Sports Picks & Predictions

4-unit Play Take #21 Vegas Golden Knights/Calgary Flames OVER 6 (+105) (9:05pm EST)

4-unit Play Take #15 Tampa Bay Lightning/Winnipeg Jets OVER 5.5 (-120) (8:05pm EST)

4-unit Play Take #13 Chicago Blackhawks/Nashville Predators OVER 6 (+105) (8:05pm EST)

4-unit Play Take #7 Minnesota Wild/Columbus Blue Jackets OVER 5.5 (+115) (7:05pm EST)

2-unit Play Take #74 Vegas Golden Knights over New York Islanders (7:05pm EST) The Vegas Golden Knights continue to impress. They are 13-2-2 over their last 17 games, and all four of those losses were by a single goal. At home this season, the Knights are 19-2-2 and several players have commented that it's the loudest arena in the league already. Tonight they take on the New York Islanders. The Isles just haven't been able to stop anyone from scoring this season. They're ranked dead last in goals allowed per game and Vegas is near the top in goals scored. This should be a fun game, but I think Vegas has no problem 

5-unit Play Take #78 Anaheim Ducks over Winnipeg Jets (7:05pm EST) The Anaheim Ducks are healthy. After a slow start to the season riddled with injuries, the Ducks are finally back to 100% and playing great hockey. Anaheim has won four of its last six contests and the team chemistry has been great. They'll host the Winnipeg Jets in tonight's matchup. Winnipeg has had a terrific season overall, but this is a tough spot for them. The Jets have played two overtime periods in their last three games and they've traveled for six consecutive games. Fatigue becomes an issue at this point in the season and I think it's going to hurt the Jets tonight. Winnipeg also has one of the biggest home/road discrepancies in the NHL. At home, they are outstanding 17-3-1, but on the road they have lost 16 of their 28 games. We love Anaheim in our NHL Game of the Week.

3-unit Play Take #70 Vegas Golden Knights over Columbus Blue Jackets (10:05pm EST) The Columbus Blue Jackets aren't the same team they were last season. The roster and coaching staff is the same, but that might be the problem. Head coach John Tortorella has a way of wearing out his welcome in a hurry, and this might be the first sign of it. The Jackets have won just six of their last 15 contests and they suffered a couple of really bad defeats recently. They lost to the Sabres and Canucks on back-to-back nights 10 days ago - and those games weren't particular close. It's a troubling sign. Meanwhile, all Vegas does is continue to win hockey games. They're not letting up any time soon. The Knights are a league-best 18-2-2 at the T-Mobile Arena this season. T-Mobile has been one of the loudest stadiums in the NHL as their fans have welcomed the new franchise with arms wide open. Vegas is the much better team here and we don't mind laying this price. Take the Knights.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #57 Colorado Avalanche over Montreal Canadiens (7:35pm EST) The Colorado Avalanche have won an amazing 10 straight games and are still being lined as an underdog in many of them. No reason to jump off the train today as the Avs face a weak Montreal squad. Goalie Carey Price hasn't been his normal self this season in net and the team goes as he does. Play the Avalanche to get their 11th straight win tonight.

4-unit Play Take #55 Philadelphia Flyers over Detroit Red Wings (7:35pm EST) The Philadelphia Flyers are red hot with seven wins in their last eight contests. They're now in the thick of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference and their confidence is sky high. Tonight they head to Detroit to take on the Wings. The Red Wings have dropped four of six and are in more of a rebuilding mode than they'd like to admit. Detroit is also a little bit banged up right now and they don't have the depth that they used to in order to sustain injuries. The price is right for the Flyers today.

2-unit Play Take #6 Minnesota Wild over Ottawa Senators (8:05pm EST) The Minnesota Wild were dealt some tough blows on the injury front early on in the season. But, one by one, they've gotten guys back and now they're nearly 100%. The team has won now seven of 11 and is coming off an impressive 5-2 win versus the Lightning on Saturday. Minnesota will host the Senators tonight. The wheels have fallen off for the Sens over the last few weeks and the team is clearly looking ahead to the future rather than the present. Ottawa has won just seven of their last 28 contests overall and has the third worst goal differential in the sport this season. The price on this one is higher than we usually delve into, but there's value on Minnesota.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit Play Take #23 Tampa Bay Lightning (-110) over Minnesota Wild (9:05pm EST) The Tampa Bay Lightning just had their bye week and returned on Thursday to get trounced by the Knights 4-1 in Tampa. It was an embarrassing loss for the Lightning, but you could chalk some of it up to the six-day break that led to some rust right off the bat. Tampa should be much more focused for tonight's game in Minnesota. The Wild have been playing solid hockey of late, but now they are coming off their bye week - which was terrible timing for a team that was starting to click. Now they'll be the ones looking to shake off some rust after getting some rest. Tampa isn't the kind of team that you want to face in your first game back with their elite speed. I like the Lightning quite a bit in our NHL Game of the Week.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #21 New York Islanders (+135) over Chicago Blackhawks (8:35pm EST) Something is missing in Chicago this year. The Hawk simply aren't the same as they've been in years' past. Part of the reason is a lack of depth on the roster. A bigger part of it is the loss of Corey Crawford in the net, who could miss the rest of the season now. The Blackhawks don't have an adequate backup after moving Scott Darling this past season. Jeff Glass has been getting most of the recent starts and he's posted a 3.18 goals against average and a .910 save percentage. Those numbers aren't terrible, but they need to be better to compensate for the Hawks aging defense. The Islanders are one of the best scoring teams in the league, so they should be licking their chops against this Hawks defense. This price is a touch too high, so we're on the Isles here.

4-unit Play Take #6 Colorado Avalanche (-120) over New York Rangers (3:05pm EST) The Colorado Avalanche has won eight straight contests and are the hottest team in the league. Over that stretch, the Avs have outscored their opponents by a whopping 34-13 count. Jonathan Bernier has been sensational in the net filling in for Semyon Varlamov and he's likely to get the nod as the team looks to extend their run. Colorado is now in the playoff hunt and I think they have a great chance to get there. The Central Division is the toughest in the NHL and the Avs have still outscored their opponents by 18 goals on the season overall. The Rangers come in with the exact same number of points on the season as Colorado. However, they've fallen off quite a bit over the last few weeks and have struggled on the road this season. I think the Avs can keep the momentum going and win their ninth straight. Take Colorado.

4-unit Play Take #53 Vegas Golden Knights over Florida Panthers (7:35pm EST) The Vegas Golden Knights continue to get very little respect. They have the second-best record in the NHL and have beaten the top-ranked Lightning twice this season (including an easy 4-1 win last night in Tampa). This is a back-to-back situation for Vegas, but they do have one of the best backup goaltenders in the league in Malcolm Subban to lessen the blow. Florida is coming off of their bye week and haven't played since January 12th. There's no doubt the Panthers are going to have some rust early on. Vegas is the much better team and I think this line is about 20 cents short for Vegas. Take the Knights.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #9 St. Louis Blues over Ottawa Senators (7:35pm EST) St. Louis earned a big win in Toronto last time out to break a three-game losing streak. Now they head to Ottawa to take on the Senators. Ottawa has had a long seven-day break due to their bye week, so I expect some rust from them early on. It's been a really tough season for the Sens, who rank near the bottom in most of the important puck possession statistics. St. Louis hit a lull for a while, so I think they are flying under the radar a bit right now. Take the Blues to get the job done here.

