We rode the Blues over streak for awhile as they experiences an offensive burst, but that seems to be over as they are now once against struggling to score goals. They are coming in off being on the wrong end of a shutout and have scored two or fewer goals in five of their last seven games. We see this as a likely defensive matchup. Both teams have stronger defenses than offenses. Vancouver has also been struggling for goals lately as they have scored two or fewer in seven of their last nine. They scored three each in the other two in their best offensive outputs. Six of their last nine have gone under the posted number, and we expect a very low scoring game here.

The Ducks are the perfect team that you can ride on the puckline all season. They are only 18-22-6, so the public wants no part of betting on them, but they are the top team at covering the puckline on the season at 30-16. One of the rare games they didn’t cover was on Saturday against this same Panthers club. And not only is this a revenge spot since they just played, which is traditionally a strong spot for the losing team, but Anaheim gets this one at home after a long road trip. And another advantage is that sometimes the home team is in a bad spot after a long road trip as players have to attend to personal matters and might not have their mind 100 percent on the game, but that should not be an issue here as the Ducks have had two days off. And that Saturday 3-0 result for Florida included two third period goals, including an empty netter, so the match was pretty close throughout. Florida has dropped three of their last five, so they aren’t in top form right now. Before Saturday’s game, four of the previous five meetings were decided by a single goal, so these teams normally play a tight game. We think that will be the case tonight, and the Ducks have a strong chance for the outright win.

The NHL is often a league of momentum, and Buffalo has it right now while the Penguins do not. Buffalo has won three of four, including beating both the Hurricanes and Capitals here at KeyBank Center. Pittsburgh has lost seven of their last eight, and road wins have been very hard to come by as they are 6-10-5 away from home. But the Penguins have not played well no matter what the value lately and this price is more than fair for the hot Sabres right now and we think they will take care of business with a dominant performance on home ice tonight.

The Utah Hockey Club hasn’t established any home ice advantage yet and the home fans were treated to a win on opening night but they haven’t had many since, and this team hasn’t taken to the home ice yet and is 6-10-4 at home compared to 12-8-3 on the road. The Rangers went through a super rough patch but they still have more road wins (11-11-1) than Utah does at home. The Rangers are showing major signs of life and that they are coming out of their tailspin. They have won three of five, and the two losses were both in OT, at Colorado and vs. Dallas. Two of their wins came vs. New Jersey and at Vegas, so they have played well against a tough schedule and are recently battle tested coming into this one. Utah has only wins vs San Jose and Calgary to show for themselves in their last 10 games, and this team is just not playing well. Stock on the Rangers is still down right now, and this line holds lots of value.

Eight of the last 10 meetings between these clubs have gone over the posted total. So, these teams are used to playing in high scoring contests. They have averaged more than seven goals each in the last four meetings. Montreal has really improved on offense this season and they seem to be getting better as the season progresses. They have scored four goals or more in seven of their last 10 games. So, there’s a good chance that they will keep this one competitive and get their share of the total. Washington is No. 2 in the NHL for goals per game, so they are likely to have a big offensive night here at home. Montreal is a Bottom 5 defense for goals allowed, and their offense is currently well ahead of the defense. Montreal has had a few low scoring games recently so we are getting a nice number here but we think this one has a great chance to sail over the posted number.

St. Louis has suddenly been playing in a bunch of barnburners and we have been taking advantage as the oddsmakers have been slow to adjust. Their last two matches have both totaled 10 goals. They have gone over in five of six after being one of the best under bets in the NHL for most of the season. They have scored at least four goals in six of their last seven games. They are really playing well on the offensive end. And their defense has allowed four goals or more in four of their last six and 12 in their last two matches. While the Anaheim offense has been inconsistent, they have shown they can score lately, as they notched four against Tampa Bay, three against Winnipeg and New Jersey, and five against Edmonton in their last six. The last meeting was a 6-5 Blues win, and five of the last seven meetings have seen six or more goals scored.

Both teams have been playing well on offense and we feel there is a good chance this one sails over the posted total. Minnesota has 12 goals in regulation in their last three matches. St. Louis has scored at least four goals in five of their last six, and they busted out for six against the Blackhawks and seven against the Predators. They have to come in confident they can get some pucks past this stingy defense and excellent goalie. Whenever we see a total at 5.5 we try and see a way to get to the over, and the way these offenses have been playing we like our chances. These teams went over in a November meeting in St. Louis and that was due to an empty netter, but the offenses are in better form right now and we feel by the time the goalie is pulled, in the event of a close game, we will have already cashed this ticket.

