Sports Picks & Predictions

4-unit Play Take #51 San Jose Sharks/New York Rangers OVER 5.5 (-110) (7:05pm EST) We've been on OVERS for several Rangers' games this season and it's paid off. New York has some big issues on the defensive zone and goalie Henrik Lundqvist is no longer capable of doing it by himself. At age 35, Lundqvist has fallen from the ranks of the elite to barely league average. In eight games this season, Lundqvist has allowed 3.00 goals against to go along with a subpar .907 save percentage. The Rangers can score the puck, and that's how they are going to contend for a playoff spot. The top two lines have several top notch playmakers and the guys on the blue line know how to move the puck. As a result, the Rangers are going to be involved in some high-scoring affairs during the 2017-18 season. The Sharks won't mind a fast-paced game with plenty of shots as they have the skaters to keep up. As a result, we're going OVER the total in this matchup.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #65 Florida Panthers/Washington Capitals OVER 6 (-105) (7:35pm EST) Alex Ovechkin is clicking and when he's on, this Washington offense is very hard to stop. Ovechkin already has 10 goals in eight games - his best start to a season ever. I don't see Florida slowing the Caps down any. The Panthers are allowing 35.5 shots on goal per game this season. The good news is that Florida is averaging 40.0 on goal themselves. That's impressive and we should see a 5-4 type of shootout today in D.C. Take the OVER in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #61 Toronto Maple Leafs/Ottawa Senators OVER 6 (-105) (7:05pm EST) The Toronto Maple Leafs are averaging an amazing 4.86 goals per game this season - a full goal better than the next closest team. I don't think anyone can stop them from getting scoring chances. You just have to hope you can slow down their talented forwards, and that they miss often. Ottawa has done well preventing goals this season (just 2.29 against), but I still wouldn't categorize their blue line as strong. It's a small sample size, and I think they are in the middle of the pack at season's end. The Senators, led by Eric Karlsson, are an offense-first team and they should get their share against a shaky Toronto defense. All signs point to yet another OVER here.

5-unit Play Take #9 Minnesota Wild/Winnipeg Jets OVER 5.5 (-125) (8:05pm EST) The Winnipeg Jets' had major defensive issues last season and it has somehow gotten even worse this time around. The Jets are allowing 3.83 goals per game and opponents are getting 35.8 shots on goal against them. Things aren't much better defensively for Minnesota. The Wild are allowing 3.75 goals per contest on 36.6 shots on goal. Luckily both of these teams have above average offenses that have kept them in most games. But needless to say, we're going to see plenty of shots on goal today and that should lead to plenty of goals with two inferior goalies in net. Take the OVER in our NHL Game of the Week.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #55 New York Islanders/New York Rangers OVER (7:05pm EST) The Islanders and Rangers have played some crazy games in recent years. We've seen a lot of high-scoring affairs and there's no reason to expect anything less in today's matchup. In the last six meetings between these two, the OVER is 4-1-1. Both teams have plenty of offensive weapons, with questions on defense. The Isles just don't have a shutdown defensive pairing, and the Rangers can't claim that they do either. Henrik Lundqvist is no longer an elite goaltender in my eyes and the Islanders don't have a dominant goalie either. We should see plenty of good scoring chances tonight and that should put us OVER the total.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #3 Chicago Blackhawks over St. Louis Blues (8:05pm EST) The Chicago Blackhawks rolled the dice in the off-season and so far it has paid off. The Hawks brought back wingers Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp - two key cogs in their championship runs in prior years. The organization felt like they needed to shake things up after getting swept in the first round of the playoffs last year. Chicago is 4-1-1 and has outscored the opposition 25-13 overall - the best differential in the league. Saad has been particularly productive with six goals and two assists in the first six games of the season. Sharp also has four points (two goals and two assists). The Blues have seemingly taken a step back after losing star defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk last year. He's a tough guy to replace, and the team is currently playing short-handed with several key guys out. St. Louis is especially banged up at center, where they have four different players injured. The Hawks should be favored in this one, so we'll gladly take the underdog price.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #71 Montreal Canadiens over San Jose Sharks (10:35pm EST) The Canadiens have dropped four straight contests after winning on opening night versus the Sabres. However, Montreal has played one of the tougher schedules so far, with losses against the Capitals, Rangers, Blackhawks and Maple Leafs. They hung in there in three of those losses, and outshot their opponent in each contest. Tonight they look to get back on track against a Sharks team that has lost three of its four games. The Sharks are an aging team that could struggle if they don't get contributions from some of their younger guys. They'll need to stay healthy to compete, but I'm not sure they are playoff caliber team anymore. All four of the Sharks' contests have been at home this season, so their early season struggles hurt even more. We're going with the underdog Canadiens in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #52 New York Rangers over Pittsburgh Penguins (7:05pm EST) The New York Rangers are off to a rough 1-5-0 start to the season. The offense has really sputtered despite the fact the Rangers have plenty of weapons, including the newly acquired Kevin Shattenkirk. Six games is a small sample, however, and I fully expect New York to be one of the top offenses in the league when it's all said and done. Tonight they should get a few nice cracks at the leaky Pittsburgh defense. The Penguins have allowed the second most goals this season, an average of 4.17 goals against. That will certainly improve, but I think they may have trouble on the defensive end all season. Goaltender Matt Murray now has the pressure to perform as the lead guy and so far he's crumbled under that stress. The Rangers as home underdogs are the play here.

3-unit Play Take #55 New York Islanders over Los Angeles Kings (10:35pm EST) Early season records can be deceiving, so we're going to mostly ignore the fact that the Kings are 3-0-1 right now. I'm down on the Kings this season. They are an aging squad that lacks the firepower to compete in a changing NHL landscape. Goalie Jonathan Quick is past his prime and no longer can be counted on to steal games on his own. The Islanders, meanwhile, could be sneaky good this year. They have a nice nucleus and are going to be underrated given that they play in a tough conference and division. My power ratings have this game closer to even, so there is value on the Islanders.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #27 New York Islanders/San Jose Sharks OVER (7:05pm EST) These two teams don't see each other often, and that generally bodes better for the offenses than it does the defenses. The Islanders and Sharks don't have strong defensive pairings, and age may start to become a factor for San Jose. Neither goaltender for these teams is a standout either. With the OVERS producing early on in the season, I think this one falls into that category as well.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #5 Washington Capitals/Philadelphia Flyers OVER (7:05pm EST) The Washington Capitals have one of the most dangerous power play units in the league. Alex Ovechkin in the reason why. Penalties have seen an uptick early on in the season, and that's benefitted the Caps tremendously. Ovechkin has already scored eight goals in the first four games of the season - one of the best stretches of his entire career. The Flyers have had four road games to the start the season, and now return to Philly for their home opener. Last time out the Flyers lost 6-5 to the Predators. Each of their first four contests have featured at least 60 shots on goal, so I think we'll see plenty of scoring chances for each side tonight. And with Ovechkin and the Caps offense rolling, we should be able to get OVER the total.

4-unit Play Take #9 Toronto Maple Leafs/Montreal Canadiens OVER (7:05pm EST) The Toronto Maple Leafs have been blessed with forwards. Nobody can match their weapons and depth up front, and so far the Leafs are averaging 5.5 goals per game. That will obviously come down at some point, but right now they are clearly locked in. The Canadiens will try to slow down the Leafs tonight, but goaltender Carey Price hasn't been sharp in the early going (and we might see the backup in this one). This total should be juiced at least 15-20 cents higher, so we're on the OVER in this matchup.

