three, including a road win in New Jersey, and they have covered the puckline in five of their last seven losses. The Bruins are playing their worst stretch of hockey recently. They have lost three of the last four. Their defense has dropped from the No. 1 spot after allowing 12 goals in their last two games. The Blue Jackets have won of covered the puckline in three of the last four visits from the Bruins.

Anaheim has been very streaky but they are on a definite downswing of poor form right now as they have lost five straight. Edmonton has had a very difficult schedule lately but they demolished a Washington team that had been playing well, 5-0, on the road. We think the positive momentum will continue here. Once the offense starts working, this team is going to start stacking wins, and they haven’t scored fewer than three goals in the last seven. We think the Washington win can be a springboard for this team.

7-Unit Play Take Buffalo/Washington  UNDER 6.5 (-120) (7 p.m. EST, Wednesday November 22)

These teams are a combined 23-9 to the under this season. We expect another low scoring game here. Buffalo was one of the best offensive teams in the NHL last season. But that has been anything but the case this season. Their offense is ranked No. 24 in the NHL at 2.8 goals per game. They have been even worse lately, where they have averaged only two goals per game in their last six, including one shutout. Washington is even worse offensively, on average, at No. 31 in scoring. The Capitals have built their impressive record on the back of their defense, which is No. 6 in goals allowed. Buffalo has also been much stronger on the defensive side. Since the league was off Tuesday, these teams should be well rested and bring a lot of energy on defense, especially since they have Thursday off as well. The under is 4-0 in the Sabres last four road games. The under is 8-2 in the Caps last 10 home games. We feel like there is great value in the under tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

Seattle may have the better record but Calgary is the better team off to a slow start. They have shown signs of improvement lately and this is an extremely winnable game for them. Calgary has won two of the last three and four of the last seven, with two shootout losses to better clubs than Seattle. Calgary has a strong history of playing here. They are 5-0 all time in Seattle. They are 7-1 all time in this series. Seattle had an amazing season last year as they came out of nowhere, but they just don’t seem as strong this season and we don’t think this is a playoff team.

This is a battle of two struggling teams, but we think it’s worth it to buy the goals for the home team tonight. These teams normally play close games. The last three meetings all went to OT, and five of the last six meetings were decided by one goal. The Sabres have won only one meeting in the last 12 visits to Chicago. We think the home team has a decent chance to win outright but we don’t see them getting blown out.

This is a game the Rangers have had circled all offseason. The Devils got the better of them in the postseason and scored a Game 7 shutout. But New Jersey is not the same team we saw in the playoffs. They have the worst defense in the league this season, and the Rangers look much improved and have started off the season strong. They should be extremely focused here and we think they bring their A Game.

Calgary has been offensively challenged lately but they have been good on defense. Vancouver looks to be in a letdown spot after a rally and OT win vs. the Islanders last night. We could see them struggling to find the back of the net, and it’s doubtful that Calgary is going to light up the scoreboard tonight.

The Oilers have now won two straight, including 4-1 at Seattle. This team was eventually going to put it together – there is too much talent on this squad for them not to. It looks like that time might be now, and they have a lot of ground to make up after a poor start and should be heavily motivated tonight. Edmonton has won five of six, and all the wins came by multiple goals.

We think there is great value on the Canadiens tonight. This team takes a lot of pride in squaring off against fellow Canadian clubs. They normally bring their A Game against the more talented Maple Leafs, their main rival, and they have won five straight against the more talented Flames. That talent deficit hasn’t been evident in the standings so far this season as Calgary has been one of the bigger disappointments in the league this season. Montreal has a winning record on the year and they have been playing well lately. The Flames have won only two of their last eight visits here. You just get the feeling the home team will do what it takes to get the job done tonight as they have been masterful in winning close contests. And we are getting a very nice price with them tonight.

It’s rare to get a NY Islanders total in the 6.5 range and we will take advantage tonight. They have had only three totals this season at 6.5, and all three have gone under. This Islanders team is known for defense and goaltending, but their strength is definitely not scoring. They are No. 30 in the league for goals scored. Edmonton isn’t far ahead at 26th for goals on the season. They scored four last time out in a rare win. That was the first time in five games they had more than three goals. The oddsmakers seem to think this team is going to turn a corner and they are lining them as such. But we will believe it when we see it. Even if Edmonton was in top form, New York has the ability to compete with them on the defensive end. But the Oilers are a long way from top form, and we expect both teams to struggle on the offensive end tonight. The under has hit in four straight meetings.

San Jose is one of the worst puckline teams at 3-11 ATS as they get blown out on a nightly basis. We are getting a good number here because Anaheim stinks, too, but this team is miles ahead of the Sharks, who are one of the worst teams in NHL history. Anaheim is not in the position to take teams for granted, and we see them taking this opportunity for an easy, dominating win.

Just have to roll with the Canucks freight train right now as this team looks like a real championship contender so far. They are playing complete team hockey en route to a 10-2-1 record. No doubt they will be hyped for this matchup at Toronto. Vancouver has won three of the last four meetings. Toronto is just not in top form right now and they are a mediocre 4-4 at home. They have dropped five of seven, and we see a tough night for them again tonight.

We usually look at the underdog when two Canadian teams play, especially when that underdog is at home. Just can’t get in front of the Canucks freight train, however, as they are starting off the season playing championship-caliber hockey and that have also won two straight in this series and three of four.

We expect a competitive game here and think the Capitals have a chance to win. We think both teams will get their goals tonight. Four of the last five meetings have gone over the posted number, and seven of nine meetings in Washington.

Five of the last seven meetings have been one-goal games. We think the Pens are overrated on this line tonight and this should be a close game and the Ducks have every chance for the outright win. Anaheim has been good on home ice, and the Penguins have looked like a very average team on the road this season (the game at San Jose doesn’t count).

Edmonton continues to get too much respect from the oddsmakers and that is evident with this line. The Canucks have won three straight and six of seven. They are coming off an impressive win over Dallas and handed the Sharks their worst home loss in history. They have also won two straight in this series and three of the last four. We think the Oilers will straighten their issues out eventually. But right now they are a clear fade.

New Jersey is the better team, no doubt. But we have many reasons to believe the Blues are a great value play tonight. First, the Devils are on a back-to-back in consecutive road games after a hard-fought win over the Wild in Minnesota last night. This will be their third back-to-back of the season. In their first, they lost in Arizona, and in their second, they lost vs Washington. They had a more favorable situation (at least one home game) in both of those situations, and both of those teams are mediocre like the Blues. St. Louis has played a road heavy schedule, so we don’t know how good this team can be yet at home. This is their first home game in almost two weeks, so we think they will bring their A Game. They have one of the best defenses in the league and should be effective in that area against a tired Devils squad that was probably more focused on their game last night against a better opponent. The Blues won both meetings last season at an underdog price. In fact, it has been total domination by the Blues when these teams meet, as St. Louis has won 17 of the last 21 meetings. New Jersey has won only a single match in their last 10 visits to St. Louis. The Devils will also have their backup goalie in Net tonight.

Just think this is a decent spot for the home dog. Tampa Bay seems to be getting worse every year since their championship seasons. They have had a decent start, but they haven’t been good on the road. The Jackets have lost four straight after a two-game winning streak. They will want to get back on the winning track, and Tampa might not take this game as seriously as they would other matchups.

Philly started off the season hot but has lost four of their last five. That includes a 7-4 beatdown here at home two games ago. Buffalo got off to a slow start but has been playing much better and has won two of three. They have found their offense and have scored at least four goals in their last three matchups. The Sabres have won six of the last eight meetings.