We love the way the Blues have been playing on offense lately and they have averaged close to five goals per match in their last four. Columbus have scored four or more in six of their last seven. So both clubs are in solid offensive form right now, and we see the offenses as being ahead of the defenses in this one. And this is more than a fair price today. Six of the last eight meetings have gone over the posted total, and many of those totals were lined at 6.5. Columbus is among the worst in the NHL for goals allowed per match, and we think this will be a competitive game where both teams get their share of the total.

This is a great Buy Low spot for the Rangers. This is not a great team by any means, but they are an average team, and this will be a game they will want to play their best in. Boston is the most public betting team in the NHL and they will get shaded by the oddsmakers because the public will bet them no matter the number. They have been playing well lately but they are way down from the team we have known the last few years. They have lost three straight on the road, and the Rangers will look to continue that streak tonight. The Rangers have won three straight in this series. While New York hasn’t been playing well, they have had probably the toughest recent schedule in the league, and this is actually one of their more winnable games they have played tonight.

Both teams have been struggling but we think the Hockey Club is the better team and they have shown they can win on the road. This team hasn’t necessarily bonded to their new home yet as they have a much better record away from home so far this season. It’s great to have a team like this that you can trust on the road as they are always priced fairly. Utah has now won seven straight away games, and that includes wins over the Wild, Avalanche and Knights, so it is not just bottom feeders they are beating. The Hockey Club is coming off a very tough homestand where they lost all three games, but two of those were against the Avs and Stars, and not many teams are going to win against those two. But now they go way down in class against a Seattle team that has one win in their last six games. All five losses came by multiple goals, so they aren’t playing well at all despite a 5-4 OT win at Vancouver last time out.

This is a quick revenge spot for the Hurricanes as they lost in New Jersey on Friday. While the Devils have the better point total thus far (with more games played, however), we still think Carolina is the better team and they should be in good shape to get payback here tonight. The Devils have lost six straight in Carolina. The Devils have won the last two, both at home, but Carolina won six straight in the series previous to that. While the Devils have been excellent on the road, Carolina is almost unbeatable at home. We expect this game to look a lot different than the one last night, and we think there is a great chance the home team wins this one by multiple goals.

Both squads trend to the under on the season. These are two of the top defensive teams in the league, and both of these offenses have been somewhat disappointing. These teams might have been taken out of rhythm with the holiday break, but there should be plenty of energy on the defensive end. These teams met last month in Minneapolis, and the Stars won, 2-1. We should see this type of low scoring match again. Only two of the last seven meetings have gone over, and one was a push at a minuscule total of only 5.0. Nine of the last 11 games for the Stars have gone under the posted total, and Minnesota has scored two or fewer goals in six of their last nine games.

Both teams trend to the over on the season. The Sharks dealt their top goalie recently and have one of the worst goalkeeping situations in the league. At the same time, this team made some nice offensive moves in the offseason and they have a generational talent in rookie Celebrini. This offense is enough to keep them competitive, but this team will be playing in a lot of high scoring games. They have gone over in 7 of their last 10. The Avs offense has been inconsistent, but they have scored 5 or more in two of their last four games, and this seems like a matchup where the offense will get going. Colorado has 13 goals in the last three meetings, and we think they have a good chance to get 5 or 6 here, so even if this game isn’t competitive, we think the Avs will do enough to get this one over the total, and San Jose should be good for a couple as well.

The Avs have won four straight in this series, including the last two at Vancouver. After a slow start, Colorado has been climbing back into the playoff picture recently with a 4-1 mark in their last five matches. They have done their best work on the road this season at 10-6 on the year. Vancouver hasn’t been as good as advertised this season and they have been a money drain for bettors at home, where they have a losing record on the year. This is the Canucks sixth straight game at home, and they have three of the last four, and they were embarrassed by the Bruins last time out with a 5-1 loss in front of the home fans on Saturday. Colorado won four of five on their recent five-game road trip, and we think they have their eyes set on the full points in this one.

The Blue Jackets are a team we have liked a lot this season and we thought they would be a lot better than the low expectations that had been placed on them. We were right. But this line is just ridiculous. Columbus shouldn’t be favored by this much over anyone. Anaheim is on a long losing streak, but they have to think this is a winnable match. They have had an extremely tough schedule lately, and their easiest match was at Montreal, who they lost against in a shootout. The Blue Jackets have lost five of six, so it’s not like they are in top form. And the Ducks have won five straight in Columbus.