4-unit Play Take #13 Vegas Golden Knights over Tampa Bay Lightning (7:35pm EST) The top two teams in the NHL matchup here with the Lightning hosting the Golden Knights. These teams are separated by just four points and have similar resumes overall, so it's hard to justify a line this high. The Knights beat Tampa 4-3 in Las Vegas about a month ago in what was a thrilling game. This should be another good one that can go either way, so we'll take the big underdog price on Vegas.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #7 Dallas Stars over Columbus Blue Jackets (7:05pm EST) The Dallas Stars are in fourth place in the Central Division with 55 points, but this team is much better than that. The Central has been the toughest division in hockey this year, with a fantastic +102 goal differential collectively overall. Every team in the division has outscored its opponents this season. Columbus has actually been outscored by five goals on the season despite a 25-18-3 record. Regression should be coming for the Blue Jackets. I think the Stars should be a bigger favorite, so that's the selection here.

4-unit Play Take #9 Vegas Golden Knights (+120) over Nashville Predators (8:05pm EST) Vegas continues to get little respect and we are going to play them until they do. The Golden Knights have the second-best record in hockey and seemingly are getting better as the season progresses. Nashville has a talented roster, but the chemistry has been lacking at times this season and I think the long playoff run last season has affected them. This line is about 10 cents too high, so take the Knights.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #1 Philadelphia Flyers (-100) over New York Rangers (7:05pm EST) The Philadelphia Flyers have won four straight contests and the offense is clicking well. The Flyers have scored 21 goals in those four games and are now within just two points of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. That's pretty amazing considering Philadelphia had lost 10 straight games back in November. Their confidence is high and they play a struggling Rangers team tonight. New York has lost three straight games and has been outscored 14-5 collectively in those matchups. This is also a third game in four nights situation for the Rangers, while the Flyers have two full days of rest coming in. Also noteworthy is the Rangers 3-9 record in the last game of a three games in four nights situation. Take the Flyers here.

7-unit Play Take #56 Los Angeles Kings over San Jose Sharks (4:05pm EST) The Los Angeles Kings have lost three straight and five of their last seven, but I'm not worried about this team. The Kings are a well-balanced squad that controls the puck and has a strong goaltender. Jonathan Quick is having a great season, posting a 2.33 goals against average and a .924 save percentage. The Kings will host the Sharks tonight. San Jose didn't look very good in a 6-5 overtime win versus the Coyotes on Saturday. The Sharks are also 3-14 in their last 17 road games against teams with a winning home record. The Kings are the much better team here and the price is very attractive. Take Los Angeles to get the win here in our big 7-unit NHL selection.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #1 New York Rangers over Pittsburgh Penguins (7:35pm EST) The Pittsburgh Penguins just aren't right. After two straight Stanley Cup championships, the extra long seasons might be finally catching up with the Pens. Pittsburgh is just a game over the .500 mark and has been outscored by nine goals overall this season. Tonight, they host the New York Rangers, who come in with exactly the same points as the Penguins. The big difference, however, is that New York has outscored their opponents by six goals on the season collectively (for a total difference of 15 goals between the two teams). Pittsburgh will likely be going with their backup goaltender in this one, with Matt Murray still out of action. I think this line is a tad too high, so we're on the Rangers.

6-unit Play Take #3 Calgary Flames over Carolina Hurricanes (3:05pm EST) The Calgary Flames have had a good season but you'd never know it. The Flames just don't get much attention in the media. But Calgary has won six straight games and is playing their best hockey of the season. During their run, they blasted the Lightning 6-1 and notched wins against the Blackhawks, Kings and Wild as well. This is their last game before a five-day bye period, so we should see the team giving it a max effort. Carolina has been playing sluggish hockey, losing four of six. This will also be their third game in four nights, so fatigue could be an issue. Calgary is the better team right now, so that's the direction we are going. Take the Flames in our big 6-unit NHL play.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #55 Philadelphia Flyers (+110) over New Jersey Devils (7:05pm EST) The New Jersey Devils have led the Metropolitan Division for the majority of the season, but things have started to fall apart lately. The Devils have lost five straight games and have several teams right on their tail in the playoff race. They don't stack up well in the puck possession metrics and that generally leads to regression for teams that are overachieving. Philadelphia, meanwhile, has won three straight and are 11-4-1 in their last 16 games after a tough 10-game losing streak. They're still a little under the radar due to a mediocre overall record, but this is a playoff team in my eyes. Play the Flyers.

3-unit Play Take #60 Minnesota Wild (-130) over Winnipeg Jets (7:05pm EST) The Minnesota Wild are finally healthy and they've been playing better hockey of late. The Wild is 5-2-1 in their last eight and start the first in a four-game homestand tonight against the Jets. Winnipeg played a hard-fought game last night in Chicago (they lost 2-1) and now have another tough battle in Minnesota. The Wild have had two full days of rest to prepare for this one and that could be the difference here. Go Minnesota.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit Play Take #8 Chicago Blackhawks over Winnipeg Jets (8:35pm EST) It hasn't been a good season for the Chicago Blackhawks. They've spent part of the season in the cellar of the Central Division and have lost more games than they've won overall. However, the Hawks are only two points away from a playoff spot and they have a ton of talent on the roster still. They've posted a +16 goal differential this season, which is good enough for fifth best in the Western Conference. The Hawks also just traded away Richard Panik in an effort to shake things up, and I think it might get the team re-focused. The Winnipeg Jets are playing above expectations up to this point, but I don't think it will continue. The Jets have played a softer schedule this season and have been catching a lot of breaks in the close games. Take Chicago at home today in our NHL Game of the Week.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #53 Carolina Hurricanes over Washington Capitals (7:05pm EST) The Washington Capitals have won five straight and lead the Metropolitan with 57 points. They've been the best regular season team in the league over the last three years and this season is seemingly no different. However, this team has some flaws and they're showing up in the advanced metrics. Washington's puck possession numbers are way down from years' past and they don't have the depth they've had in prior years. The Caps have played into overtime in seven of their last 10 games and might be a little be getting a little worn out from all of the extra hockey. Carolina is near the top in the possession metrics and checks in at only 19-15-8 overall. They're a little underrated and I think this is a good spot to play them as a decent-sized underdog. Go Canes.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #64 Minnesota Wild over Calgary Flames (8:05pm EST) The Minnesota Wild were banged up for most of the season and it's hurt their performance in a big way. But the Wild are finally 100% and they are a dangerous team. They've won four of their last six and are looking a lot like they did in last year's amazing season. The Flames won three straight games coming on, but they are all very tight and all were at home. They start a four-game road trip tonight and I think they fall in this one. Take Minnesota.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #55 Chicago Blackhawks over Ottawa Senators (7:35pm EST) The Chicago Blackhawks haven't been playing great hockey this season. In fact, they currently sit in last place in the Central Division. However, with 46 points, they are one good week away from being in a playoff position so let's not overreact. There's still a ton of exceptional talent on the Chicago roster and I have confidence that coach Quenneville will get the guys back on track. Ottawa ranks near the bottom in most of the important puck possession metrics and has just 14 wins in 40 games this season. This line is way too low, so we're taking the Hawks.