4-unit Play Take #51 New York Rangers/Columbus Blue Jackets OVER (7:05pm EST) The New York Rangers have some big issues defensively. They lack that defensive stopper and adding Kevin Shattenkirk to the D-line was just as much about offense as it was about defense. He knows how to move the puck and is a weapon on the power play. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is no longer in the elite category at age 35. He had a mediocre campaign last year and I don't expect much improvement this season. The Rangers offense was adept at creating high danger scoring chances last season, and there's no reason to believe that won't be the case again. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets have some great offensive weapons of their own. They're more balanced than the Rangers, but they tend to adapt to the style of the team they are playing. In the last six meetings between these two clubs, the OVER has hit five times. That's the direction we are looking tonight, so play the OVER.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #7 Minnesota Wild/Chicago Blackhawks OVER (8:35pm EST) The Chicago Blackhawks aren't as formidable as they were in their championship runs, but this team still has plenty of offensive firepower. Brandon Saad has been a scoring machine since returning to the Hawks, and we know that Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane can score the puck. The deficiencies on this team are on the defensive end. Defenseman Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are past their primes and the team took a big hit when defensive stopper Niklas Hjalmarsson moved on to the Coyotes. Chicago is going to be involved in a lot of high scoring battles this season, and the Minnesota Wild don't mind playing that type of game. Three of the first four games for the Blackhawks have went OVER the total, while both of the games for Minnesota went OVER. This has the feeling of a 4-3 type of game, which would give us an easy winner on the total.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #53 Pittsburgh Penguins/Washington Capitals OVER (7:35pm EST) The Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals meet for the first time since their epic seven-game playoff series last year. This should be a great game that features two of the best offenses in the league. We've seen a lot of high scoring action early on this season, and part of that is a few rule changes and the emphasis on calling more penalties by officials. That's resulting in more power play chances and more shots on goal. With two high-powered offenses squaring off today, we should see some of those power play opportunities being converted. Take the OVER in this contest.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-unit Play Take #1 St. Louis Blues/New York Rangers OVER (7:05pm EST) We've played the OVER in the last couple of Rangers games with success and we're going back to the well again tonight. As we discussed previously, the Rangers have some major concerns on defense and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is no longer elite at his age. Meanwhile, the offense is full of firepower and they like to move the puck. St. Louis is going with their backup goaltender Carter Hutton tonight, and that could lead to some goals. I also think the Blues offense is capable of inflicting some damage of its own. Their game yesterday against the Islanders featured a whopping 77 shots on goal and still managed to stay under the total. I don't think this contest will. Play the OVER in our NHL Game of the Month.

4-unit Play Take #61 Winnipeg Jets/Edmonton Oilers OVER (9:05pm EST) This may be the strongest OVER play on the card, as the Winnipeg Jets think that defense is optional and the Edmonton Oilers are an offense-first type of team. The Jets have surrendered a total of 13 goals in their first two games of the season. It wasn't pretty. The Oilers have only scored a total of five goals in their first two games, but that was on 81 shots on goal. They clearly deserved a better fate. I think we'll see goals early and often in this one and I'm projecting close to double-digits when it's all said and done. Play the OVER in this matchup.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #59 Washington Capitals/Tampa Bay Lightning OVER (7:35pm EST) You may start to be noticing a theme here with the OVERS. Scoring is up significantly as the referees are calling more penalties and teams are making a conscious effort to aggressively get more and more shots on net. The Capitals' Alex Ovechkin has earned a hat trick in each of his first two games of the season as the Caps scored 11 goals over their first two games. The Lightning have a ton of offensive firepower and they notched nine goals in their first two contests of the season. We'll keep this one simple as well. OVER is the only way to go.

4-unit Play Take #57 Chicago Blackhawks/Toronto Maple Leafs OVER (7:05pm EST) The Chicago Blackhawks scored a whopping 10 goals in their season opener against the defending champion Penguins. They followed that up with five goals against a very good Columbus team. The Leafs were equally as proficient on offense. They scored a total of 15 goals in their first two contests as well. These two teams love to play offense and I don't think the lines makers can make the total high enough. We'll play the OVER and could get there by the second period tonight.

3-unit Play Take #55 New Jersey Devils/Buffalo Sabres OVER (3:05pm EST) The New Jersey Devils have been known as a defensive team for years. That's not going to drastically change all of sudden. However, there are signs of more of a focus on offense this season after bringing up the rear in many offensive categories for the last few years. The Devils brought in top six winger Marcus Johansson from the Capitals in the off-season and selected flashy centerman Nico Hischier as the #1 overall pick in the NHL Draft. Those moves should ignite more offense and hopefully take some pressure off of goaltender Corey Schneider. In New Jersey's first game of the season against the Avalanche, the Devils had a whopping 39 shots on goal. The Avs topped that with 41 shots on goal. That's about a 60% increase over the shots numbers featured in Devils' games last season. The Buffalo Sabres still have some massive holes defensively and they'd rather let their offense win games for them at this point. Jake Eichel is a budding superstar and has given the Buffalo franchise a huge lift that should take another step forward this season. I expect plenty of action in this matchup, so play the OVER.

4-unit Play Take #59 New York Rangers/Toronto Maple Leafs OVER (7:05pm EST) The Toronto Maple Leafs are loaded with talented forwards. It's an embarrassment of riches and I'll be surprised if the Leafs don't lead the league in goals scored this season. What's not clear is how improved their defense is. They had some huge holes in their own zone last season and I'm not convinced that they have addressed them for this season. As a result, we're going to see a lot of high scoring affairs involving Toronto once again. The same can be said of the Rangers, who have defensive issues of their own. They're missing a big shut down defender and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is coming off of a mediocre season. At age 35, Lundqvist may be merely a league-average goalie at this point in his career. New York has plenty of weapons on offense and that's what will make this team go in 2017-18. This game could see a flurry of goals and I wouldn't be surprised if it approaches double digits. Take the OVER today.

3-unit Play Take #60 Toronto Maple Leafs over New York Rangers (7:05pm EST) Toronto looked awfully impressive in their 7-2 shellacking of the Jets last time out. As we mentioned above, they have a special offense that is going to be tough to stop. The Rangers defense surely won't be able to slow it down. Toronto could put up five or six goals tonight and that should be enough for Leaf's goalie Frederick Andersen to work with. Play Toronto at home.

4-unit Play Take #64 New York Islanders over Buffalo Sabres (7:05pm EST) The Islanders were embarrassed 5-0 last night in Columbus, but they didn't play quite as bad as the score indicated. Back-to-back spots are generally tough on NHL teams, but that's not the case early on in the season. In fact, I think it's a good thing in October as the teams look to find their rhythm early on. Buffalo is young and improving, but I still think they are at least one year away from contending. The defense is still quite porous and they're not going to get much help from their below-average goaltenders. This line should be at least 20 cents higher, so we're on the Islanders at home today.

4-unit Play Take #6 Dallas Stars over Vegas Golden Knights (8:35pm EST) I don't normally like to lay prices this high in the NHL, but tonight is an exception that makes a ton of sense. The expansion Vegas Golden Knights make their franchise debut tonight in Dallas. Going back to 1993, expansion teams in their very first game are winless and the scores aren't very close. It's just too much to ask for a brand new team to instantly have the chemistry on the ice. Yes they've played together in the preseason, but there was a lot of mixing and matching going on and a lot of younger players that they were trying to evaluate. It's going to take time for Vegas to become a legitimate hockey team. Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars made some nice off-season moves and I think they are ready for a bounce-back season. The Stars brought in Alexander Radulov, Martin Hanzal and Marc Methot to an already deep team. All of them will be big contributors and should propel Dallas near the top of the division. I expect this one to be ugly for the Knights in their first ever contest. Take Dallas.

4-unit Play Take #1 Toronto Maple Leafs/Winnipeg Jets OVER (7:05pm EST) The puck drops on the 2017-18 NHL season tonight in Winnipeg where the Jets host the Maple Leafs. Toronto is coming off an unbelievable season in which many of their young players broke out earlier than expected. Head coach Mike Babcock has the team focused on doing the little things to win hockey games, and I think they'll take another step forward this season. They have unbelievable offensive firepower - maybe more so than any other team in the NHL (including the Penguins). The defense still has some major question marks, and so do tonight's opponent the Jets. Winnipeg showed that they could score the puck as they ranked 2nd in the Western Conference in goals. They were also the 4th worst team in allowing goals. Both teams have virtually the same roster for this season, so I expect this to be a high scoring affair. Take the OVER in today's matchup.