Boston is a team we have been fading all season as we have had the mindset that they are way overrated. And we have made some nice cash going against them in spots, especially on the puckline. When they win, it’s often by one goal. But after getting their butts kicked by Winnipeg, 8-1, last time out, this is a good rebound spot. While the Bruins aren’t as good as oddsmaker and public bettor expectations to enter the season, they are still better than Seattle and they have some great players who are probably very embarrassed about their performance against Winnipeg. Also, these teams played last month and that was one of the rare games where Boston did cover ATS as they won 2-0. Seattle has lost three straight at home, and two of those were to the Ducks and Sharks.

We love this spot for the Blackhawks tonight. Not only have they lost three straight, but when Boston comes to town that is always one of the biggest games of the year for any club. We think we will see their best performance tonight. Boston is always overrated by the oddsmakers as this is one of the most public teams for NHL betting. They have one of their worst teams in years and they are in the Bottom 5 for betting (moneyline) this season and the worst against the spread. The Blackhawks are rested, while not only is Boston on a B2B, but they played to OT on Tuesday as the Red Wings gave the Bruins everything they had. Boston expended a lot of energy in that one as they edged Detroit in OT. So this will be a tough B2B for them.  We mentioned the Blackhawks have lost three straight. One of those was a head-scratcher, 6-3 at home vs. Columbus. But they have been very good at home lately, where they beat the Stars and Panthers both by multiple goals in their last three. We expect to see more of that team tonight rather than the one that lost to Columbus.

San Jose is a team we have had our eye on since the start of the season and we thought they would be much improved and they have been so far as they have been very competitive. They are pretty close to half the points they earned all last season, and that’s after just 24 games. They made some excellent moves in the offseason and they drafted a generational talent in Macklin Celebrini. This team had some of the lowest morale of any team in the last few years in the NHL last season, but now, with no pressure for the postseason this year, it is nothing but good times in San Jose and these guys are playing free and having fun. The fans are excited. Their offense has been somewhat inconsistent, but it has been good at home, where they have notched 14 goals in their last three games. That includes their biggest win of the year last time out as they destroyed their main rival, the LA Kings, 7-2 on Monday. They got offensive contributions from all over the ice, and the rookie nearly had a hat trick and probably would have if he wasn’t pulled early. So they come into this matchup with tons of confidence and some great offensive momentum. Ottawa have allowed at least three goals in six straight games. They scored seven in their last two on offense, against pretty good defensive clubs in Calgary and Vancouver, so they should get some goals here as well. We think San Jose can easily score 3 here, and with Ottawa a big road favorite, they should get their share to send this one sailing over the number. Four of the last five meetings have seen six goals or more scored, and this Sharks club has more potential than the squads that laced up the skates in any of those matchups.

Anaheim is at a good spot in their rebuild. We thought they would me much improved coming into the season, but they got off to a slow start. But they are starting to turn the corner and have won four of their last five. That includes a road win at Dallas on Monday, so it wasn’t against only dregs. They have a couple key injuries, but the players on the ice have been getting the job done. They now have 18 points on the season compared to 19 for Buffalo. So, we don’t agree with this price. We had both teams at -110 in our handicapping, so nice value here in our eyes. Anaheim has won five of the last eight meetings, so they have a strong history here. They have been off since Tuesday, so they have better rest than Buffalo, who played Wednesday. The Ducks also have a couple days off after this matchup, so they can leave it all on the ice tonight, while Buffalo plays Saturday night at San Jose, so they will need to conserve some energy.

The Capitals have been one of the best stories in the league to start the season, as they are in the Top 3 for points thus far. However, they lost the heart and soul of the team, Alex Ovechkin, who has been placed on IR. That is a devastating blow as not only is he a leader for the team, but he has been playing extremely well recently and has been good for pretty much a goal per game. So his loss is a big one. Colorado hasn’t got off to the hot start that they had hoped for. They have won four of five, however, so they are starting to turn things around. And their loss was vs. Washington, so this is a quick revenge spot. We like this Washington team a lot and have used them quite a bit in our strong start, but there is no doubt they have been playing above their heads to start the season, while the Avalanche have underperformed. Before Friday’s loss to Washington, Colorado had won four straight in the series, and we think they continue their hot play with a dominant road win here on Thursday.