4-unit Play Take #70 Vegas Golden Knights over New York Rangers (9:35pm EST) Tough spot here for the Rangers as they went to a shootout last night in Phoenix against the Coyotes. They won but it was a hard-fought battle and now they play the best home team in hockey - the Golden Knights. Vegas is 17-2-1 at T-Mobile Arena this season and they just wrapped up an impressive win in Chicago a couple of days ago. Vegas outshot the Hawks 43-32 despite leading most of the way. I expect this game to be all Vegas as well. Play the Knights.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #7 Tampa Bay Lightning over Ottawa Senators (7:05pm EST) We normally don't like playing games at these high of prices, but this is a great spot to fade the Ottawa Senators. They've lost 18 of their last 23 contests and many of the losses weren't pretty. This will be the third game in four nights for the Sens, including an overtime win last night versus San Jose. They also played an overtime contest in Detroit a couple of days ago. The fatigue likely sets in tonight and that's not good news against a loaded Lightning team. Tampa Bay owns the best record in the sport and has put up a big +52 goal differential through their first 40 games. That's 23 goals better than the next closest competitor - the Vegas Golden Knights. Take Tampa in what should be an easy win.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit  Play Take #51 Pittsburgh Penguins/New York Islanders OVER 6 (-110) (7:05pm EST) The Pittsburgh Penguins offense has been sputtering of late. They were shutout for just the second time all season last night versus Carolina and have scored just 12 goals over their last six games. Tonight, however, they should find a remedy for their offensive woes - the New York Islanders. The season has gone off the rails for the Isles recently. They've dropped 12 of 17 and their defense has been fully to blame. In their last four games alone, New York has given up 21 goals. The goaltending has been very poor, defenders have been out of position and there have just been some boneheaded plays all around defensively. This one should get OVER the total.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #13 Vegas Golden Knights over St. Louis Blues (8:05pm EST) The Vegas Golden Knights have won eight straight and 12 of their last 13. There's no reason they should be underdogs against a Blues team that has really been struggling over the last couple of weeks. St. Louis has lost seven of 11 and they didn't look particularly good in the wins they did manage to record. Definitely value on Vegas here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit Play Take #4 Toronto Maple Leafs over San Jose Sharks (7:05pm EST) The Toronto Maple Leafs come into this one with three straight losses in which they were outscored 12-6 collectively. While it's easy to say they aren't in good form, there's reason to believe that they'll break out of this mini-slump. Two of the three losses came on the tail end of a brutal road trip in which the team played eight of nine games away from home. That trip included a ton of travel, and then the Leafs had to come home to face Tampa Bay in their first game back. Now they've had a couple of days at home and have a moment to catch their breath. The Leafs are 23-16-2 on the season, but have much better at home with a 11-6-0 mark. Tonight, they'll host the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks will play the third game of a five-game road trip in this one. While San Jose has managed a solid 21-12-4 record this season, they aren't clicking on all cylinders yet. They are in the middle of the pack in a lot of the important metrics and I'm not confident goaltender Martin Jones is still a #1 option. I like Toronto to win in our NHL Game of the Week.

3-unit Play Take #5 Carolina Hurricanes over Pittsburgh Penguins (7:05pm EST) Things just aren't right in Pittsburgh this season. It could finally be exhaustion setting in after two consecutive deep playoff runs that ended with the Stanley Cup trophy in their possession. I keep saying that they'll get it going eventually, but it hasn't happened yet. The Penguins won 5-1 last time out versus the Flyers, but Pittsburgh hasn't won two games in a row in over a month. The Carolina Hurricanes show up well in all of the advanced metrics, and I think they're getting somewhat overlooked. This price is a bit too steep, so we're on the Hurricanes.

4-unit Play Take #14 St. Louis Blues over New Jersey Devils (8:05pm EST) Both teams come into this game with 50 points under their belts. But the similarities end there. The Devils have done in winning close games and getting the puck to bounce their way often. New Jersey has also had the easiest schedule in the NHL to date. The Blues have dominated their opponents in most of their wins this season. They come in with the 9th most difficult schedule. The Blues also rate much higher in puck possession than the Devils - which is a bettor predictor of success than records (and goals). By season's end, I think this matchup would see a line close to -170. We'll take the Blues here at home.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #2 Vegas Golden Knights over Toronto Maple Leafs (3:35pm EST) The Vegas Golden Knights continue to dominate the hockey landscape. They have the second-best record in the NHL and are 10-0-1 in their last 11 games. Tonight they host a good Toronto Maple Leafs team in T-Mobile Arena. The Knights are 15-2-1 at home this season - the best record in the league. It appears that the ?Vegas Flu? is a real phenomenon. This is a tough spot for the Leafs, who just played an overtime game in the high altitude in Denver on Friday night. Now they're turning around and playing an afternoon game. Vegas is the much better team and I think there's value on them here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #53 New Jersey Devils (+155) over Washington Capitals (7:05pm EST) Tough spot tonight for the Washington Capitals as they played their third game in four nights, with the first two going all the way to a shootout. They did have a few days off for the Christmas break, but the Caps still aren't going to be 100% for this one. This is a huge game, as the two teams are separate by just a single point at the top of the Metropolitan Division. New Jersey is one of the surprise stories of the season. No one expected them to be playoff contender, much less at the top of the division. They're metrics aren't great overall, but they are similar to that of Washington. The Caps just haven't clicked all season long, but they've been fortunate to win a lot of close games and stay near the top of the standings. This line is about 10-15 cents too high, so take the Devils tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #17 Chicago Blackhawks over Edmonton Oilers (9:05pm EST) Sure the Chicago Blackhawks are struggling with three straight losses in which they never really had a chance to win. And yes the Edmonton Oilers have won four of five and are playing some of their best hockey of the season. That's all well and good but still doesn't justify a price this high. The Hawks haven't been underdogs in this price range for a long time. Play Chicago at this excellent price.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit Play Take #11 Nashville Predators over Minnesota Wild (8:05pm EST) The Nashville Predators have quietly overtaken the top spot in the Central Division with 49 points. They reached the Stanley Cup Final last season, and this year's squad might be a little bit better. They have great depth and don't rely on any superstars. It's a true team effort. Tonight they begin the first of a home-and-home with the Minnesota Wild. Things haven't been going well for the Wild of late. They've dropped four of six. But more importantly, they've been getting severely outplayed in many of their contests. The Wild are dead last in the NHL in puck possession, which generally correlates well with win percentage. Yes Minnesota has had some injury issues, but this team has flat out been bad. Getting healthy isn't going to fix everything that is currently wrong. Take Nashville at this small price in our NHL Game of the Week.

3-unit Play Take #1 Detroit Red Wings over New Jersey Devils (7:05pm EST) The New Jersey Devils are one of the best stories of the NHL season to date. They sit atop what is arguably the best division in hockey just one year removed from finishing in the cellar. It's a great triumph for New Jersey, but I don't expect it to continue. The Devils don't rate highly in the advanced metrics for puck possession and they've been fortunate in close games this season. And teams generally turn it around this fast without wholesale moves. Tonight, they host the Red Wings, who have lost 12 of 15 games overall. If there was any team that needed a few days off to clear their heads, it was the Wings. I think they come with an inspired effort tonight in New Jersey and give them a run for their money. The price is right for the underdog here.