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over Pittsburgh Penguins (8:00pm EST) Game 6 gets underway in Nashville tonight. The home team has won every game in this series and most of them have not been particularly close. The Predators are coming off of that embarrassing 6-0 loss in Pittsburgh, and I have a feeling they're going to respond well after that shellacking. Nashville has outshot the Penguins in every game this series (Game 5 was technically even) and has been the better team overall in my opinion. The Predator fans will be loud once again and I think they root their team to a victory to force a Game 7. Play Nashville.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over Pittsburgh Penguins (8:00pm EST) We've stuck by Nashville's side for this entire series, and there's no reason to jump off the bandwagon now. The Predators have outshot the Penguins in every single game and were the better team in three of the four contests so far. Pekka Rinne seems to have his confidence back and that's extremely important as the series shifts back to Pittsburgh for Game 5. This is the biggest game of the season for both teams, and I can really see it going either way. As a result, we like getting +135 with the Preds.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over Pittsburgh Penguins (8:00pm EST) The Predators trail the Stanley Cup Final 2-1, but it's clear they've been the better team for the majority of the series. Nashville has outshot Pittsburgh by a 97-67 margin over the first three contests. Tonight they get the chance to even up the series, and I think they have a great chance to do it. Nashville dominated Game 3 at home, and they were dominant in Game 1 at Pittsburgh as well. If they bring a similar effort for Game 4, it will take one heck of a game from Penguins' goalie Matt Murray to stop them. Pekka Rinne has certainly been a wild card in net for Nashville, so they'll need to see the good Pekka today. Play Nashville tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over Pittsburgh Penguins (8:00pm EST) We played Nashville in the first two games of the Stanley Cup and came away empty. This series could easily be 1-1 however, as the Preds were far better in Game 1, and in Game 2 it was tight for the first two periods. Coming home will be a big boost for Nashville, as they have a raucous crowd and could use a change of scenery. A quick look at the numbers will show that Nashville has been the better team overall so far in the Final. They'll need a better goaltending effort, but it can't get too much worse than what Pekka Rinne did in the last game. Look for Nashville to tighten things up in the series with a victory today.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over Pittsburgh Penguins (8:00pm EST) The Nashville Predators dominated Game 1 of the series and it wasn't even close. What do they have to show for it - an L. The Preds outshot Pittsburgh in every period and 26-12 overall. In fact, the Penguins went almost 38 minutes without a shot in the middle of the game. You don't see many teams that get five goals on 12 shots (one empty netter), so if Nashville just plays half as good as they did last time out, they should get the win here. Pekka Rinne will obviously have to be a lot better, but he couldn't have played much worse in limited action on Monday. We're going with Nashville in Game 2 tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-Unit Play. Take 'Over' Nashville at Pittsburgh (Monday, May 29th at 8:00 p.m.)

I like the Over in game 1 of this series due in large part to the layoff and freshness of both teams. Both offenses are very capable of scoring goals in bunches and both defenses have been vulnerable at times in this postseason. Having said that, I look for an exciting style of hockey -- especially in game 1 with both teams having fresh legs. Here are two trends to consider:

Take Over

4-unit Play Take Pittsburgh Penguins over Ottawa Senators (8:00pm EST) Here we are for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pittsburgh Penguins didn't take care of business in Game 6 to close out the series, but it wasn't due to lack of dominance. For the third straight game, the Pens were the much better team. They just couldn't get more than one past Sens goalie Craig Anderson, and that's the way it goes sometimes in hockey. Pittsburgh has played in plenty of these big games in the postseason in recent years, while the Senators are into unchartered territory of sorts. I think that is worth something and I expect Pittsburgh to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Pittsburgh Penguins over Ottawa Senators (8:00pm EST) The Pittsburgh Penguins have a chance to close out their series versus the Senators tonight in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Pittsburgh wasn't playing well earlier in the series, but they've certainly turned it on over the last couple of games. They looked great in Game 5 in a 7-0 win and were quite impressive in Game 4 as well (had a 3-0 lead late before winning 3-2). I like that Matt Murray is back in goal and the Pens seem to have their mojo back. They can smell the Stanley Cup Final and I think they get there with a win tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Ottawa Senators/Pittsburgh Penguins UNDER (3:00pm EST) The Ottawa Senators have done a really good job of slowing down a dynamic Pittsburgh offense in this series. There have been a total of just 15 goals over the first four games, and the Pens have only six of those. Ottawa knows they'll have a tough time playing Pittsburgh's up tempo style, so they're just going to bang and try to grind out another win. I'm not sure they'll be successful, but this feels like it's going to be another 2-1 or 3-1 type of game. I like the fact that Matt Murray is back in the goal for Pittsburgh (he's the better of their duo), and Craig Anderson has been amazing in this series. Expect the goalies to play a huge part in keeping this game UNDER the total.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over Anaheim Ducks (8:00pm EST) The Predators and Ducks are all knotted at two games apiece with pivotal Game 5 going tonight in Anaheim. While the series is even, there's no question in my mind that one team has been a lot better than the other. Nashville has 40 more shots on goal than the Ducks over the first four games and has controlled large parts of each game. The Ducks are the more experienced team, which counts for something, but the Preds are a gritty bunch that doesn't fold under pressure. Losing Ryan Johansen is a big loss for the Nashville, but they have a deep roster and I'm confident someone will step right up to take his place. Play the Predators in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over Anaheim Ducks (8:00pm EST) If you've been watching the Western Conference Finals, it's clear that the Nashville Predators have been the better team - much better in fact. The Preds have outshot the Ducks in each game, and by a 119-76 margin over the three games. Nashville has also gotten better goaltending play from Pekka Rinne throughout the playoffs, as he's single-handedly won them several games. John Gibson of the Ducks has been solid too, but he's not the kind of goaltender that's going to absolutely stonewall the other team very often. Nashville's fan base is loud and proud, and this is the closest that they've ever come to a Stanley Cup. The crowd was really into it in Game 3 and I think they help with the home ice edge again in Game 4. The Predators have dominated this series so far and there's no reason to believe it will be any different tonight. Take Nashville in our NHL Game of the Month.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over Anaheim Ducks (8:00pm EST) The Western Conference Final is tied up at one game apiece as the series shifts to Nashville. The Predators have been the better team overall so far, and I really think they'll benefit more at home than Anaheim did. The Preds feed off of their fans and this is as close as Nashville has ever gotten to sniffing the Stanley Cup. Pekka Rinne is the big wild card. He's been great throughout most of the postseason, but in Game 2 he was out of sorts. I'm banking of Rinne getting back together and the Predators getting ahead early and holding on. Take Nashville in Game 3 tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Pittsburgh Penguins over Ottawa Senators (8:00pm EST) We cashed a ticket on the Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of this series, as we thought the Penguins would be a bit out of sorts after a taxing series against the Capitals. Now the Penguins should be locked in after dropping the first game and looking pretty bad in the process. They started to wake up late in Game 1 and I expect the Pens to come out firing in Game 2. The Senators have been extremely fortunate in the playoffs, winning six of the seven overtime games they've been involved in. They are just 3-3 in games decided in regulation and have been outplayed in most of them. This line is pretty steep, but it's warranted and see still see some value on Pittsburgh.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over Anaheim Ducks (7:30pm EST) We took the Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 of this series and we have to just admit that we were dead wrong. Yes the game went into overtime, but that contest was all Predators. They were the better team throughout and won the shots on goal battle by a strong 46-29 margin. There's no reason to expect things to be any different today. As long as goalie Pekka Rinne plays his usual game, I think Nashville wins again in Anaheim. Take the Predators in Game 2.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Ottawa Senators over Pittsburgh Penguins (7:00pm EST) The Pittsburgh Penguins just got through a grueling seven-game series with the Capitals that felt like a Stanley Cup Final. The Senators knocked the Rangers out in six games. I think Ottawa will be the more focused team tonight in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The Pens didn't look that great in knocking off the Caps and they have some big injury issues. The Senators are scrappy and always seem to get the big goal when they need it. This line is just too high to kick off a series. Take Ottawa here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Anaheim Ducks over Edmonton Oilers (10:00pm EST) Game 7 goes tonight between the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks were embarrassed 7-1 in Edmonton in Game 6 and I look for them to bounce right back in the series finale tonight. This has been a fairly even series, but I give the Ducks the edge with their playoff experience and health. Edmonton has gotten banged up in this series and it's cost them a couple of key defenseman. Anaheim has won these big games before and I anticipate that carrying them tonight. Play the Ducks in Game 7.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take New York Rangers over Ottawa Senators (7:30pm EST) The New York Rangers look to even up the series at Madison Square Garden tonight against the Senators. While Ottawa holds the 3-2 series edge, the Rangers have actually been the better team for the majority of the series. All three of Ottawa's wins have been by a lone goal (including two in overtime). The Rangers' victories were easy 4-1 winners. The Senators are a scrappy bunch and that's why they are here. However, I'm a little bit concerned with superstar Eric Karlsson, who isn't playing 100% right now. He's their leader and they need him to be his best. The home team has won all five games in the series so far, and I think the Rangers hold serve in Game 6 tonight to force a deciding Game 7. Play the Rangers here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Anaheim Ducks over Edmonton Oilers (7:05pm EST) The Edmonton Oilers have to be shell-shocked. They led Game 4 by a 3-0 score with less than four minutes remaining in the game and blew the lead. They eventually lost in overtime to fall behind 3-2 in the series. It was a golden opportunity they let slip away in Anaheim and I'm not sure they can recover from this. Now the Ducks have the chance to close things out after winning three straight in the series. Not only do they have the momentum, but they also have the playoff experience and have been playing better than the Oilers overall. I like Anaheim to close it out tonight in Game 6 in Edmonton.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take New York Rangers over Ottawa Senators (3:00pm EST) The New York Rangers evened up the series last time out and look for their third straight victory tonight in Ottawa. There' s absolutely no question who the better team has been in this series overall. The Rangers have outscored the Sens 18-10 and have outshot them by a 143-127 margin. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was spectacular during the two games in New York - looking a lot like the Henrik of old. Look for more of the same today as the Rangers get another win.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over St. Louis Blues (8:05pm EST) It's time for the Nashville Predators to close out the St. Louis Blues tonight. The Preds have been the dominant team throughout the series and now have a commanding 3-1 lead. Over the first four games, Nashville has outshot St. Louis by nine shots overall in this series despite being in the lead for the majority of the time. Pekka Rinne has been sensational in the postseason once again and looks much better than Blues goaltender Jake Allen. Great price here on the Predators and that's where we'll put our money in Game 5.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take New York Rangers over Ottawa Senators (7:30pm EST) The New York Rangers look to even up this series in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden tonight. The Rangers have led for far more minutes than the Sens have in this series, and I'd say New York has been the better overall team. They clearly let one slip away in Game 2 (and were tied late in Game 1), so this could easily be a 2-1 series lead for the Rangers. I really liked the effort from goaltender Henrik Lundqvist the last time out, and if he's on the Senators have almost no chance. Take New York to get Game 4 at home.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Anaheim Ducks over Edmonton Oilers (10:05pm EST) We played the Anaheim Ducks in Game 3 and we like them again in Game 4 for the same reasons. The Ducks have been the better team overall in this series, but they just fell behind early in Games 1 and 2. Anaheim is 19-7 in their last 26 games in Edmonton. Anaheim is also has a lot more postseason experience, and that is going to be a factor throughout the series. I look for Anaheim to even up this series in Game 4.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over St. Louis Blues (9:35pm EST) If you've watched the Western Conference Semi-Final series between the Predators and Blues, one thing is clear - Nashville is playing MUCH better than their counterpart. The Preds are up 2-1 in the series, but they were the better team in all three games and they dominated the action for large stretches of time in each game. Given how lucky the Blues got in their first round series versus the Wild, I'm not surprised that they aren't showing well here. In fact, they might actually be playing a little better in this series than they did against Minnesota. Either way, Nashville should close out this series in five or six games and move on to the Western Conference Finals. Play the Predators in Game 4.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Anaheim Ducks over Edmonton Oilers (7:00pm EST) The Anaheim Ducks find themselves down 0-2 in their best of seven with the Oiler as the series heads to Edmonton. It's a tough position to be in, but the Ducks have played well this series. They were the better team for large parts of both games, so I don't think they need to make any big adjustments. The Oilers have been able to jump out to early leads in the first two games, but I think if Anaheim gets one early on in Game 3, it could change the complexion of the series. I think there's value on Anaheim as an underdog today.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Pittsburgh Penguins over Washington Capitals (8:00pm EST) There is an enormous amount of pressure on the Washington Capitals tonight. They need to even up this series before heading back to Pittsburgh for the next two contests. It's a familiar position for the Caps, who have underperformed in the postseason year after year. They just don't respond well in big time spots. Some of the blame has gone to Alex Ovechkin, which is somewhat justified. But the franchise as a whole isn't to be trusted until they win a big time series. Until they do it, we're going to continue to fade away. The Penguins got some great shots in Game 1 and Sidney Crosby was locked in with two goals. I look for more of the same and a Penguins win in Game 2.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over St. Louis Blues (8:00pm EST) We played the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of this series, and we're looking in their direction once again in Game 2. The Predators were much more impressive in their first round victory over the Blackhawks, and that momentum carried right over to this series. The Preds were the aggressor for most of Game 1. The Blues were able to come back and tie it up in the third period, but Nashville responded shortly thereafter to regain the lead. Pekka Rinne has been sensational in the net so far this postseason and I expect another big game from him today. Take Nashville.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