The Flames are flat out being disrespected by the oddsmakers here and in many cases so far this season. Yes, many predicted they would be one of the worst teams in the NHL. But the mix they have has worked, and not only are they at home here but they have three more points on the season than do the Islanders. Calgary is only 4-4 in their last eight, but two losses came in extra time and this team rarely loses badly. These teams have similar offensive numbers but the Flames defense and goaltending has been better. And Calgary has a strong history when these teams meet as they have won six of the last eight meetings, and the two losses were both in extra time.

The Ducks aren’t a great team but this team will win some games this season and this is one of their more winnable home games. The Red Wings are only three points ahead of them in the standings, so it’s not like this is a total mismatch. In fact, we think the value here for the home team is quite nice. The Ducks have won two of the last three meetings, and we think this is a nice spot for them to pick up another win. Anaheim has had a pretty brutal schedule lately where wins have been tough to come by. And we think the Wings have been overperforming from what we expected from them this season. Fowler remains out for the Ducks, but we think this is a game where the players circle the wagons and pick up a much-needed win.

The Sharks have covered the puckline in 8 of the last 10 meetings, and they have won two of the last four outright. They always play the Rangers tough and New York normally underestimates San Jose. The Sharks have won five of their last eight games and they have been playing better than expected and certainly ahead of oddsmakers and bettors expectations. They have covered the puckline in six of their last seven games. They are 10-7 ATS against the puckline this season, while the Rangers are a mediocre 7-7. New York has lost two of their last three, including home blowout losses to Winnipeg and Buffalo. So they aren’t in the same stellar form they started the season with. They are probably in a letdown spot over their last match vs. the Jets as they played hard all game but it wasn’t enough. The Sharks made some solid moves in the offseason and they have their excellent rookie back in the lineup, and we like the value here with the plus-money puckline with their impressive recent performance and their strong history in this series.  

The home team has won eight straight meetings between these clubs, and we expect that trend to continue here on Monday. Calgary has lost a couple games in a row, but they had nothing to be embarrassed about as those were two tough road games at Boston and Buffalo, that they lost in OT and Shootout, respectively. If you look at the Kings recent losses, you can see they lost to the Sharks and Blackhawks, likely two of the worst teams in the NHL this season. So this is a team that seems to get up for marquee matchups but may overlook an opponent like Calgary. The Flames have a winning record at home, and we think they will be happy to be here and play a strong game after lots of road games on the schedule recently.

The Rangers own this series and they are 8-2 in the last 10 meetings. Two of those matches came this season, as the Rangers won both by multiple goals with a +6 goal differential. Detroit is not a very good team. They have won a couple games lately, so they are Fat and Happy as they say. They probably won’t give the maximum effort to be competitive here on a back-to-back (the Rangers are rested and healthy). Those wins came against the Blackhawks and Sabres, so the Wings will take a big step up in competition here. The Rangers have enjoyed a very strong start to the season. They haven’t lost much and they have been excellent on the road. One of their losses came last time out, also to Buffalo, and that was an embarrassing result. They can clearly put that one in the rearview mirror with a solid performance here. 

No way this year’s Calgary team is a solid road favorite over ANYONE. This team stinks this season, and they are not much better than the Canadiens. Montreal has won five of the last seven meetings and we think that trend will continue tonight. The Habs have not been playing well lately but they have had a tough, road-heavy schedule. They have definitely played their best at home this season, however. Calgary is at far from top form. They have lost five of six after a hot start, and their offensive production has dropped off a cliff during this slide.

These teams are a combined 13-6 to the over this season. The Blue Jackets have an inconsistent defense and their offense has performed better than expected. The Capitals have made some offseason moves meant to improve their offense and those moves have paid off so far. They have averaged more than 4 goals per game and they have 11 goals on offense in their last two games, so they are in excellent form right now. Columbus has been one of the best ATS teams in the league and they normally keep these games close. That is why they usually get their share of the total, even in a loss. We expect more of the same today.

Montreal has won two straight meetings and three of the last four. Not sure why Seattle is a road favorite here. And a heavy one at that. Sure, they have better talent. But both teams have an identical record this season and Seattle enters having lost three straight, so they are far from top form right now. Montrel enters having won consecutive games. They are playing better hockey at the moment. We think the home team came into this season a tad underrated as they have improved in the offseason. They have had some nice wins here at home, including when they beat Toronto in their season opener. Cole Caufield has been unstoppable this season and already has eight goals, one off the league lead. We think they have a very good chance to win tonight at an outstanding price.