4-unit Play Take #72 Vegas Golden Knights over Washington Capitals (8:05pm EST) The Vegas Golden Knights have exceeded all expectations this season. It was cute for a while that they were winning, but now we have to seriously consider this squad as one of the best in the NHL. They are just two points from the top mark in the Western Conference and have been sensational at home this season. The Knights are 14-2-1 at T-Mobile Arena this season - the best home record in the league. Tonight they host an overrated Washington Capitals team. The Caps are coming off of a bad loss in Arizona in overtime and have looked lost on the ice at times this year. They rank in the bottom third of most of the puck possession metrics, but have had their share of luck to stay near the top of the standings. Vegas is simply the better team here, so we're on the Knights at home.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #64 Dallas Stars over Chicago Blackhawks (8:35pm EST) This Dallas Stars team is much better than their mediocre record indicates. They are near the top in the puck possession metrics and have dropped a lot of close games in which they were the better team. If the puck just bounces their way a little in the second half of the season, this is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. Tonight they host the Blackhawks, who have a similar record. However, the Hawks don't fare well in the advanced metrics and their depth is really sparse this year. Yes they still have the superstars, but I think Chicago is going to have to make some moves if they want to compete for the playoffs this season. Take the better team at a reasonable price at home here. Go Dallas.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #6 Calgary Flames over St. Louis Blues (9:35pm EST) This matchup is simply about who is playing better right now. The St. Louis Blues have lost three of four and their metrics have not been good the last couple of weeks. Calgary, meanwhile, has lost three of four as well. However, the Flames haven't been outshot in 10 straight games. That's impressive and they are moving up the Corsi (puck possession) ladder quickly, including moving ahead of the Blues recently. Take Calgary tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-unit Play Take #64 Dallas Stars over Washington Capitals (8:35pm EST) The Washington Capitals have been one of the best teams in hockey over the last few years. They won the President's Cup (best regular season record) the last two seasons and came into this season with similar expectations. They're currently tied for first in the difficult Metropolitan Division and all seems to be well. Wrong. This Caps team has been fooling people this season. They've won eight of their 11 one-goal games and have been fortunate to avoid losing games in which they were clearly the second-best team. Washington is rated 21st in the NHL in Adjusted Corsi % (puck possession), so it's apparent that they aren't the same team that they've been the last few years. Tonight they head to Dallas to take on a scary Stars team. Dallas ranks 2nd in the NHL in Adjusted Corsi % and they are a strong 10-4 at home this season. This is one if their biggest games of the season and I'm confident they'll bring their A-game. Dallas is the better team by a wide margin and this is a great spot for our NHL Game of the Year.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #51 St. Louis Blues/Winnipeg Jets OVER (6:05pm EST) These two teams played last night in St. Louis where the Blues won 2-0. That final score was extremely misleading however. Blues backup goaltender Carter Hutton stopped all 48 shots he saw from the Jets in what was likely the best game of his career. Winnipeg backup goalie Steve Mason wasn't that bad either, stopping 28 of the 30 shots on goal. The starting goaltenders will be back in net tonight for this one. And if we get 78 shots on goal again today, we should have no problem going OVER the total.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #7 Columbus Blue Jackets (-110) over Carolina Hurricanes (7:05pm EST) This is a great situation spot for the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight. They play the Hurricanes, who have played quite a bit of extra hockey over the last few weeks. Seven of the last 11 game for the Canes have gone to overtime. They also just finished up a six-game road trip and this is their first game back home. However, this is still a back-to-back situation as the Canes won last night in Buffalo. This is an unusual spot for Carolina, as they're home for just one game and then head back on the road for Toronto and Nashville. Columbus is one of the better teams in hockey and I think they'll take advantage of this unique scheduling situation to earn a win against the Canes. Play the Blue Jackets.

4-unit Play Take #57 Toronto Maple Leafs/Detroit Red Wings UNDER 5.5 (-110) (7:35pm EST) We hit an easy winner on the UNDER in the Toronto game last night in our NHL Game of the Week. We like the UNDER again tonight for many of the same reasons. The Leafs have a renewed focus on defense under head coach Mike Babcock. They've been better at limiting high quality chances by opponents, while sacrificing a little bit on the offensive end. Toronto is also without top playmaker Auston Matthews, who is the engine for the offense and one of the elite players in the league. Detroit comes in off of two straight overtime games, so I'm not sure how much juice they'll have in the tank tonight. This one all adds up to a low scoring affair. Play the UNDER.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #53 New York Rangers (-115) over Ottawa Senators (7:05pm EST) The Ottawa Senators have completely fallen off a cliff of late, dropping 12 of their last 13 contests. The majority of those games were on the road in a couple of brutal trips. Now they return home after playing 10 of 11 on the road. The first game back home after a lot of travel are often times difficult spots for teams, but this one is especially so. Now only are they going to be tired, but the team is completely deflated right now. The Rangers come in playing tremendous hockey. They are 7-2-1 in their last 10 and the offense is finally clicking after a slow start. This line should be at least 15-20 cents higher. Take New York.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #11 Calgary Flames over Minnesota Wild (8:05pm EST) The Calgary Flames don't get a ton of attention, but this is a quality hockey team that likely ends up in the playoffs once again this season. They play hard and don't give away anything easy and that goes a long way on the ice. Tonight they are in Minnesota to play a Wild team that is seemingly playing better, but I don't buy it. Minnesota has won four of five, but three of those wins were in overtime and they were badly outplayed in a couple of those. The Wild rank 29th in the league in adjusted Corsi (puck possession), ahead of just Buffalo and Arizona. That's not good company. The fact of the matter is that Calgary is the much better team overall and I think the wrong team is favored here. Play Calgary in the underdog role tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #57 Florida Panthers over Detroit Red Wings (7:35pm EST) The Redwings are really struggling right now. After a fast start, Detroit has won just one of this last nine game, including an embarrassing 10-1 loss in Montreal. The Wings are clearly in rebuild mode so this was to be expected. Florida isn't having a great season either, but they have played the toughest schedule in the NHL this season thus far. Tonight is their first game of a five-game road trip and it's very winnable. Play the Panthers in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #51 Dallas Star over New York Rangers (7:05pm EST) The wrong team is favored in today's matchup between the Stars and the Rangers. While the teams have similar records, Dallas ranks 7th in the league in adjusted Corsi (puck possession). The Rangers are all the way down at 25th. We get a pair of backup goalies slated to go at it tonight - Kari Lehtonen for Dallas and Ondrej Pavelec for New York. That's advantage to Dallas as well. We think the Stars should be about -120 in this game, so plenty of value on the underdog here.

4-unit Play Take #54 Florida Panthers (-135) over Colorado Avalanche (7:05pm EST) The Colorado Avalanche are an improved team over last year. Fact. That's not saying much, however, given that the Avs were historically bad last season with just 48 points and a -112 goal differential. Most of the improvement for Colorado this season has been at home, where the team is 8-5-1. On the road, the Avs are still only 4-8-1. Tonight they play their second straight game in Florida, which is the farthest they travel all season long. The Avs were beat up pretty good last time out against Tampa (lost 5-2) and I think the Panthers give them a hard time as well. This line should be at least 10 cents higher, so we're on the home favorite.

