Sports Picks & Predictions

4 Unit Play Take 57 L.A. at Islanders (7 pm ET) The Kings are in a brutal playoff race, and they are playing like they plan to come out of it alive. They have won seven of ten, including five of seven on their brutal current road trip forced by the Grammys. They head back to Southern California and their own beds after this one - with a few days off - so they should be motivated to come out on top here. They have also dominated the Islanders in recent years, so they will be confident. The Kings need it more and are more talented, so they are attractive here.

4 Unit Play Take 52 Edmonton vs. Atlanta (3:30 pm ET) Atlanta is ice cold, with one win in their last seven. They can see their playoff spot slipping away from them and they aren't happy about it, but they aren't dealing with it well. Edmonton has won two in a row against decent teams and is playing tough hockey. They will be tough at home in a very rare (for them) afternoon game, and they will have the clear edge against a team with a very tough schedule to look forward too.

4 Unit Play Take 60 Phoenix vs. Atlanta (9 pm ET) Phoenix is playing great hockey right now. They have won five straight and are confident and excellent defensively. They also have had two days off before this one, so they will be rested. Atlanta, on the other hand, has been a disaster - they have lost 12 of their last 15, and six of their last seven on the road. They aren't confident and aren't playing with any focus. In short, they are vulnerable. Phoenix is leading their division, and is in a serious dogfight to stay there. That will be more of a motivator than Atlanta has - they have fallen out of the hunt, and currently sit two points out of a playoff spot they likely won't achieve.

4 Unit Play Take 16 Anaheim vs. Washington (10 pm ET) Washington just isn't playing well right now - they have dropped three straight and six of eight. This is the second game of a five game road trip, so it's not a good time for them to be trying to lose a slump - or to rediscover their missing offense. Anaheim has won four in a row, and shut out their opponents in two of those games, so they are in a good place. They are at home after an impressive sweep of a road trip, so they are going to be confident, and the crowd will be supportive of them. All signs point to Anaheim.

4 Unit Play Take 14 Calgary vs. Dallas (9:30 pm ET) I'll keep this one brief - the Flames are hot, and the Stars are struggling, so I'll ride the hot team. Calgary has played really strong hockey the last month, and show no signs of letting up. Dallas has dropped five of six, and just aren't playing well at all right now. They have lost their last four road games and just aren't in good shape. The Flames are the clear choice.

4 Unit Play Take 11 Pittsburgh at Colorado (9 pm ET) With all of their injuries and suspensions the Penguins are in rough shape right now. Given their talent and their great coaching, though, I haven't lost faith at all. The pick here, though, has a lot more to do with the fact that the Avs just don't deserve to be as favored as they are in this one. They have lost eight straight, and played as bad a game as any team in the league has played all year last time out in losing 9-1 to the Flames. They just are not in a good place right now, so betting against them is a good idea until they get back in line.

4 Unit Play Take 57 Philadelphia at Tampa Bay (7:30 pm ET) There are some teams that play with a lot more pride than others. Philadelphia is one of those teams, and it's a big reason why they are atop the Eastern Conference. That pride means that they know they have lost three games to Tampa Bay this year, and they aren't going to want to be swept by the upstart rivals. Both teams are playing very well right now, but the Flyers certainly have the talent to compete, and they will be hungry.

4 Unit Play Take 5 Calgary at Colorado (10 pm ET) This is a crucial game for both teams for playoff position. The difference is that the Avs are playing very lousy hockey right now while the Flames are hot. Colorado has dropped seven straight and nine of ten, and their offense is almost non-existent. They are facing a hot goalie for Calgary, and a team that is playing with confidence - they have won eight of 11, and have points in 10 of 11. Calgary has won four of the last five meetings between these teams, so they are clearly comfortable with the matchup. They are simply the better team.

4 Unit Play Take 12 Nashville vs. Colorado (8 pm ET) This is a rare puckline play to take advantage of how badly the Avs are reeling right now. They have lost six straight, and have just three goals combined in their last four games. Nashville has won two of three, and is coming off a very nice road win at Detroit last time out. They are also well rested with two days off before this one, while the Avs played last night in Columbus. This is the last night of a lousy road trip for Colorado, and they are likely to be looking forward to their own beds and some mercy.