The following selection is our NHL Game of the Week

10-unit Play Take Pittsburgh Penguins over Washington Capitals (7:30pm EST) Here. We. Go. The Washington Capital, once again, are in the driver's seat in the Eastern Conference. Time after time they've faltered in the postseason despite having the best roster. Many are calling for this year to be different, but it's hard to understand why. The Caps looked a little out of sorts in the series against the Maple Leafs and could have easily lost it if not for some timely overtime goals.

The Pittsburgh Penguins just have so many weapons and are healthier than they've been in quite some time. They were impressive in their series against Columbus, disposing of them in five games. I think goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will take advantage for his chance at redemption after losing his starting job to Matt Murray. These teams are extremely even on paper, but Pittsburgh has had a ton more of playoff success. Take the Penguins to get off to a good start in Game 1 of the series.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Nashville Predators over St. Louis Blues (8:05pm EST) We head into the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with an unlikely matchup between the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues. Both teams pulled off big upsets to get here, knocking off the Blackhawks and Wild in four and five games, respectively. But one thing was very clear if you watched both of these series. The Predators definitely earned the sweep over the Hawks, while the Blues were extremely fortunate to beat the Wild. Nashville was the clear better team in three of their four wins, and arguably all four. They rarely trailed the entire series and outhustled and outworked a more talented team. The Blues were manhandled in nearly every game by Minnesota. However, Blues goaltender Jake Allen bailed out his teammates time and time again. He was the hero of the series and the reason they are still standing. Just look at the shots on goal discrepancies in the games between St. Louis and Minnesota - they are alarming. As a result, we think the Preds are a great bet as an underdog as this series kicks off. Take Nashville.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take Washington Capitals over Toronto Maple Leafs (7:05pm EST) It's time for the Washington Capitals to close the door on the hopes of the Toronto Maple Leaf's fans. Toronto has played their hearts out in this series and really deserved a better fate. However, they unfortunately were matched up against the best team in the league. The fans in Toronto will be loud, but Washington will prove to be too much today. Take the Capitals to close out the series today.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Minnesota Wild over St. Louis Blues (3:05pm EST) The Minnesota Wild survived elimination last time out and now they're back home with a chance to put some pressure on the St. Louis Blues. The Wild have been the better team for the majority of this series, but Blues goaltender Jake Allen has made some unbelievable saves. Allen isn't one of the elite goalies in the league and he can't keep this up for the rest of the series. Minnesota got to him last time and he may be rattled now. The Blues may win this series, but I think Minnesota stays alive at least one more day with a victory in Game 5 tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Washington Capitals over Toronto Maple Leafs (7:05pm EST) The Washington Capitals have evened up the series and regained home ice advantage against the Toronto Maple Leafs. You get the sense from watching the first four games and the Caps are slowly figuring out that they just have be more aggressive and play their usual fast pace instead of trying to slow down the Leafs. Early on in the series you saw some conservatism from Washington. Yes the Leafs are at their best when they're flying up and down the ice. But the Caps are just a better versions of the Leafs and they should be able to win this one easily if they stick to their strengths. The injury to defenseman Roman Polak for Toronto is also a bigger factor than its being made out to be. I like the Capitals to win Game 5 of this series and get one step closer to advancing.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

10-unit Play Take Chicago Blackhawks over Nashville Predators (8:05pm EST) The Chicago Blackhawks find themselves in a huge hole down 0-3 to the Nashville Predators as we head into Game 4 tonight. With a couple of bounces their way, they could easily be up 2-1 in the series. Game 1 was very evenly-matched and the Hawks just couldn't get one past Pekka Rinne despite some quality chances. In the last game, the Hawks blew a late 2-0 lead on what was a very controversial non-call of goaltender interference on the equalizer. Now it seems that everyone has given up on Chicago, but they won't go down easy. They've come back from some 2-0 series deficits in the playoffs in the past, but we're not concerned with them winning the entire series. They just need to win Game 4 here for us to cash a ticket. Teams down 0-3 in a series have won 57% of the time over the last decade (and that included plenty of underdogs). This will be a tight game, but Chicago has a great chance to pick up the win as an underdog.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-Unit Play. Take #63 Anaheim over Calgary (10:05 p.m., Wednesday, Apr. 19).