4-unit Play Take #62 Boston Bruins (-145) over New York Islanders (7:05pm EST) Great situational spot tonight for the Bruins against the Islanders. Boston is coming off of a very easy 6-1 win at home against the Coyotes on Thursday night. No one had to log heavy minutes and they got to stay at home and prepare for the Isles. New York, meanwhile, played an intense overtime game against the Penguins on Thursday in Pittsburgh. Now they travel to Boston in what will be their fourth game in six nights - all of which have been on the road. This is the last game of their road trip and I'd be surprised if the Islanders have their normal energy. The Bruins are the much better team and I love this spot. Play Boston.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Minnesota Wild/Anaheim Ducks UNDER (10:05pm EST) The Anaheim Ducks are still missing Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler, along with Patrick Eaves. Those are all big contributors on offense and it's made goals hard to come by for the Ducks. Jakob Silfverberg has also been banged up but he's scheduled to return to the lineup today. Anaheim hasn't score more than three goals in a game in about four weeks. Minnesota has also had its share of problems offensively this season. I don't see this game getting to six goals. So we're on the UNDER tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #7 Ottawa Senators over Anaheim Ducks (10:05pm EST) The Anaheim Ducks have realized something the hard way - you can't win very many hockey games without two of your best players. Ryan Kesler and Ryan Getzlaf are two integral pieces to the Anaheim attack, and missing then has caused the Ducks to go off the rails. The Ducks have lost seven of eight and just suffered two excruciating shootout losses in Nashville and Vegas. This is their first game home after a forgettable six-game road trip, and these are always tough spots. Ottawa hasn't been playing well either (have lost 8 of 9), but they are mostly healthy I expect them to bounce back. This is a good game to get things right against an injured Ducks squad. Take Ottawa at a nice price here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #3 New York Islanders over Florida Panthers (7:35pm EST) The New York Islanders have won seven of their last nine and have amassed a nice 15-8-2 record on the season. They've done so in the toughest division in hockey - the Metropolitan. The Panthers, meanwhile, are coming off of two straight losses, including an overtime loss in Carolina two nights ago. The Isles come in with two full days to rest and that should be a decent advantage in this matchup. The Islanders are also the much better team overall, so I think this line is too short. Play New York here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Arizona Coyotes/Las Vegas Golden Knights UNDER 6 (-115) (8:05pm EST) The Vegas Knights have been one of the top scoring teams in the conference in the early going, but I'm not sure they can maintain it. The offense has started to drop of a little bit lately. The Knights don't have a ton of playmakers on offense. They try to make up for it by scrappiness and working hard. That goes a long way, but at the end of the day, playmakers make scoring so much easier. Teams are starting to scout Vegas better, and I think it's going to be tough for them to continue scoring at this rate. Tonight they host the Arizona Coyotes. The Coyotes come in at 30th in the league in goals per game (2.41), so they're not trying to win a high-scoring, high tempo type of game. They are trying to limit the opponents' quality chances and hope they get just enough contributions on offense to stay in the game. With a quality goaltender in net, that strategy can work. However, they've shuffled goalies a bit and now seem to be settled on Scott Wedgewood. He's put up good numbers so far and deserves a shot to stay in the net. I anticipate a low-scoring affair tonight between the Coyotes and Knights. Play UNDER the high total of six.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #23 Edmonton Oilers over Calgary Flames (10:05pm EST) This is simply a buy-low opportunity on the Edmonton Oilers. Yes they have the second-fewest points in the NHL, but there is too much talent on their roster for this to continue. The Oilers have one of the best players in the game in Connor McDavid and have a nice core around him as well. It's just a matter of time and we'll be riding them a lot going forward if we continue to get these prices. Take Edmonton over Calgary tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #5 Columbus Blue Jackets over Washington Capitals (7:05pm EST) The Washington Capitals will eventually get on track, but right now things just aren't clicking. They're 10 points back in the Metropolitan Division - a division they've dominated the last couple of years. The Caps have been outscored by four goals overall this season, which is a far cry from their league-best +81 last year. One team that is clicking at the moment is their opponent today the Columbus Blue Jackets. Head coach John Tortorella has this team focused on a daily basis and they almost never get outplayed. They're atop the Metropolitan and have amassed a 17-8-1 record against a tough schedule. Take Columbus to keep it going against a struggling Washington squad.

4-unit Play Take #3 St. Louis Blues over Minnesota Wild (6:05pm EST) The St. Louis Blues have been amongst the best teams in the Western Conference for years. This season is no different, as St. Louis comes in at 17-8-1 through 26 games. The offense has been potent as the Blues are second in the conference in goals scored. They've also battled through some big injuries early on, but now are almost fully healthy. It's a balanced group with a great coaching staff that has staying power. Today they take on the Minnesota Wild. Things haven't been so good for the Wild yet. They are second to the bottom in their division and just haven't been able to get it going on either end. They just lost to the Blues 6-3 a week ago in St. Louis and I don't see today's result being any different. Minnesota was outshot 40-25 in that game and never really had a chance. More of the same today, so we're on the Blues.

3-unit Play Take #55 Carolina Hurricanes over New York Rangers (7:05pm EST) While records are important, they aren't as predictive as other statistics are going forward. Goal differential is more telling than wins and losses. And even more telling than goals is the shots on goal differential. If you have 10 guesses at who had the best shots differential, you still probably wouldn't guess who leads the league. It's the Carolina Hurricanes. Yes, the Canes lead the league with a +6.1 shots on goal differential - well ahead of second place Columbus (+4.5). Unfortunately for Carolina, the big edge in shots hasn't translated into many wins. In fact, the Canes have been outscored on the season by two goals and are just 10-8-5 overall. But if they keep up that shots margin, Carolina will be in the playoffs at season's end. Tonight they take on the Rangers in New York. It's been a tough season for the Rangers, but they have won four of their last five contests are 10-3 in their last 13. I think these teams are more evenly-matched than the betting markets do, so we're on Carolina here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #20 Vegas Golden Knights over Dallas Stars (10:05pm EST) The Golden Knights have won five straight contests and are an impressive 15-6-1 on the season. Never mind that this is an expansion team, this Vegas team is legit good. They're still not getting enough respect around the league, but their opponents are quickly learning that the Knights are one of the hardest working teams in the league. They are relentless on and off the puck and don't ever give up anything easy. They are deep and play complete team hockey. There are no big stars or big egos on Vegas' squad, and coach Gerard Gallant probably prefers it that way. Tonight they draw Dallas in Las Vegas. The Knights are 9-1-0 at home this season so far - the best record in the West. Dallas, meanwhile, is 3-8-1 on the road this season. This line should be about 10-15 cents higher, so take Vegas in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit Play Take #1 San Jose Sharks over Philadelphia Flyers (7:05pm EST) When it rains, it pours. The Flyers have lost eight straight games, and six of them were by a single goal. Five of the last six games were gut-wrenching overtime losses. Philadelphia isn't playing all that bad, but losing can take its toll on a team. They lost a heartbreaker in Pittsburgh last night and don't have any time to regroup tonight as they host the Sharks. San Jose comes in with two full days of rest and are fresh off a 4-0 win versus Winnipeg. Under normal circumstances I'd say this line is about right. But I like the situation here for the Sharks. Play San Jose in our NHL Game of the Week.

3-unit Play Take #72 Los Angeles Kings over Anaheim Ducks (10:35pm EST) The Anaheim Ducks are a complete mess right now. Injuries have hit them extremely hard. Ryan Kesler has yet to take the ice and Ryan Getzlaf has missed significant time. The Ducks are slow starters anyways, but they are in jeopardy of missing the playoffs this season if they don't get healthy soon. The Kings have dropped off after a fast start, but they should be able to get back on track against a wounded Ducks team. Play Los Angeles tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #51 Tampa Bay Lightning over Pittsburgh Penguins (7:05pm EST) The Pittsburgh Penguins haven't been right so far this season. They come in with just 11 victories in their 24 games. There's a simple explanation - the Stanley Cup hangover. It's well-known that after winning the Cup, there is a hangover effect early on in following season. But Pittsburgh has it twice is bad, because they've won two straight championships. I'm very confident that Pittsburgh gets things figured out, but right now they are fade material. Tonight they draw the deadly Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bolts have the best record in hockey at 16-4-2 this season. They lost 3-1 last night against the Capitals, and the Lightning hasn't lost two straight games all season. Tampa Bay is the new class of the East and we'll gladly take them at this price against a struggling Penguins team.

4-unit Play Take #61 New Jersey Devils over Detroit Red Wings (7:05pm EST) We cashed a ticket with the New Jersey Devils last night in our Game of the Month, and we're going there again tonight. New Jersey just isn't getting enough credit for their transformation offensively. They're one point away from the lead in the difficult Metropolitan Division and I think they have some staying power. The Red Wings have played surprisingly solid hockey this season as well. They are 10-9-4 so far, which is at least mediocre play from a team expected to be near the basement. I see regression for the Wings going forward however. This was supposed to be a rebuilding year as the team is going younger and focusing on the future. Play the Devils.