Winnipeg hasn’t lost yet to start the season and this team is playing excellent hockey at the moment. But they have overall had a pretty easy schedule and this will be one of their toughest tests so far. We think the value here on Toronto is amazing. They aren’t in playoff form right now, but on paper this is undoubtedly the better team. Winnipeg definitely has a target on their backs now after this hot start and Toronto will take this game very seriously. They have lost three straight and four of five, so that will add to the motivation tonight. They have opened with a much tougher schedule than Winnipeg and they lost to Boston in OT last time out in a game where they played well enough to win on the road. Toronto has absolutely dominated this series in recent meetings, with a 5-0 mark in their last five, and they have won seven of the last nine meetings. We think they bring their A Game tonight.

Two teams that have had hot starts to the season meet up here in Calgary. But while the Jets are steaming ahead and have kept winning and playing well, Calgary has now lost two of three and their hot start offensively has started to trail off. Any team can have a hot streak and Calgary started with one, but this team was projected to be one of the worst in the league and they have been playing like more of a middle of the pack team lately. After putting up some huge goal totals in their first set of games, including scoring six each in their first two games, they have averaged two goals apiece in their last three games. Winnipeg keeps getting the job done on the road, and we have to roll with them at any manageable price until they show signs of slowing down.

These teams played 10 days ago exactly and the Sharks were shut out in a 2-0 loss. There were plenty of shots on goal in that match and we just think that this one will see a lot more scoring. And we are getting a good price because of that first result. That was just the third game in the last 10 meetings that went under the total. Both of these teams are inconsistent defensively and both have some young, exciting players on offense even though the rookie is out for the Sharks. But they have some new blood on this squad and they should get their share of the total tonight while their defense has been giving up lots of goals and should do so again tonight.

New Jersey has a much improved squad from last season and they haven’t even shown their full potential yet even though they sit at 4-2 on the season so far. They have definitely beat the teams they were supposed to beat and the two losses were to Carolina and Toronto, their two toughest opponents. They take a step down in competition here against the Senators, a team they have owned with six straight wins in the series. That run includes three straight wins in Ottawa. The Senators have enjoyed a nice start to the season, but this will be a tough test and they allowed seven goals the last time out to the Kings and we think the Devils will outpace them tonight.

Vegas enters 3-0 and they have had a cushy home schedule to start the season with one of the better home ice advantages in the league. But we just think this team is worse than last season and they are going to face some adversity soon. We think it starts tonight. Washington lost their opening game to New Jersey. There’s no shame in that because the Devils are a really good team. And New Jersey got an empty netter at the end of that one, so it was winnable for the Caps throughout. They shook the cobwebs off and should be primed for their first win tonight. This team really improved in the offseason as offense was a problem last year. But they made some great offseason additions that should make them even more competitive. Even though they had one of the worst goal differentials of any playoff team, they found ways to win on a nightly basis. And that is the type of squad we like to bet on. After scoring 8 goals in their opener, Vegas has seen their goals scored drop in every game. We think they will have a hard time getting goals here in their first road game. Their last visit to Washington resulted in a 3-0 shutout for the home squad. We think there is nice value here on the undervalued Caps.

Vegas looked in mid season form in their season opening win here on home ice against Colorado, one of the best teams in the NHL. Now they go down a tier and play a Blues team that has had a heavy schedule to start the season. This is already their third game. And not only are they on a back-to-back, but they played in overtime at San Jose last night as they needed a furious comeback that expended a lot of energy. St. Louis let San Jose see the back of the net early and often last night, so we think this Knights team will so some damage tonight and should have no problem putting up a big scoreline.

This line is incredibly fair for a Rangers squad that has found a way to win in close games. You get the feeling that the Hurricanes would win one along the way, but now we head back to the Big Apple and the Rangers will look to close this thing out. They have had the killer instinct in this series and have figured out how to win tight games. They have been one of the best teams in the league all season long and are peaking at the right time. They continue to get disrespected by the oddsmakers and we expect them to come out strong here after letting Game 4 slip away.