I just think Anaheim is a match-up nightmare for Calgary. Their discipline on the defensive side frustrates teams like Calgary which intern results in opportunities for the Ducks. They have the better defense, penalty kill, win more face-offs and have the better goaltender. The Flames are 0-6 in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record and I don't see this trend ending tonight. Not only are the Ducks playing great defense their offense has come around as well. The club is averaging 3.7 goals in their last 7 games and are playing better now than they have all season. Anaheim is 14-2 in their last 16 games vs. teams with winning records and 14-3 vs the West. Ride Anaheim in this series until they show you differently.

Best of Luck - Strike Point Sports

4-unit Play Take Pittsburgh Penguins/Columbus Blue Jackets OVER (7:35pm EST) The Pittsburgh Penguins are looking for a four-game sweep tonight in Columbus. Game 3 went to overtime where the Pens won 5-4 and I think we'll see a similar type game tonight. There are a total of 84 shots on goal in the last contest and the Jackets were clearly looking to get the offense going last time out after scoring just two goals in two games back in Pittsburgh. One other factor to consider is that the Blue Jackets may get desperate if they're behind late in the third period and pull the goalie with several minutes remaining. That tends to happen in elimination games so expect it tonight if the score dictates it. Take the OVER in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Washington Capitals over Toronto Maple Leafs (7:05pm EST) The Toronto Maple Leafs have played extremely well in this series so far. The Caps have led for a total of just three minutes in the first two games and the Leafs were able to get a split and gain home ice advantage in what now becomes a best-of-five series. However, the Leafs suffered a huge loss in Game 2 as defenseman Roman Polak went down with a lower-body injury. Polak is out for the season and he's a huge loss on the ice as well as emotionally. The fans in Toronto will surely be loud and proud tonight, but the Caps are the better team. They will get ahead in the series with a win in Toronto here. Take the Capitals.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Columbus Blue Jackets over Pittsburgh Penguins (6:05pm EST) The Columbus Blue Jackets find themselves down 0-2 in their first round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, the Jackets haven't played badly. In fact, they were the better team on the ice for long periods of time throughout each game. Now the series heads back to Columbus and I think the Jackets give it their best effort to make this a series. The Penguins are still a beat up team right now with several guys injured and others playing hurt. This should be a good one, but we're taking Columbus to win Game 3 today.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Chicago Blackhawks over Nashville Predators (8:05pm EST) The Chicago Blackhawks are down a game in their first round series after the scrappy Nashville Predators beat them 1-0 on Thursday. It was a hard-fought game that could have went either way, but you have to give the Preds credit for getting the job done. But I look for the Hawks to make the necessary adjustments and come away with a win in Game 2. Head coach Joel Quenneville is the best in the game at making adjustments during the playoffs and they'll certainly give Nashville some new looks this time around. Chicago has won three Stanley Cup titles over the last seven years with basically the same core they have right now. That playoff experience is worth something and I expect a big effort here. Take the Blackhawks.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take San Jose Sharks over Edmonton Oilers (10:35pm EST) If you watched Game 1 between the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers, it was clear who the better team was. Even though the Sharks struggled down the stretch in the regular season, they flipped the switch to open the postseason and looked very much like the team that went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final last season. The Oilers are still a young, inexperienced team and they could be a little overwhelmed for this challenge. I like the Sharks at this price.

4-unit Play Take San Jose Sharks over Edmonton Oilers (10:35pm EST) If you watched Game 1 between the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers, it was clear who the better team was. Even though the Sharks struggled down the stretch in the regular season, they flipped the switch to open the postseason and looked very much like the team that went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final last season. The Oilers are still a young, inexperienced team and they could be a little overwhelmed for this challenge. I like the Sharks at this price.

4-unit Play Take Chicago Blackhawks over Nashville Predators (8:05pm EST) The Chicago Blackhawks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season against the Blues. It was a hard-fought seven game series that could have went either way, but it just wasn't meant to be for Chicago. This year they get a much better matchup against the Predators - a team the Hawks have beaten four straight times. In fact, Chicago is 24-9 over the last 33 meetings in Chicago between these two clubs. I like the way the Hawks played in the second half of the season as they tracked down Minnesota and took home the Central Division crown. Chicago dominated the Central Division with a 19-8-2 record and I think they get off to a good start in Game 1 tonight. Take the Hawks.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take Minnesota Wild over St. Louis Blues (9:35pm EST) The NHL Playoffs are finally here and the Minnesota Wild cannot wait. The Wild struggled down the stretch in the regular season, including a 1-9-0 stretch where they couldn't stop anyone defensively. But Minnesota seemed to right the ship in their last four games, posting a 4-0-0 record and out scoring their opponents 17-9. Yes they were against weaker competition, but I think Minnesota just got a little bored over the last month or so as they've had a playoff spot locked up for some time. The Blues, on the other hand, finished strong over the last five weeks or so. They were 15-2-2 in their last 19 games. However, a lot of those victories came against teams below the .500 mark. St. Louis hasn't been a good team for the majority of the season and I don't see them playing at the level they need to in order to win this game.

4-unit Play Take Boston Bruins over Washington Capitals (3:05pm EST) The Washington Capitals are once again the President's Cup trophy winners with the most points in the NHL. With home ice advantage locked up throughout the playoffs, the Caps have absolutely nothing to play for in this game. And considering that they have to play again tomorrow, don't expect to see normal minutes for some of their top guys. On the other end of the spectrum we have the Boston Bruins - who desperately need a win for playoff positioning. This is the final game of the regular season for the B's and they a chance to help their playoff chances with a win here. Boston has won six of seven games and seems poised to head into the playoffs on a hot streak. Both the offense and defense are really clicking and they have the potential to make a deep postseason run. Take Boston to get the win here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit Play Take #17 Vancouver Canucks over Arizona Coyotes (10:05pm EST) The regular season is almost over and the Vancouver Canucks and Arizona Coyotes can't wait for the offseason to begin. Both teams have been out of the race for some time and their hockey play of late has been less than stellar. It's hard to imagine either team getting up for this game, but that doesn't mean we can't cash a ticket on it. Vancouver has lost five straight games, but they've played that poorly. In a couple of those games they fell behind early and just couldn't make up enough ground. But the important thing is that they didn't quit, evidenced by the fact that they've outshot their opponents over the five-game slide. Arizona has won two of their last three, but they were outplayed in both of those wins and didn't deserve to go to overtime in their last game versus the Stars. Over their last three contests, the Coyotes have been outshot 114-66 collectively. That's about as bad as it gets. This will be an ugly game, but I like the Canucks to get the win in our NHL Game of the Week.

4-unit Play Take #12 Toronto Maple Leafs over Tampa Bay Lightning (7:35pm EST) This is the biggest game of the year for both of these teams. For the Lightning, they need to win this game to stay alive for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. A loss would eliminate them. For the Maple Leafs, a win clinches them a spot in the postseason. This is what Toronto head coach Mike Babcock has been waiting for. Since coming over from Detroit, Babcock has shaped and molded his young team to prepare them for this moment. He's done a terrific job and there's no question he'll have the guys ready to go tonight as the team is peaking at the right time. The Leafs are one of the hottest teams in the league right now, with an 11-3-1 record over their last 15 contests. They were embarrassed at home by the Capitals in their last game. That should provide even more motivation tonight as they go up against a banged up Tampa team. The Bolts have several key players with question marks next to their name for tonight. That includes their leader Steven Stamkos. The team hedged their bets at the trade deadline, trading away some significant pieces in an effort to gear up for the future. Tampa didn't envision themselves in the playoffs, and tonight that will become official. Play Toronto.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #8 Columbus Blue Jackets over Winnipeg Jets (7:05pm EST) The Blue Jackets have lost four straight games and need a win to get their confidence back as they prepare for the playoffs. The schedule has been brutal lately, but things soften up tonight as they host the Winnipeg Jets. Yes the Jets have won five straight games, but it's too little too late for them this season. Things regress to the mean tonight and the Jackets get the win.