7-unit Play Take #16 New Jersey Devils over Vancouver Canucks (7:05pm EST) The New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks are both overachieving this season. The Canucks are 11-8-3 and are currently in a playoff spot through the first quarter of the season. The Devils, meanwhile, are 12-5-4 to open the season - just a single point away from leading the Metropolitan. I believe the Devils have a much better chance of maintaining their success than the Canucks. They've played a much tougher schedule and I like the changes that they've made to the system this season. New Jersey is no longer trying to slow down the game with an overly trapping scheme. The Devils are trying to push the pace and score this season, and it's paid big dividends. They've went from almost dead last in the league in scoring over the last few years, to 9th in the league currently with 3.19 goals per game. That's an improvement of nearly a full goal per game. Vancouver is coming off of big wins in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, winning both games by 5-2 scores. They certainly earned those wins, but this is a perfect sell high spot on Vancouver. They're in the middle of a six-game road trip and have been travelling a ton of late. This will be their seventh road game in their last nine contests. That's a lot of traveling for an aging team. I think New Jersey wins in our 7-unit NHL Game of the Month.

4-unit Play Take #4 Philadelphia Flyers over New York Islanders (7:05pm EST) We had the Flyers last night in this same matchup and felt like we were on the right side. Philadelphia led for the majority of the game before falling 4-3 in overtime. Now the teams shift to Philadelphia in the rematch after having Thanksgiving dinner in between games. If the Flyers play like they did in New York, they should come out on top here. I also like the home team after a holiday angle. Play Philadelphia.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #79 Vegas Golden Knights over Anaheim Ducks (10:35pm EST) It's pretty amazing what the Vegas Golden Knights are doing this season. The expansion franchise is 12-6-1 and have been playing with their fourth goaltender for most of the season. How many teams could have this much success with their first three goalies injured? Speaking of injuries, the Anaheim Ducks are really banged up right now. Arguably their two best players are out, Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler, and they are also missing Cam Fowler and Patrick Eaves. There's no way Anaheim should be laying this big of a price, despite their three-game win streak. Take the Knights tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #73 San Jose Sharks over Arizona Coyotes (9:05pm EST) Not much analysis on this matchup. The Sharks are the significantly better team, but we're getting some value due to the fact that Arizona has won three in a row and San Jose has lost three in a row. I'm a proponent of current form, but some of those games were fraudulent wins and losses on each side. Take the Sharks in this one.

4-unit Play Take #59 Philadelphia Flyers over New York Islanders (7:05pm EST) The Philadelphia Flyers have lost five straight, but they haven't played all that poorly during that stretch. In fact, they outshot their opponents in four of those games (only outshot by one in the other), and lost two games in overtime. The offense has sputtered frequently this season, but Philadelphia has a roster capable of getting to the postseason. Tonight they take on the Islanders in New York. The Isles are off to a nice start to the season at 11-7-2, but that's only four points better than the Flyers. The division is tightly packed and I think every team in the Metropolitan has a chance to make the postseason. I have this line about 10-15 cents lower, so we're on Philadelphia here.

3-unit Play Take #59 New Jersey Devils over Minnesota Wild (8:05pm EST) You have to respect what the New Jersey Devils have done so far this season. They went from last in the league in goals scored over the last few years, to 8th in the NHL right now. It was a change in the system by head coach John Hynes, along with some nice personnel moves, that have Devils' fans excited about hockey again. New Jersey is leading the Metropolitan at the moment, which is the toughest division in the league. Minnesota is struggling to get into rhythm, sitting in the basement in the Central Division. By year end, I'm sure that Minnesota will be the better team. However, right now the Devils are playing far better hockey and this line is too high as a result. Play the Devils in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #2 Carolina Hurricanes over New York Islanders (5:05pm EST) The Carolina Hurricanes have lost more games than they've won, but wins and losses aren't always a great indicator for team play. The Canes actually have the best shots on goal margin in the NHL at 6.4 per game. That's a pretty hefty differential, and the wins will come eventually if they can keep that up. Tonight they host the Islanders, a team that knocked off the Canes a few nights ago in New York. The Isles have won three straight, but this is their third game in four nights (all of which included travel) and the team might be a bit gassed in this one. Look for Carolina to get some revenge and earn the W today.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #75 Boston Bruins over San Jose Sharks (10:35pm EST) The Bruins have been banged up of late and they have dropped four of five as a result. However, upon closer examination, Boston didn't play all that poorly in those losses. They outshot their opponent in all four losses and were clearly the better team in a couple of those contests. The Sharks check in at 10-7-0, but they've been aided by 11 home games and a weaker schedule of opponents. Boston and San Jose are about as even as you can get on paper. This line should be about 10-15 cents lower, so we're on the Bruins.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #57 New Jersey Devils over Winnipeg Jets (3:05pm EST) Nobody saw this coming - not even New Jersey Devils' fans. The Devils are atop the Metropolitan division as we near the one-quarter mark of the regular season. Offensively, this team is leaps and bounds ahead of last year's squad. They've come up dead last in scoring over the last few seasons, but this year they are #8 in the NHL with a 3.28 goals per game. While they will certainly regress some, I think the system they are playing under this season is much better suited for their personnel. Tonight they head to Winnipeg to take on the Jets. Winnipeg is off to a good start to the season as well. They have the second-best record in the Western Conference and have outscored their opponents by 10 goals overall this season. I love the nucleus and they are fun to watch, but the Jets will regress as well. I think what New Jersey is doing is more impressive given that they play in the toughest division in hockey. The Jets have actually played the second easiest schedule of the season thus far. These two teams are closer than the betting line indicates, so we're on New Jersey.

4-unit Play Take #57 Arizona Coyotes over Montreal Canadiens (7:35pm EST) We're going to buy low on the Arizona Coyotes, who enter tonight's game at 2-15-3 on the season. Things really can't get any worse for the Yotes, and they've played a lot better than their record indicates. Tonight they're in Montreal to take on the Canadiens. The Habs are without star goaltender Carey Price, who is the best in the world. They've been terrible without their top man over the last couple of seasons, so I don't think the betting markets are making a big enough adjustment here. Play Arizona as a live dog.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit Play Take #56 Ottawa Senators over Pittsburgh Penguins (7:35pm EST) The Senators are in a good spot tonight against the Penguins. Pittsburgh is coming off of back-to-back overtime games and now have to travel up to Canada on just a day's rest. The Pens also haven't been playing their best hockey of late and have won just 10 of their first 20 contests this season. There's no question that Pittsburgh will get it going at some point, but right now they are a clear fade. Pittsburgh has dropped seven of their last eight road games, and were trounced in several of those contests. The Senators have had the last four days off to prepare for tonight's big game. They are well-rested and have suffered only three regulation losses in 16 games this season. Take the home underdog Senators in our NHL Game of the Week.