It’s telling that even though Game 1 saw seven goals scored that the under at 5.5 is still juiced here. Seems like the bookies are begging the public to take the over. We will side with the sportsbooks here. Four of the last six meetings have gone over the posted total. Some of these series in the NHL have some scoring early while teams are figuring each other out then the defenses step up in subsequent games, and that is what we expect to see here. Especially in Game 1 there was a burst of scoring in the first period then the game settled down after that. We expect a close, low scoring game here.

Dallas is the hungry team and Vegas is a great team but after winning the championship they don’t have the same fire. And we think that will be evident on the ice tonight as Dallas advances. This is just a nightmare first round matchup for the Knights and Dallas clearly has the momentum here with three straight wins and two straight in this building. We think both defenses will be on point here but that Dallas will separate themselves in the third period.

After going under in Game 1, Game 2 saw seven goals scored. We firmly believe that will be the highest total in this series. The Capitals have been competitive this season despite an anemic offense. They have gotten by on the strength of their defense, and they are going to need that defense to step up tonight if they want a chance to stay alive here. A loss would have them on the brink of elimination. They definitely have the ability to step up on defense here but we just don’t see them racking up the goals like they did in Game 2. We also don’t see the Rangers having their way on offense like they did in their first two games at home. We just think the home team plays their best defensive game of the series here at home whether they win or lose.

Getting a great price here on arguably the best team in the NHL. They will miss Sam Bennett tonight, but they have plenty of firepower to get the job done. They will have plenty of firepower in their arsenal. And this is a regional rivalry so they never feel far from home playing in Tampa Bay. In fact, they have won the last three meetings in Tampa Bay. And only one of them was close. They had a goal differential of +11 in those three games. Tampa Bay is a very solid team but they have been slowly getting worse since their epic championship runs. This is a crucial game and they can basically land the death blow to the Lightning by going up 3-0 after Tampa Bay blew their chance in Game 2 in OT.

These teams have gone under in three of four meetings. We think the Capitals are in tough here and we don’t see them notching more than a goal. They have scored only one in each of the last two visits to MSG, and the Rangers will undoubtedly ramp up their defensive intensity now that these games matter much more. The Capitals are here on the strength of their defense, and we think they will lean on the defense here as their offense won’t give them a chance to be competitive in a shootout. We think the Rangers score enough to win comfortably but not surpass the total here today.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buffalo had one of the best offenses in the NHL last season, but they have been a little slow to start off this season, as they rank No. 25 for goals scored. We don’t see them languishing in the bottom half of the league for long. They have scored three each in their last two games, and they seem to be getting better on offense. The last game was pretty impressive since they went against the Islanders, one of the best defensive teams in the league. Tonight they face a team that is not on that level. The Canadiens allow 3.5 goals per game and stand as No. 22 defensively. We think Buffalo can have their break out game offensively here and put up a real big number. They have scored 10 goals in the last two meetings.

We have been high on Buffalo to start the season but they have had a slow start. But this looks like a great spot for them to get a win in front of the home fans. This is a quick revenge spot as these teams played a week ago in New York, a 3-2 Islanders win. New York got an early goal, but Buffalo played well most of the game. Well enough to win, but it didn’t work out. Now they are at home for the rematch, off a day of rest while NY had a more important game vs. NJ Devils on Friday, and they should be primed for a strong performance. Buffalo has won six of the last nine meetings and four straight at home.

The Devils have gone over for all three games to start the season, while the Islanders have gone under in both of their two games. Something has got to give tonight. But we expect a competitive game here and think both teams will get their goals. New York has a great defense and goalkeeping. That’s not a question. But they have also played a struggling Buffalo team to start the season then a work-in-progress Coyotes squad that was on the second night of a back to back. But the Devils are going to bring some strong offense here. They have scored at least three goals in all three games so far and have allowed at least that many through three games. They are on a 7-1 over streak stretching back to last season. We see the Islanders having their break out game offensively so far on the season – that will be a goal to get some goals here.