4 Unit Play Take 59 Rangers at Atlanta (7:30 pm ET) Neither of these teams are any good at all right now - the Rangers have dropped five straight, and Atlanta has lost seven of eight. Despite all their faults, though, the Rangers are a very good road team, while Atlanta is far from dominant at home. The Rangers have been playing better hockey, and are more likely to come out on top. The price is right.

4 Unit Play Take 53 Pittsburgh at Islanders (7 pm ET) Pittsburgh got back to playing well last time after two straight bad games before that. Now they head out on a four game road trip, and that's probably a good place to be to get over losing Malkin and get focused on the rest of the season. Even without Malkin and Crosby Pittsburgh is by far the more talented team - especially with the goaltending chaos for the Islanders. The Pens have won seven of the last eight meetings between the teams, and I expect more of the same.

4 Unit Play Take 58 Boston vs. Detroit (7 pm ET) Boston is playing solid hockey - seven wins in ten games. They are coming off a ridiculous 8-6 win against Montreal last time out, and will be hungry to get back on track in this one. The Wings have dropped three of four, and are - at least for a little while - looking as old as they really are. Boston is in better form, and they are at home, so they get the nod.

4 Unit Play Take 5 New Jersey at Toronto (7 pm ET) It took a long time to get to this point, but the Devils are finally playing up to their potential. Beyond it, really - they have won eight of their last 10. They have won four of five on the road over that stretch - and against better teams than Toronto. The Leafs made a reasonably significant trade yesterday, so there is a good chance that they will be distracted and uncomfortable as a result. Toronto is getting a lot of credit for playing well recently themselves - four wins in their last five. That's a bit deceptive, though - they have hit a very easy pocket in their schedule. This game is tougher, and they aren't up to the challenge.

4 Unit Play Take 58 Minnesota vs. Colorado (8 pm ET) Colorado just can't score right now. In their last four games - all losses - they have scored a total of just five goals, and they have been shut out two games in a row. That's bad news given that they are up against a team that is playing with a ton of defensive confidence right now - they have allowed just six points in their last four. Minnesota has won six of eight including a recent win at Colorado. They are on message and playing as a team, and they have the jump here in a game that is very important to the playoff standings.

10 Unit Play Take 4 Islanders vs. Toronto (7 pm ET) Toronto comes into this game playing the most disruptive type of back to back game - they played at home last night and now have to go on the road tonight. Those are hard to do, and Toronto isn't very good at them. They also struggle on the road in general. The Islanders have won two of three and are playing solid hockey. They have beaten the Leafs three times in a row, and they have had two days off before this one so they will definitely be the fresh team.

4 Unit Play Take 1 Pittsburgh at Washington (12:30 pm ET) I'll be betting on one Pittsburgh team today so I might as well bet on another. The Penguins are going to be angry in this one - angry that they lost the outdoor game to Washington, angry that captain Sidney Crosby is out of action because of an injury initially sustained in that game, and angry that Evgeni Malkin is out for the year with a knee injury. We have seen the last month that this is a team that plays extremely well when they are angry. They have won five in a row and eight of nine while the Caps have dropped three of four and just aren't consistent at all.

4 Unit Play Take 69 Minnesota at Phoenix (8 pm ET) This is a matchup of strength against weakness. The Wild have won four of five on the road and are playing with great confidence. The Coyotes have been terrible at home - losers of five straight. Phoenix has dropped six of eight overall, and just aren't playing with any direction or focus. Minnesota is playing tough, physical hockey and finally seem to have made the comfortable transition away from their old trapping style. Minnesota should be favored here.

4 Unit Play Take 62 Islanders vs. Ottawa (7 pm ET) Jason Spezza is finally returning for the Senators and they need him - they have one win in 15 games since he went out with injury. He's going to be very rusty, though, so I don't think he'll be enough of a boost. This team has dropped eight straight, and is now heading off on a four game road trip. They are terrible on the road and totally out of confidence. The Islanders aren't playing great, but they are playing better than the Sens, and are reasonably effective at home. That doesn't really matter, though - this is a play against the Senators.