4-unit Play Take #5 Boston Bruins over Anaheim Ducks (10:05pm EST) Two banged up teams go at it on Wednesday when the Ducks host the Bruins. Both teams have been ravaged by injuries, but I think Boston is better equipped to handle it with better overall depth. The Ducks are without Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler - arguably their two best players. They've lost five of their last six and have had trouble scoring the puck. Boston has dropped three straight, but those were against some very good teams. This might be an ugly one, but I like Boston to come out on top in the end. Play the Bruins in today's matchup.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #59 Washington Capitals over Nashville Predators (8:05pm EST) The Washington Capitals have won five of their last six games and have seemed to figure things out after a slow start to the campaign. They've beaten some good teams during this stretch, including the Islanders, Bruins, Penguins and Oilers. The Predators have been getting a little too much respect this season after getting to the Finals last season. Yes they're off to a good start, but I'm still not comfortable with the aging Pekka Rinne in net and the teams' depth took a pretty big hit in the off-season. I think the Caps are a better team, so we'll take them at a nice underdog price here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #53 Columbus Blue Jackets over Montreal Canadiens (7:35pm EST) The Montreal Canadiens are off to a slow start at 8-9-1 on the season. They've also been outscored by 15 goals on the season, which is the third worst goal differential in the NHL. On top of that, the Canadiens are currently without their all-world goaltender Carey Price, amongst others. Notably, Shea Weber and Jonathan Drouin are both day-to-day with injuries, and Alex Hemsky is out indefinitely. The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, are 10-7-1 to begin the season. They've outscored their opponents by five goals collectively. And, Columbus is relatively healthy. So how does that equate to this line being so close to even? It's mainly because Montreal has won four of their last five, while Columbus has dropped four of five. Current form is definitely important in hockey, but in this instance it's being given far too much weight. The Blue Jackets are the better team and are healthier, so we're backing them tonight.

3-unit Play Take #57 San Jose Sharks over Los Angeles Kings (10:35pm EST) The Sharks and Kings have had a nice rivalry over the years with both teams being perennial playoff contenders. This year is no different, with both teams off to good starts to the season. San Jose, however, has been playing particularly well lately with five wins in their last six contests. They're stayed healthy, which in the NHL is a big key to success. The Kings come in with two key injuries to Marian Gaborik and Jeff Carter. Los Angeles is currently in first place in the Pacific Division but they've cooled off a bit after a fast start. They've lost three of five and looked particularly bad in their last game versus Tampa where they were outshot 43-24 in a 5-2 loss. These teams are closer than the betting markets proclaim, so we're on the Sharks in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #5 Columbus Blue Jackets over Detroit Red Wings (7:05pm EST) Yes the Columbus Blue Jackets are off to a slow start to the season. And they've dropped four straight games coming into today. But this is still one of the best teams in the NHL and you can't count out head coach John Tortorella. He'll have his team ready today against an overrated Red Wings team. Detroit is 8-8-1 this season. However, they've played a weak schedule so far and this is a tough spot today for them. Seven of their last eight games have been on the road and now they're back home for the first of five games. As a result, fatigue will likely play a part for the Wings. Columbus is the much better team here and I think they get the W.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #61 New York Islanders over Dallas Stars (8:35pm EST) The Islanders have been playing well against top competition of late, going 5-1 in their last six games against teams with a winning record. Since opening night, this team has been in every game and I think they an underrated group. The Stars have some depth problems and still haven't fully clicked this season. Take New York as the small underdog.

5-unit Play Take #60 Buffalo Sabres over Florida Panthers (7:05pm EST) Look out for the Buffalo Sabres. This is a hungry team that is being undervalued in the betting markets lately. The Sabres have won two of three and looked especially impressive last time out in a 3-1 win against the Capitals. I love their young core that's centered around Evander Kane and Jack Eichel - who is quickly becoming a must-watch player. Today they take on the Panthers, who have really struggled of late. The team is just 4-8-2 on the season and has dropped five straight contests. They've given 26 goals in those five games and have been yielding a ton of shots on goal (averaging well over 40 against per game). During that stretch, Florida has been outscored 26-15. They are really missing head coach Gerard Gallant, who has the Vegas Golden Knights doing some amazing things in their first season as a franchise. The Sabres are the much better team right now. Take Buffalo in our Game of the Week.

4-unit Play Take #55 Pittsburgh Penguins over Washington Capitals (7:05pm EST) These two teams have gotten off to mediocre starts to the season, but there's no doubt they'll be in the mix in the Eastern Conference when it's all said and done. I think it's going to take a little longer for Washington to find their way, however. The Caps made some pretty big changes in the off-season in an effort to shake things up after failing once again to advance to the Stanley Cup. The team looked really bad in their last game in Buffalo. The Caps lost 3-1 and were outshot 32-25 despite trailing for most of the game. The Pens' problems have mostly been in net, but I'm confident in Matt Murray. The team is 9-3-1 with him in the net this season. The Penguins are also 7-0 in their last seven contests with two full days of rest. Take Pittsburgh today.

4-unit Play Take #5 Minnesota Wild/Montreal Canadiens OVER 5.5 (-115) (7:35pm EST) The Minnesota Wild took a tough loss last night in Toronto against the Leafs. They outshot Toronto by a 37-19 margin, but could only muster two goals in a 4-2 loss. It was a good effort and I think the offense is ready to break out of its recent funk. Tonight they head to Montreal to take on the Canadiens. Montreal is without star goalie Carey Price for this one, and it's a big drop off to backup Charlie Lindgren. Expect some goals for the Wild tonight. I think the Canadiens get their share of goals as well in this one. This will be the third game in four nights and fourth in the last six for Minnesota (with the last three on the road). As a result, they might not have their full legs and that usually translates into poor defense. There should be some good scoring chances in this one, so we're playing the OVER.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #52 Toronto Maple Leafs over Minnesota Wild (7:05pm EST) The Toronto Maple Leafs are still one of the youngest teams in the league. They are going to have their share of ups and downs throughout the season. However, I think they take a big step forward this season under head coach Mike Babcock. Getting into the playoffs last year was a big stepping stone. But now they have a real chance at winning the Stanley Cup. They are a much better team than their opponent today the Minnesota Wild. The Wild are sitting in last place in the Central Division as their offense has been a mess in the early going. They will probably get it going soon, but they are coming off of a bad 5-3 loss to a banged-up Bruins team on Monday. Minnesota was badly out played, as they were in the game before against the Blackhawks in a 2-0 loss. The Leafs are the play here at home today.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #1 Edmonton Oilers/New York Islanders OVER 5.5 (-115) (7:05pm EST) The Edmonton Oilers were shutout last night, and it was against the Detroit Red Wings - who may be the worst team in the Eastern Conference. If that doesn't fire up an offense to bounce back, I don't know what will. The Oilers did get 36 shots on goal in that game, but nothing hit the back of net. It's been a tough opening to the season for Edmonton at 4-8-1, but I worry less about their offense than I do about the defense and goaltending. The Islanders have been involved in a ton of high-scoring games lately. In fact, eight straight games have gone OVER the total in Islanders games. Their offense is clicking on all cylinders and there's no reason to expect that to change tonight. This game should feature a lot of action, and I don't see a problem getting OVER the total.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #55 Columbus Blue Jackets/New York Rangers OVER 6 (-115) (7:05pm EST) I expect to see plenty of goals in Madison Square Garden on Monday night when the Rangers host the Blue Jackets. In Columbus' last three contests, there have been 26 goals scored combined (nearly nine goals per game). For the Rangers, four of their last four games has gone OVER the total including a 5-4 win in Florida last time out in a game that featured 78 shots on goal. Scoring is way up this season and these two teams have the weapons to keep it going. Play the OVER in this matchup.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-unit Play Take #69 Carolina Hurricanes over Colorado Avalanche (9:05pm EST) The Carolina Hurricanes have been on the outside looking in over the last few seasons as far as the playoffs have been concerned. But they didn't miss the postseason by much in the last two years. If they had adequate goaltending, they probably make the playoffs in both seasons. So the organization decided to upgrade the position over the summer when they acquired Scott Darling. As a backup for the Blackhawks last year, Darling was magnificent. He had an 18-5-5 record in the net while posting a sparkling .924 save percentage while allowing just 2.38 goals against per game. Darling has struggled early in Carolina, but I still feel strongly that he's going to put up much better numbers than Carolina has seen for its goalies in prior years.