This is one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports and this is always the biggest game of the season for the Canadiens when they face off with Toronto. And, despite the talent disparity, Montreal normally put up a good fight or outright won the last few years. But these teams are going in different directions, and Toronto may have one of their best squads of all time this season, while Montreal is still a long way from being competitive and should be among the worst teams in the NHL this season. And the last two meetings, both in Toronto, were very one-sided as both were blowouts and the Maple Leafs had a goal differential of +10 in those two matchups. Toronto will not only want to get the season started off on the right foot but also take their main rival down a peg in the process, and with a bitter rivalry like this, there is also an incentive for the better team to run up the score, as we witnessed in the last two meetings. We expect more domination from Toronto here and a big season-opening win

Hate to lay this kind of juice with a top play, but we had this game handicapped well over 200, so we think there is still nice value here despite the big number. We couldn’t argue if someone wanted to take the puckline here, but we want to protect against a late power play goal or something fluky and we think laying the juice on the moneyline is the safest option here. Vegas has dominated this series. They have a +8 goal differential in the two home games. Florida is lucky to still be here as they needed a late power play goal to get even and force OT in Game 3. They had tons of momentum all through the postseason but lost it with their long layoff after the conference finals. We expect a dominating performance here in Game 5 and a deserved trophy for the Knights. 

The Vegas offense has played well in these playoffs, and that is why six of their last nine games have gone over the posted total. They continued that trend in Game 1 with a 5-goal outburst. We see their offense having success tonight as well, but we do think this will likely be a more competitive game and that Florida will get their share of goals to eclipse this total. Remember, they led the league in shots per game this season and we think the pace here will be swift and both squads will have plenty of chances to score.

The Stars definitely played well enough to win in Game 1 but lost pretty early in the OT period. There are no morale victories in the NHL, but Dallas has to feel confident about their chances in Game 2. Home ice hasn’t meant much in this postseason, and the underdog is 6-2 in the last eight meetings between these teams. Dallas has no reason to panic yet, and if they can notch the win here, which we think they will, they will be in control of this series.

After this brutal four-OT game in Game 1 we just don’t see any pace here in this game and we think this will be a slow-paced defensive slugfest of a game. Carolina has one of the best defenses in the league, and they will step it up tonight in a must win affair. The under is 31-15-7 in the last 53 meetings in Carolina.

We expect a competitive game here as Toronto has their season on the line and we think both teams will get their share of the total here. All three games in the series have gone under as Toronto has managed only two goals per contest, but the oddsmakers are heavily juicing the over here, and that tells us a lot. We think Toronto opens up the offense here in a last gasp effort, and we see the highest scoring game of the series so far tonight.

We liked the Rangers in this series since the start, and we expect them to win Game 7 here tonight on the road. They played their worst game of the series here in Game 5, but they made the necessary adjustments after that poor performance and came back and dominated at home. The Rangers have a worse season record but they were off to a slow start and we think they became the better team as the season progressed. They have been here before and will handle the pressure. They normally play well here in Jersey and we will give them a mulligan for Game 5. They have won 8 of the last 11 visits here to New Jersey and should have plenty of supporters in the crowd tonight.

Four of the six games in this series have gone over, with three straight being high scoring affairs. We think this series has turned into an offensive battle and we expect scoring from both teams today. Florida was really a bad matchup for Boston in the first round. This team has nothing to lose, and their offense has been clicking. They lead the league in shots taken almost all the way through, and we think they will be aggressive here. The Panthers defense hasn’t shown they have an answer for the Boston offense. Should be a great match and we hope to see the kind of scoring we saw in Game 6!

Love the Rangers in this spot. They got embarrassed last time out and now their season is on the line. We think they will respond with a big bounce back performance. The tide has turned in this series, but we don’t think New York is panicking here and they have the personnel to make the necessary adjustments to tie the series up. And that is just what we expect to happen on Saturday.

Four of the games in this series have gone over the posted total. We love the over here, and at a fair price. Florida was almost cooked, but now they have life and a legitimate chance to tie this series up at home. They should bring their A Game to the ice tonight, and to us that means offense. And they have shown they can’t stop Boston on defense from putting up at least three goals, which they have done every game in this series. So they will have to get the job done on offense.

This series has turned into a defensive battle, and we think that will continue in this pivotal Game 5 as one team will be one game away from advancing. The last two games in the series combined scores in regulation would barely surpass this total, and that is in six periods of hockey, so we think in three tonight that we will definitely stay under the number. The Rangers have been a hot under team stretching back to the regular season, and we think both defenses will go all out tonight in order to give them the best chance to extend their seasons.

The Rangers got off to a slow start to the season but we think they are the better team despite the records and this is a very nice price for Game 1 as they can erase home ice advantage in one game. The Devils stole the last two in very close games, but NY has a great long term history here as they are 10-4 in the last 14 meetings. The Rangers have played well off extended rest lately (4-0) and we think they come out fired up in this one. The playoffs are all about defense, and we think the Rangers come out fired up in this one and bring their A Game on the defensive end. The Rangers are one of the best road teams in the NHL and they won’t be even a bit intimidated tonight.