4 Unit Play Take 66 Carolina vs. Atlanta (7 pm ET) After a very promising start the Thrashers have dropped eight of ten and are about to play themselves out of a playoff spot - albeit one they aren't good enough for by any measure. Carolina has been solid but not spectacular recently. They have been solid at home, though, and they have won their last three against the Thrashers. Atlanta is reeling, and they are in a tough spot here.

10 Unit Play Take 8 Tampa Bay vs. Washington (7:30 pm ET) It's a battle between the two best pure goal scorers in the NHL right now when Ovechkin and the Capitals visit Stamkos and the Lightning. The difference, though, is that the Lightning are on fire - six straight wins and shutouts in their last two - while Ovechkin and the Capitals are both playing well below expectations. Washington has dropped three in a row and seven of ten. They have lost four of their last five on the road, including a shutout in Tampa Bay less than a month ago. Tampa Bay is a team on a rapid rise, while Washington is stuck in the mud. This is a big game for the Lightning, and they will be ready.

4 Unit Play Take 61 Minnesota at Colorado (9 pm ET) Both these teams are in the same situation as Calgary - sitting just out of the playoffs and really needing to get things rolling to distinguish themselves in a very tight playoff race. Of the two teams Minnesota is in better shape right now - they won five of their last six, while Colorado has dropped three of four. The Avs could also be rusty - this is their first game since the break, so they have had a couple extra days off compared to everyone else. Minnesota is playing well on the road right now, and has won six of eight in Colorado, so they will be comfortable here.

4 Unit Play Take 51 Calgary at Atlanta (7 pm ET) The Flames travel to the city their franchise originated in in our first game of the night. Calgary is red hot with wins in five in a row. Two of those five have been tough conference road games, so they are certainly up to the challenge here. Despite their much improved play recently they are still on the outside looking in on the playoffs, so they will be motivated to put forward a strong performance here, and are playing well enough to do so. Atlanta is struggling - just two wins in their last 10 - so they will have their hands full in this one. Calgary has, strangely, never won in Atlanta, so they should also be motivated to correct that.

4 Unit Play Take 7 Vancouver at Phoenix (9 pm ET) Both of these teams are coming off a game last night. The difference is that Phoenix looked flat and disinterested, while Vancouver looked angry and hungry. Vancouver has won three in a row stretching back to before the break, and in all three they have been offensively strong, defensively sound, and excellent in net. There's no reason to assume a different performance here - especially against a team that they match up pretty well against. Phoenix has dropped five of seven and is struggling to find direction. Against the best team in the West right now that's not a good place to be in.

4 Unit Play Take 53 Boston at Carolina (7 pm ET) Boston has won four of their last five games against Carolina, including two games in January. Both teams have been playing well, but Boston has been better - seven wins in their last 10. Carolina is vulnerable to strong goaltending, and Boston certainly has that - Thomas is as good as there is. Thomas has been good throughout his career against Carolina, and will be looking to have a better day in Raleigh than he did in the stupid all-star game.

4 Unit Play Take 57 Florida at Toronto (7 pm ET) Neither of these teams are in a very good place right now - Florida has lost five of six, and Toronto has lost six of seven. Florida has been more impressive in their losses as much as it is possible. The last time they met Florida won convincingly. Florida has the better goaltending, and they have been profitable on the road this year while the Leafs have been disastrous at home. Toronto faces more drama and turmoil with their coach and I have no confidence that they will be in the right mindset for this game. Florida should be a solid favorite.

4 Unit Play Take 59 Chicago at Columbus (7 pm ET) The Hawks are far too talented to be where they are in the standings. Their stars had a very strong weekend at the all-star game, and hopefully that will get them focused and paying attention to what matters - winning games and playing up to their potential. Chicago is clearly the better team here, and has won five of seven at Columbus.