4-unit Play Take #13 Carolina Hurricanes over Minnesota Wild (8:05pm EST) For most of the season the Minnesota Wild were sitting atop the Central Division. But a red hot run by the Blackhawks in conjunction with a big slide for the Wild has entrenched Minnesota in the #2 spot. The Wild have won just three of their last 13 games and look a little bit lost on the ice. Earlier in the season they had a tremendous knack for scoring a big goal when they really needed, but that ability has disappeared over the last month or so. They're not getting demolished, but Minnesota certainly isn't playing sharp hockey. The Carolina Hurricanes aren't going to be playing in the postseason this year, but they also haven't given up. They are 7-2-2 over their last nine contests and haven played some really good teams during that stretch. Since Minnesota is locked into the #2 spot, they may have fallen asleep at the wheel. Carolina isn't going anywhere either, but that hasn't stopped them from playing hard. Take Carolina at a nice price here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #52 Buffalo Sabres over Toronto Maple Leafs (7:05pm EST) The postseason is just around the corner and the Toronto Maple Leafs have been doing everything they can to secure a playoff spot. The Leafs are 10-2-1 over their last 13 contests and control their own destiny as we enter the final week of the regular season. While Toronto has done well to put themselves in this position with a strong run, they seem to be running out of gas a bit. They've been outshot in five straight contests and have been lucky to walk away with wins in a couple of them. The Leafs have also been traveling a ton down the stretch, as they haven't had consecutive games in the same city over the last two weeks. That holds true again tonight as they head to Buffalo to take on the Sabres. Buffalo has been out of the playoff hunt for some time, but that hasn't stopped them from trying their best to play the role of the spoiler. The Sabres beat the Leafs 5-2 last week and notched several other recent wins against teams trying to position themselves for the playoffs. The line on this game is just too big, as Buffalo deserves to be respected a little bit more. Toronto has not been very good on the road this season, and the Sabres have done well in defending their home ice. Take the Sabres in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #14 St. Louis Blues over Nashville Predators (4:05pm EST) Big game today between the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues. The two clubs are tied with 91 points, as the teams vie to avoid the Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs. The Preds and Blues are both playing tremendous hockey of late, but the Blues look a bit sharper. Nashville is 8-3-0 over their last 11 contests, while St. Louis is 11-1-2 over their last 14. This game should have a playoff-like atmosphere as these teams try to lock up a playoff spot today (a point would do it for either team). I give the leg up for a couple of reasons. First off, Nashville has really struggled away from home this season, with just 16 wins in 38 tries. In addition, the Blues have won five of the last six meetings in St. Louis and has been playing slightly better hockey recently. They have more talent on their roster and are the better-coached team. Play St. Louis in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit Play Take #52 Carolina Hurricanes (+105) over Columbus Blue Jackets (7:05pm EST) It might be too little too late for the Carolina Hurricanes, but they clearly aren't giving up on the 2016-17 season. The Canes are 8-0-4 over their last 12 contests and are just four points away from the final playoff spot in the competitive Eastern Conference. Carolina has been getting key contributions from all four lines and has really controlled the game throughout in most of those victories. Today they get a Columbus team that has won six of eight, but that is a bit deceiving. Columbus has really been outplayed in four straight games, but was bailed out by some really good goaltending by Sergei Bobrovsky that kept them in the game. And I like the fact that they've been winning lately, as that helps us get a little better line here today. This is a generous home underdog line for a team that hasn't been beaten in regulation in over three weeks. Take Carolina in our NHL Game of the Week.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

3-unit Play Take #54 Detroit Red Wings (-105) over Tampa Bay Lightning (7:35pm EST) The Detroit Red Wings won't make the playoffs this season and it will be the first time since 1990 they can say that. That's 25 straight years of excellence and an achievement that they should be proud of. They are sitting in the cellar of the Atlantic Division right now, but just because the Wings aren't making the postseason it doesn't mean they are giving up. Detroit has won three of their last four games and will relish the chance to play spoiler for the first time in ages. Tonight they get the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are hanging onto hope in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Bolts are currently three points behind the Bruins for the last spot and they have nine games remaining in the regular season to catch them. Tampa has admittedly played much better since getting healthy, but I think it's going to be too little too late. They won an impressive game 6-3 in Boston last night and it felt like an elimination game for the Lightning. Getting that win was huge, but I'm not sure how much gas they'll have left in the tank for this possible letdown spot. This is their third game in four nights and every game has been huge. I like the Red Wings to get the victory today at home.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

2-Unit Play. Take #54 Toronto (+100) over Boston (7:35 p.m., Monday, Mar 20)

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be in a great spot on Monday night to pick up a home victory as they host the Boston Bruins at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario. Toronto comes into tonights game off a tough 2-1 OT loss to the Blackhawks but have now recorded a point in 5 of their last 6 and are holding onto the final wild card spot. Boston on the other hand are coming off being manhandled by the Oilers 7-4 in a very ugly defensive showing by them. Toronto has had Boston's number this year as they are 3-0 including a most recent 6-5 Leafs victory in Boston last month. Frederik Andersen is probable for the Leafs in net tonight and he has all 3 victories vs. the Bruins thie season recording a .929 SV%. Boston has struggled in this spot going 5-14 in their last 19 games playing on 3 days or more rest. The Leafs on the other hand are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. the Eastern Conference and have recorded a point in 6 straight home games. Look for those trends to continue tonight as we'll take the home dog in this one.

Carpe Diem. Good Luck.

4-unit Play Take #13 Los Angeles Kings (+105) over Calgary Flames (9:35pm EST) The Los Angeles Kings have been in this position before. As of right now, the Kings are on the outside looking as far as the playoffs are concerned. They are currently six points behind the Blues and Predators for the final spot in the Western Conference. They'll need a big push down the stretch to get in, but they've finished strong several times over the last decade to squeak into the playoffs and have done some damage there once they got in. This year's team has been in a funk for several months and part of the reason is that star goaltender Jonathan Quick was on the shelf for the majority of the season. He's back now and I expect another strong finish to the regular season for the Kings. Tonight they head into Calgary to take on the Flames. Calgary has been red hot, with 11 wins over their last 12 games. However, they expended a ton of energy over the last few weeks and I think we'll see a bit of a letdown for the next week or so. Calgary has basically already locked up a playoff spot while the Kings desperately need every win they can get. We're looking to the Kings to get the job done in an underdog role.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit  Play Take #57 Nashville Predators (-110) over Carolina Hurricanes (7:05pm EST) The Nashville Predators have won three straight games, including impressive wins on the road in San Jose and Washington D.C. They've positioned themselves nicely for a playoff spot and should get with a decent finish to the regular season. I like the chemistry on this team right now as different guys seem to be stepping up each night and it feels like a full team effort. For the Carolina Hurricanes, the offseason is near. They're probably too far out of the playoff race and have too many teams to leapfrog to consider it a reality. It wasn't a horrible season in Carolina overall, but consistency has been a major issue for this club. The Canes won last time out, but they've haven't won two games in a row since February 3rd. Lack of offense has been the biggest problem, as Carolina ranks near the bottom of the league in most major offensive categories. With the focus now on the future, I think the Preds get a victory in Carolina today.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit  Play Take #69 Dallas Stars (-120) over Vancouver Canucks (10:05pm EST) Two bad teams go at it tonight in Vancouver as the Canucks host the Stars. Neither one of these teams is playoff-bound, but that doesn't mean we can't make a little bit of money here. The Canucks have been absolutely reeling with four straight losses and just eight wins over their last 28 games overall. They are clearly focused on the future and there are too many aging veterans past their prime. Dallas hasn't been playing much better the last couple of months, but they clearly have more talent on their roster and they at least have a pulse. The Stars are 5-5-0 over their last 10 and have beaten some really good teams during that stretch including the Penguins, Capitals and Lightning. The Stars are pretty healthy for this time of year, while Vancouver is a ravaged bunch. The Canucks currently have nine guys on their injury report - several of which play key roles on the team. Dallas is the much better team right now and we're comfortable laying the juice on the road. Play the Stars.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

7-Unit Play. Take #3 Boston (-105) over Calgary (9:05 p.m., Wednesday, Mar 15)

The Boston Bruins will be in a great spot on Wednesday night to pick up a road victory as they head to the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta to put an end to the Flames 10 game win streak. Boston comes into tonights game hot as well as they are winners of 3 straight and are 11-3 since firing Claude Julien and putting Bruce Cassidy in charge. Brian Elliott is probable in net tonight for the Flames and he has obviously been on fire during this Flames win streak but he is only 3-9 with a very ugly 3.16GAA against the Bruins in his career. Bruins are expected to send goaltender Tuukka Rask out tonight in net and he has not lost in regulation in 7 career starts against the Flames and holds a very solid 1.61GAA with 2 shutouts. This is a let down spot tonight for the Flames as they tied the franchise record for consecutive wins their last time out in a very hard fought game against the Penguins where they gave up a late goal in the 3rd period to tie it but pulled out the victory in a shootout. Boston has been great in spots like tonight going 6-1 in their last 7 games vs. the Pacific, 7-2 L9 playing on 1 days rest, 7-3 L10 following a win, and 4-0 L4 vs. the Western Conference. Look for those trends to continue tonight as the Bruins pick up the victory tonight.