Tonight, the Hurricanes take on the Avalanche in Colorado. Carolina comes in with three days of rest, which is a huge plus heading into the thin air of Denver. Many teams come in on the second leg of a back-to-back after a game in California or Phoenix and have trouble getting their wind in the high altitude. That won't be the case for the Canes tonight. Colorado comes in 5-4-0 on the season, which is much better than they looked last season. However, it's still very early and the Avs didn't make wholesale changes in the off-season. Don't forget that Colorado was by far the worst team in the sport last year with a 22-56-4 record and only 48 points - one of the worst marks of all-time. Carolina is a much better team than the Avs, but we get a discount on the price with Colorado off to a good start. Take the Hurricanes in our big 7-unit play.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #1 Philadelphia Flyers/Chicago Blackhawks OVER (8:05pm EST) The Flyers and Blackhawks take the ice on Wednesday and we should see plenty of quality scoring chances. Philadelphia comes in averaging 3.42 goals per game - good enough for 8th in the NHL. Chicago checks in at 12th in the league with 3.17 goals per game. Both defenses have major holes as well. The Hawks are lacking defensive depth after losing stopper Niklas Hjalmarsson in the off-season, and stalwarts Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith are aging quickly and have lost some effectiveness. Philadelphia has had issues on defense for the past several years and they haven't done enough to plug all the holes. They did beef up the goaltender position, but they are still giving up too many good shots. Overs are 3-0-1 in the Flyers' last four games and I think we see another one tonight. Play OVER the total of 5.5.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #55 Winnipeg Jets/Minnesota Wild OVER  (8:05pm EST) This one is going to be a fast-paced affair between the Jets and Wild. Both teams really love to open it up and we've seen the NHL really clamp down on penalties this year, which has created even more power play chances. Both teams are scoring over 3.00 goals per this season, and both are allowing over 3.00 goals as well. The total is set high, but I still think it's too low for this matchup. Play the OVER in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #15 Toronto Maple Leafs over San Jose Sharks (10:35pm EST) After a strong start to the 2017-18 campaign, the Leafs have cooled off with two straight losses. Toronto is averaging a league-best 4.09 goals per game and the kids have another year of experience under their belts. They also have another year under the tutelage of head coach Mike Babcock, who is one of the best in the game. While the Leafs need to improve on the defensive end, they make up for some of those mishaps by getting some terrific shots on net. Tonight they face the San Jose Sharks, who are in a tough situational spot. The Sharks just wrapped up a five-game East Coast road trip and this is their first game back home. They only had a day off, so the Sharks may not have their normal energy. That could be a problem against an aggressive Toronto club. Take the Leafs tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #23 Washington Capitals over Edmonton Oilers (10:05pm EST) Both of these squads have gotten off to slow starts, but we know they'll turn it around at some point. Washington made some changes in the off-season, so it's probably taking some time to build the team chemistry. For the Oilers, they don't have much of an excuse. They've had some really bad losses this year and haven't been able to produce much offensively. I have more confidence in Washington head coach Barry Trotz getting his team back on track first. He's been through all of the ups and downs and is one of the best coaches in the league at making adjustments. We'll gladly take the Caps at an underdog price.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #14 Montreal Canadiens over New York Rangers (7:05pm EST) Two struggling clubs go at it on Saturday night in Montreal as the Canadiens host the Rangers. Both teams are in last place in their respective divisions and are much better than that on paper. But Montreal has a big edge in the net tonight with Carey Price - the best goalie in the league. The Rangers go with backup netminder Ondrej Pavelec in this one - one of the worst backups in the league. That edge is big enough to warrant a play almost all by itself. The Rangers have also only played two road games so far this season - the fewest in the NHL. Despite that fact, they've still only managed a 3-6-2 record. I like the Canadiens to win this one.

4-unit Play Take #51 Colorado Avalanche over Vegas Golden Knights (6:05pm EST) The Golden Knights are 7-1 and have the best win percentage in hockey. They are clearly better than all the pundits and I thought, but they're still playing way over their heads. They've earned several wins when they were completely outplayed and have been outshot overall this season. Vegas is also down to their third goalie (Oscar Dansk) and have several key skaters out as well (Erik Haula, Mikhail Grabovski, David Clarkson and Clayton Stoner). Today they face an Avalanche team that is off to a pretty good start as well. Colorado is 5-4 and I think they'll take a big step forward this season with a lot of their young guys coming into their own. Colorado should be the favorite tonight, so we're on them here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #11 Philadelphia Flyers over Ottawa Senators (7:35pm EST) The Flyers head to Ottawa to take on the Senators and I think the wrong team is favored in this one. Ottawa has looked downright awful in their last four games, going 1-3 with losses against the Canucks and Devils. They played particularly poorly in their last game against the Kings, getting outshot 43-30 before losing in a shootout. The Senators are dealing with a bunch of injuries right now, including key players Kyle Turris and Bobby Ryan. The Flyers, meanwhile, are off to a respectable 5-4 start to the season and have outscored their opponents by six goals in their nine games (the fourth best differential in the Eastern Conference). I like the moves the Flyers made in the off-season and they are better than the Sens right now. Take Philadelphia in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #7 Carolina Hurricanes over Toronto Maple Leafs (7:05pm EST) The Carolina Hurricanes haven't been able to make that big leap in recent years. They've been solid club overall, but something has held them back - poor goaltending play. The Canes have struggled to find a goalie that can win them guys, but that may have changed for this season. Scott Darling was acquired from the Blackhawks and he was tremendous for Chicago as the backup. He's off to a slow start in his first six games this season. But this is a big upgrade for the franchise and I think it will help propel them back into the playoffs. Tonight they have a tough assignment against the Maple Leafs in Toronto. The Leafs have been a scoring machine, averaging 4.44 goals per game - tops in the league. But that's unsustainable and there are still plenty of questions about Toronto's defense. They are getting a little overhyped right now, so I think it's time to sell the Leafs. We see value on the Hurricanes tonight.

3-unit Play Take #15 Vancouver Canucks over Minnesota Wild (8:05pm EST) The Vancouver Canucks are off to a respectable 4-3-1 start to the season. They've won three of their last four games - all of which were on the road. Tonight, they finish up the road trip in Minnesota against the Wild and I like their chances to earn another win. The Wild are only 2-2-2 this season and they're pretty banged up at the moment. Right wing Nino Niederretier is out and they have three centers who could miss tonight's game as well - Zach Parise, Mikael Granlund and Charlie Coyle (definitely out). Those are some important pieces and the team hasn't had much chemistry while shuffling their lines early on. This should be a tight contest, so we'll happily take the big plus price on the Canucks.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #7 Edmonton Oilers/Pittsburgh Penguins OVER (7:05pm EST) The Edmonton Oilers have struggled to put the puck in the net this season, but it hasn't been for a lack of trying. The Oilers have averaged 38.9 shots on goal per game, but somehow are only averaging 2.00 goals per contest. That will definitely change in a hurry, and tonight could be a nice time to breakout against a struggling Pittsburgh defense. The Penguins gave up seven goals in their last game against the Lightning and have yield a whopping 4.33 goals against average this season. That's the worst defense in the league thus far. Goaltender Matt Murray has really been feeling the pressure now that he's the main man, and backup goalie Antii Niemi has been ever worse. This should be a fun one with lots of scoring chances on each side. As a result, we're playing OVER the total in tonight's Oilers/Penguins game.