10 Unit Play Take 5 Carolina at N.Y. Islanders (7 pm ET) Both of these teams - and all the others playing tonight for that matter - will be looking forward to a fairly long break until the end of the All-Star break as soon as this game ends. My hunch is that the islanders will be looking forward to it now. Their season has been endlessly frustrating, they are embroiled in ridiculous drama surrounding Evgeni Nabokov, they played and lost last night, and they have dropped four of five. The Hurricanes have some issues, too, but they are the better team by a wide margin, and they are playing well right now - they have won two of three and six of ten. Carolina has won seven of nine against the Islanders over the last three years, so they will be confident in the knowledge that this is a game that they can win. There's another incentive here for the Hurricanes - if they win and Atlanta loses (and they are in a tough spot playing a Washington team that has improved lately) then Carolina will head into the all-star break sitting in a playoff position. That doesn't really mean anything, but it would be a big psychological boost.

4 Unit Play Take 59 Buffalo at Ottawa (7:30 pm ET) The Senators are absolutely terrible right now - they have won just once in their last 12, and have lost their last six at home. They are in-fighting and are in trouble. Let's exploit that. The Sabres have won six of nine, including four of five on the road. The goaltending has been strong recently, and they are playing like a very solid team. Ottawa's offense has been hopeless, so the Sabres should be able to put some numbers up and come out on top.

4 Unit Play Take 11 Boston at Los Angeles (10:30 pm ET) The Bruins are playing about as well on the road as a team can - they have points in their last nine and have won three straight. On Saturday they suffered a blow when Marc Savard went down with another potential head injury. Sadly, the Bruins are used to missing Savard this year, and should use his injury as a rallying point. The Kings are a disaster right now. They have just three wins in their last 13, and they are only beating bad teams. Their offense is a disaster right now, which is very bad news for them since they are facing Boston and their stingy goaltending.

4 Unit Play Take 5 Boston +100 at Colorado (3 pm ET) Boston has been hot on the road - they haven't lost in regulation in over a month. They are facing a team that is very distracted after a serious blow - second leading scorer Thomas Fleischmann is lost for the season with lung clots. He came in a trade in the fall, and has been a huge boost to chemistry for the team. His injury is a serious factor.

Game of the Week - 10 Unit Play Take 1 Anaheim at Toronto (7 pm ET) Toronto - a bad team - was thoroughly humiliated by the Rangers last night in a 7-0 loss. Since they have have had a day and a flight home to dwell on that setback and their three game losing streak, but they haven't had any time to do anything about it. They are all but certain not to be in a good place. Combine that with an Anaheim team that has won eight of ten, comes on reasonably well rested, and is confident and you have a potential mismatch. Toronto has a problem is goal here as well - they can either start Jonas Gustavsson who was terrible last night, or Jean-Sebastien Giguere who the Ducks know well because he played with them for years.

4 Unit Play Take 11 Anaheim at Ottawa (7:30 pm ET) Ottawa has just one win in their last nine games. They had a brief boost with a win at the Islanders thanks to the addition of some new talent from the farm team, but have lost two in a row and looked flat since. The Ducks have won seven of nine and are in top form. They are launching a road trip with this one, and will be eager to get it off to a strong start since they haven't been a great road team.

4 Unit Play Take 4 Philadelphia vs. Washington (7 pm ET) Philadelphia has won six of seven, and will be flying high returning home after two successful road trips separated by just one home game. Their goaltending is strong, their scoring is strong, and they are playing well. The same certainly can't be said for the Caps. They are coming off a win, but they have lost four of six, are not getting scoring from their top end, and just are not a frightening team right now.

4 Unit Play Take 5 Boston at Carolina (7 pm ET) These teams are playing for the second time in two nights. Boston was truly dominant in the opener - 7-0 in a game that wasn't as close as the score. It's hard for a team to win two in a row like this, but the win was so dominant that I am confident they can do it again. Boston has won four of five, and are scoring like crazy. They continue to get strong goaltending as well. That's a lot for Carolina to overcome, and I don't think they can.

4 Unit Play Take 51 Vancouver at NY Rangers (7 pm ET) The Canucks are as hot as a team can be - they have earned at least a point in 17 straight. That's not fluke, either - they are the most talented team in the West and perhaps the league. Now they face a team that they totally outclass, and one that they have beaten four straight times. The Rangers have been playing inconsistent hockey thanks largely to their struggling offense. Vancouver will be able to outscore them, and will be handful defensively and especially in net. This is a very good spot for the Canucks.