Carpe Diem. Good Luck.

4-unit Play Take #51 Minnesota Wild (+125) over Washington Capitals (7:05pm EST) The Minnesota Wild have lost four of their last six games and seem to be in a mini slide. However, don't get too concerned. The Wild were impressive in a 4-2 loss to the Blackhawks last time out - outshooting them by a 44-22 margin. The other three losses came to playoff-caliber teams and two of those could have gone either way. Minnesota has the best record in the Western Conference and they've earned it. They've been the most consistent team all season long and have the biggest goal differential in the West at +60 (the next closest is only +33). Today they head to Washington D.C. to take on the Capitals. Washington is in a slide of their own, dropping four straight games heading into tonight. But the difference for the Caps is that they were outplayed badly in three of those games. They don't look like themselves and I'm not sure they are going to figure it out against a really good Wild team. Washington is an impressive 27-6-1 at home this season, but Minnesota has been road warriors with a 20-9-5 mark on the road. This should be a great game, but we're going with the underdog Wild at this price.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #17 New Jersey Devils (+100) over Arizona Coyotes (8:05pm EST) The Arizona Coyotes were busy at the trade deadline, acquiring draft picks and young talent in exchange for productive veterans that weren't useful at this point for the franchise. It's part of the rebuilding process and they did well. However, their roster now is simply horrific and they're not going to win many games down the stretch. The New Jersey Devils also traded for the future, but not to the same extreme. Both squads are really struggling at the moment, but this one comes down to pure talent. The Devils have the far better roster and they've played better than the Coyotes over the entire season. New Jersey should be the favorites here, so we'll gladly take the underdog price.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit  Play Take #57 Anaheim Ducks (+130) over St. Louis Blues (8:05pm EST) The St. Louis Blues haven't been themselves this season. Before the season they were viewed as one of the top contenders in the Western Conference, but right now they're on the outside looking in as far as the playoffs are concerned. They're just one game above the .500 mark and recently experienced a five-game losing skid in which they scored a total of just 6 goals. They've bounced back with two straight wins, but the Blues don't deserve to be a decided favorite against a team as good as the Anaheim Ducks. Lack of consistency has been a problem for Anaheim, but they are coming off of two really good wins against the Predators and Blackhawks. The Blues are just 2-7 over their last nine home games and they can't be trusted at these price levels. Take the Ducks to get the win here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5 unit Play Take #2 Carolina Hurricanes (+100) over New York Rangers (7:05pm EST) The Carolina Hurricanes have lost 10 of 12, but that's no indication of how they've been playing lately. The Canes have outshot their opponents in eight of those 12 contests and could have easily won several of them if a bounce or two had gone their way. They just aren't catching any breaks at the moment. As a result, we're buying low on Carolina today. They're at home against the Rangers in this one. New York hasn't been playing crisp hockey lately - even in their wins. They're just 5-4 in their last nine games and three of those wins came in overtime against inferior opponents. Rangers' goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has proved to be very human this season. The 35-year old veteran owns a mediocre .913 save percentage and 2.65 goals against average. And if backup Antti Raanta gets the nod, he's been struggling lately too. The Rangers are also a little banged up right now, with a couple of key guys nursing injuries. This is the fourth game in six nights for the Rangers and this is the time of the year when fatigue really starts to become an issue. Carolina is a live home underdog in our NHL Game of the Week.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #4 Florida Panthers (-130) over New York Rangers (7:35pm EST) The Florida Panthers were severely banged up earlier in the season. But since getting healthy they have been playing solid hockey and have inserted themselves into the playoff discussion. They recently had a run in which they won eight out of nine games and beat some really good teams in the process. They've stumbled a bit over the last two weeks, but they were the better team in several of their losses. The Panthers have done a good job of controlling the game and getting high quality chances - something that was lacking earlier in the season. Today they get the New York Rangers. All season long the Rangers have been outplaying their underlying metrics. It's hard to say that they're overrated, but I do think they have banked several more wins than losses as a result of fortune. This line isn't very far off, but I do think there is some value on Florida.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #55 Boston Bruins over Ottawa Senators (7:35pm EST) The Boston Bruins needed a spark. They were playing decent hockey, but just weren't getting the end results under head coach Claude Julien. Enter interim coach Bruce Cassidy. Since taking over the reins, Cassidy has guided the Bruins to an 8-2-0 record. They're playing their best hockey of the season right now and I think they can go up even another level. Today they get the Ottawa Senators - a team that played over its head for virtually the entire season. The Sens are ahead of the Bruins in the standings by two points, but don't expect that to last. Ottawa rates poorly in many of the advanced metrics and has been fortunate to stay healthy and win a lot of the tight games this season. The betting markets obviously realize most of this, as Boston is a decent-sized favorite on the road. However, this line should be even higher. Take Boston in this one.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #13 Carolina Hurricanes (-140) over Arizona Coyotes (8:35pm EST) The Hurricanes and Coyotes hook up for the second leg of a home-and-home tonight in Arizona. They played two days ago in Carolina and the Coyotes won the game 4-2. However, it was a misleading final score. The Canes were clearly the better team for the vast majority of the game and outshot Arizona by a 34-22 count. Carolina has now dropped nine of their last 10 games and their bandwagon is virtually empty. But the Canes haven't been playing nearly as poorly as it appears. They were the better team in several of those recent losses. In the game prior to Arizona, the Hurricanes dominated the Lightning and took a 4-3 loss in overtime (31-15 shot advantage in that game). The Canes aren't going to be qualifying for the postseason this year, but they aren't giving up either. It hasn't shown in the final scores, but Carolina is a lot better than what they've looked like of late. I expect the Hurricanes to dominate today's re-match with the Coyotes. Take Carolina.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit Play Take #54 Buffalo Sabres (-105) over Tampa Bay Lightning (7:05pm EST) Everyone is jumping back on the Tampa Bay Lightning bandwagon of late, but I don't see much improvement from earlier in the season. Yes the team is much healthier, but inconsistency has been a huge problem as the Bolts haven't won more than two games in a row since mid-November. I really think they miss their leader Steven Stamkos more than they realize, as he's likely out for the season. Tampa Bay has struggled mightily away from home this season, with just 12 wins in 33 contests. Tonight they head to Buffalo for the second leg of a back-to-back and their fourth game in six nights. Fatigue is a big issue this time of the year, and Tampa is certainly going to be a little gassed for this one. The Sabres trail the Lightning by just one point in the standings and are playing better hockey despite some of the results. They dismantled the Coyotes 6-3 last time out in a game they outshot them 41-22. Their young guns are getting better by the day and I think they're a notch better than Tampa at the moment. We'll play the Sabres in our NHL Game of the Week tonight.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #5 St. Louis Blues over Winnipeg Jets (8:05pm EST) Today we get an excellent buy low opportunity on a team that has been perceived to be giving up on the season. The St. Louis Blues have lost four straight games and just traded away one of their best players in Kevin Shattenkirk. Fans and observers are interpreting that as the Blues waving the white flag, but this is a talented and deep team. They are just a mere one point away from the final playoff spot in the Western Conference and have made the postseason five straight years. In a way, I think trading away Shattenkirk may spark this team. The Blues haven't hit stride all season long and they're capable of being one of the best teams in hockey when they are at their best. Mixing things up a little just might be what they need to get things going. Today they get the Winnipeg Jets. The Jets are just 3-7 over their last 10 games and are probably more focused on the future than the present. Winnipeg, who once had a very strong home ice edge, has dropped six of their last seven games at the MTS Centre. I still think the Blues are the much better team and we'll gladly scoop up the underdog price. Play St. Louis.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #60 Columbus Blue Jackets over Minnesota Wild (7:05pm EST) Great matchup tonight between one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference versus probably the best team in the Western Conference. The last time these two clubs met, both were riding long winning streaks, but the Blue Jackets prevailed 4-2 in that one. The Wild are down two key players who are sitting out with the mumps for this one - Jason Pominville and Zach Parise. Those are two big offensive weapons and you need all the firepower you can get against Columbus. The Blue Jackets are playing really good hockey right now, despite a tough 1-0 loss to the Canadiens last time out. They've won four of six and a few of those wins were dominant performance. They beat the Maple Leafs 5-2, the Islanders 7-0 and the Rangers 5-2. Those are all playoff-caliber squads and the Jackets made short work of them all. Columbus has been very good at home this season, posting a 22-9-1 record in 32 games at Nationwide Arena. With the Wild banged up, I think Columbus picks up another impressive win. Go Blue Jackets!

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #59 Columbus Blue Jackets over Montreal Canadiens (7:35pm EST) We went against the Montreal Canadiens yesterday when we were on New Jersey, and we couldn't have been happier when they had a late 3-1 in the third period. Then the wheels fell off for the Devils and Montreal was able to tie it up with less than a minute remaining in regulation. Of course the Canadiens then were able to tally another goal in overtime to get the improbable win. New Jersey outplayed Montreal for nearly the entire game, so we're not afraid to go up against the Canadiens again today. The Columbus Blue Jackets are the opponent in this one, and they're in a favorable spot. This is the fourth game in six nights for Montreal and the second leg of a back-to-back. Columbus is the much better team, especially right now. The Canadiens have been in a slump, with just four wins in their last 12 games. And all four of those wins came in overtime, with three of them being games that they were severely outplayed in. The Blue Jackets have won four of five and looked tremendous in their last two contests - a 7-0 win versus the Islanders and a 5-2 win over the Rangers in New York. In fact, the Canadiens will be their easiest opponent in a couple of weeks. Take Columbus to get the victory here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #2 New Jersey Devils over Montreal Canadiens (7:05pm EST) The Montreal Canadiens have been atop the Atlantic Division for virtually the entire season. But after a red hot 13-1-1 start after 15 games, the Habs have been slowly giving up ground as the season has gone on. They are seven games under the .500 mark since that hot start (a span of 47 games) and now only hold a two-point lead for first place. It's a real possibility that Montreal doesn't even make the postseason this year. The Atlantic Division is tightly packed and one more bad week could push them from first to fourth in a heartbeat. The Canadiens have lost eight of their last 11 contests and all three of the wins over that span came in overtime and could have easily results in defeats. Scoring has been a huge issue as they've averaged just 1.55 goals during that 11-game stretch. Today Montreal heads to New Jersey to take on the Devils. It hasn't been a good season for New Jersey, and they are probably focused more on the future than the present. However, they catch a struggling Canadiens team at the right time today. I like New Jersey in the home dog role.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #60 Chicago Blackhawks (-165) over St. Louis Blues (7:35pm EST) Great spot tonight for the Chicago Blackhawks. They have won eight of nine games and will get a St. Louis Blues team coming off of a bye week. The Blues have had five straight days off and will be a little rusty early on, as we've seen that trend hold true for nearly every team coming off a bye this season. It's difficult to fall behind the Blackhawks early on and play catch up. They're not one of those teams that play it safe when they have a lead. The Blues would be in the playoffs if the postseason were to start today, but I'm not sure they deserve it. They've actually been outscored by their opponents overall this season (-3 goal differential) and have lacked any kind of spark offensively. I like Chicago to win today's game with relative ease.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

5-unit  Play Take #57 Columbus Blue Jackets (+115) over New York Rangers (5:05pm EST) The Columbus Blue Jackets hit a bit of a wall after winning 16 straight games earlier this season. But lately they've gotten back on track and are playing some really good hockey. They've won three of four games, racking up impressive wins against the Maple Leafs, Penguins and Islanders. That last game versus the Isles was a 7-0 winner that they dominated from the outset to the final buzzer. Today they get the New York Rangers. The Blue Jackets lost to the Rangers in Columbus less than two weeks ago, but it was a game they deserved to win. The Jackets led the majority of the way early on and outshot New York by nine shots in that contest overall. The Rangers are coming off of three straight hard fought games that all went to overtime, so I expect to see some fatigue from them today; especially considering that this is their fourth game in six nights. From a power rating perspective, Columbus is the better team and they should also have a little more energy. As a result, we're taking the underdog Blue Jackets as our NHL Game of the Week.

4-unit Play Take #11 Philadelphia Flyers (+175) over Pittsburgh Penguins (8:05pm EST) The Pittsburgh Penguins are a beat up squad right now with several key guys either on the injured list or playing through various injuries. It's affected their play quite a bit lately as the Pens have lost four of their last eight contests. Pittsburgh always has a tough time with their rival the Flyers, so today's matchup should be a good one. Philadelphia doesn't appear to be playing that well if you look at the wins and losses, but the Flyers are in fact turning in some good hockey. They've outshot their opponents in seven straight games and could have easily won several of the games they lost during that stretch. They've run up against some hot goaltenders lately, but I think their luck will start to turn. They are a big underdog in today's game, but it's definitely worth back the Flyers here.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #10 Toronto Maple Leafs (-115) over Montreal Canadiens (5:05pm EST) Big game tonight in Toronto has the Maple Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens. For virtually the entire season, the Canadiens have been perched atop the Atlantic Division. But that lead is tenuous now with six other teams within 10 points of them in the standings, including the Leafs who are just four points behind. The offense for Montreal has completely disappeared over the last few weeks. They are 2-8 over their last 10 games and have scored a total of just 14 goals in those contests (1.4 goals per game). That's not going to cut it, even when they do have a world-class goaltender backing them up. Toronto has been a little up and down of late, but that's understandable given the youth on their squad. I have confidence that head coach Mike Babcock will keep his team focused down the stretch as they fight for a playoff spot. The Leafs are the far better team right now and deserve to be a bigger home favorite than this. Take Toronto.

3 unit Play Take #55 Ottawa Senators (+125) over Carolina Hurricanes (7:35pm EST) The Carolina Hurricanes have dropped five straight games and have the fewest points in the entire Eastern Conference. The Canes aren't a horrible team, but they've been plagued by horrendous consistency and their offense has been in a major funk for the last month or so. Over their last 13 games, they've scored more than two goals just twice! And two goals is certainly not a very high bar. With 26 games still remaining on their schedule, the Canes still have a shot to get back into the playoff hunt in a congested Eastern Conference. However, the team chemistry is extremely low right now and they seem to be playing like they're done. The Ottawa Senators are anything but done. They've crawled to within two points of the first place Canadiens in the Atlantic and are positioned nicely with three fewer games played. Not many people thought

4-unit Play Take #54 Philadelphia Flyers (+135) over Washington Capitals (8:05pm EST) The Philadelphia Flyers have dropped five of their last seven contests, but don't let that fool you. The Flyers are playing good hockey right now. They've outshot their opponents in six straight games, and it's not been close. Over that span they are outshooting the competition by an average of nearly 10 shots per game. Unfortunately they haven't found the back of the net very often lately, but that's because the opposing goalies have come up with some huge games and were fortunate to get in front of mostly everything. Philadelphia is still very much in the playoff hunt and I don't expect that to change all the way until the final week of the regular season. This is a scrappy bunch that doesn't quit and is better than people give them credit for. The Capitals come in off of consecutive losses versus the Red Wings and Rangers after winning six straight. They have the best record in the NHL and the best goal differential as well. While they've been a juggernaut at home this season (24-6), it's been a challenge for Washington on the road (15-13). This should be a very competitive game and I like the Flyers at this price.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports

4-unit Play Take #7 New York Islanders (-105) over Detroit Red Wings (7:35pm EST) The New York Islanders have made a strong move in the standings are now within close striking distance of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They are 11-4-2 over their last 17 contests after being sparked by a mid-season coaching change. This run is for real as the underlying metrics fully support the results, but the Isles have a brutal road trip ahead of them now. New York starts a nine-game roadie tonight in Detroit - a trip that will span all over the United States as well as Canada. It will get more difficult as the trip wears on, but tonight is just the first game and I think they be jacked up to start it off on the road foot. Meanwhile, the Red Wings are in last place in the Atlantic Division and are slowly coming to grips with the fact that they will likely miss the playoffs for the first time since 1990. Detroit is stuck between being competitive and rebuilding, with a solid group of veterans and some young talent that is getting better. Center Gustav Nyquist is currently serving a suspension and will be sorely missed while he's out. I like the Islanders to clip the Wings today.

Best of Luck - Doc's Sports