4 Unit Play Take 53 Tampa Bay at New Jersey (5 pm ET) Both of these teams let us down last night, so we will give both a chance at redemption. Tampa Bay played a solid game last night but were fighting themselves offensively like they have been the last four games. They will break out of this mini scoring slump, and New Jersey is a very good place to do so. They are still 3-1 over that stretch, including 2-1 on the road, so they have a lot to offer right now. New Jersey has now lost 10 of 11, and have been just brutal in the second game of back-to-back games recently. They aren't scoring right now, either, but unlike Tampa Bay it's not just an isolated slump that will pass - it's systemic.

Game of the Week - 6 Unit Play Take 3 Philadelphia (-1.5 +225) at New Jersey (7 pm ET)

This is a game that is deceptive in an advantageous way for the Flyers. It looks like they are at the end of a five game road trip so the betting public will assume that they are going to be weary and vulnerable. The thing is, though, that they had three days between games and this is only in New Jersey, so they have been sleeping in their own beds and practicing on home ice. That means that they should have a spring in their step. They beat Detroit and L.A. on this road trip already, so they are in good form. The Devils have just one win in their last nine, and aren't in good form at all. To add to their general issues the coaching change requires another change in philosophy. Philly beat New Jersey by two in early December, and I expect them to do so again.

4 Unit Play Take 52 Pittsburgh vs. Washington (8 pm ET)

This game has been moved from afternoon to evening to avoid the threat of rain, so it will have the novelty of being an outdoor game played in the dark. I'm not sure that has happened anywhere before, and I'm also not sure it will be as cool as an afternoon game. I'm concerned that he weather could be a factor still, but evening games are always better than afternoon games in the NHL for some reason, so it should work out well in the end. Both of these teams are playing reasonably well, and both will be fired up. It comes down, then, to finding the most attractive price, and this is it. Pittsburgh is unquestionably the better team right now. Sidney Crosby saw his point streak snapped at 25 games last time out, so he will be hungry to get back on the score sheet against his biggest rival. The crowd is going to be very loud, and a very big factor for the Pens - especially now that they have a few more hours to get fired up and recover from their hangovers (and start building new ones).

4 Unit Play Take 3 Atlanta at New Jersey (5 pm ET)

We'll play a game that is over early so we are all done in plenty of time to make your party tonight. These two teams met earlier this month and the Thrashers totally outclassed them in a 7-1 win. Combine that with the fact that the Devils have won just one game in December, and have scored more than one goal just three times in those 12 games, and it's hard to believe that the Devils should be favored in any game - even by a slim margin like this. Atlanta is coming off a nice win last night that will have built confidence. Though they were on a four game losing skid of their own before that they were playing decent hockey over the stretch of tough games, but just weren't getting any breaks.

4 Unit Play Take 59 Colorado at Edmonton (9:30 pm ET) Neither of these teams is playing great right now - the Oilers have dropped six of seven, and the Avs have lost three straight. The difference is that Colorado had won six in a row before that while Edmonton is just continuing generally inconsistent play. The Avs have better form, and are a better overall team, so this is a good spot. Colorado is a solid road team while the Oilers have not enjoyed home ice advantage very much.

4 Unit Play Take 56 Tampa Bay vs. Montreal (7:30 pm ET) Montreal is in a bad place - they have lost seven of nine, including four of five on their current marathon road trip. Tampa Bay has won six of eight, and are enjoying solid offensive play led by Steven Stamkos. Montreal is not enjoying nearly the same offense - in six of the nine games they have score two or fewer goals. Montreal is below .500 on the road, while Tampa Bay is a very strong home team.

4 Unit Play Take 53 Carolina at Toronto (7 pm ET) Carolina comes into this game off of three straight losses, so they aren't in top form. They won four in a row before that, though, so the good form isn't far off. This is a comfortable place for them to rediscover their form - they have won their last four games played in Toronto. They Leafs have just one win in their last four, and that hardly counts since it came at New Jersey - one of the very few teams in worse shape than Toronto this year. Toronto continues to struggle offensively, and hasn't recently matched up well with the Carolina defense.

Best of luck - Doc's Sports

2 Unit Play Take 3 Minnesota (+1