Bad teams that are spunky and with fight are normally pretty good against the puckline. But not the Ducks. They are 37-42 ATS overall and 16-22 at home. Anaheim surprised the Avs last time out, but Colorado has won the previous seven meetings, all by multiple goals. Both teams played Saturday and enter on a back-to-back, but the Ducks played extra hockey as they lost in OT to the Coyotes. They are probably happy with that moral victory and they face a big step up in class here.

Both teams have been playing lousy down the stretch, but Arizona is the much better team and they are building something special here in the desert. This team might actually be a playoff type team next season. They seem to be playing with more pride and enthusiasm down the stretch, and we think that will be evident on the ice today. The favorite is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings.

The Coyotes had their nice hot streak where they were very competitive at home for a stretch but the wheels have fallen off despite the venue. They have lost eight straight, and they have a goal differential of -15 in their last three games.  In their last match, they lost to this Kraken club here in Seattle 8-1. Seattle is still fighting for playoff position, so they have motivation here, while the Coyotes look like they are ready to pack it in for the season and they have been playing their worst hockey of a lousy season recently.

This is one of the biggest games of the season for both teams, with only two points separating them in the standings. It’s all but a forgone conclusion these teams will face each other in the first round of the playoffs, so home ice in that series is on the line here. The stakes don’t get much higher for a single hockey game. There will be plenty of Rangers fans here, eliminating some of the home-ice advantage for the Devils. But if this were, say, Game 7 in a playoff series, New York would much rather be playing at MSG., so we think they bring their A Game tonight. And, in our opinion, with both teams playing their best, the Rangers are the better squad. And we are getting an even better price here than we anticipated. New York is playing as well as any team in the league right now. They are 8-1-1 in their last 10 and have won seven of eight. Two of their last three were very impressive, with road wins at Florida and Carolina. This is one of the best road teams in the NHL, and they actually have a slightly better record in road games. The Devils aren’t in near the form the Rangers are. They have taken full points in only two of their last eight games. They are coming off an embarrassing 5-1 loss at the Islanders, and they lost to Buffalo in their last three. The Rangers got off to a slow start this season, but have been among the league’s elite teams since early December. They made effective moves at the deadline that have them set up for success in the postseason, and they will be focused for this important game on Thursday. The Devils stole an OT win in the last meeting, but needed a two-goal rally in the third period to force OT after New York dominated most of the game. But New York has won 10 of the last 13 meetings, and six of the last eight in New Jersey.

We have been all over the Coyotes puckline in home games this season. But this team has been overworked lately, and no one could blame them to not give 100% here in a game that would get ugly quickly. Not only is this a back-to-back for Arizona and their third game in four nights, but they played extended hockey last night with OT and a shootout. They lost that shootout to the Avs, and they looked out of gas there at the end of the game. Edmonton was off Sunday and they have won seven of eight in this series, five of which came by multiple goals.

The Sabres have given up a lot of goals lately, but we think this game will go under, and we have a nice price here for that opinion. The Devils aren’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard at the moment. They have scored more than three goals only once in their last nine games. Six of their last eight games have gone under the posted number. Buffalo hasn’t been good offensively lately. They have scored two or fewer in five of their last nine, and they will be up against a Top 4 scoring defense here. We think the Sabres struggle to score again here and that the Devils don’t go crazy on the scoreboard.

Columbus got smacked around by Anaheim last time out and they are up against a much better team here on Sunday. They have won seven of their last nine and have looked good doing it, with three of their last four wins coming by double digits. Vegas lost last time out, and this looks like a great spot for them to bounce back with a multi-goal win.

St. Louis stinks right now and they are playing some of the worst hockey in the league right now. They have only two wins in their last 10, and both were over the Sharks. Columbus isn’t playing great, but they have double that amount of wins in their last 10, and they also have three overtime losses, so they have been pretty competitive lately. They don’t deserve to be this big of an underdog here. St. Louis has lost five of their last seven visits here, so they don’t normally play well here. The home team is 36-17 in the last 53 meetings, which is a very strong trend that we see continuing here tonight.

The Ducks have gone over in just one of their last seven games (one push). Three of four have gone under for Calgary, so both teams are trending to the under. The Flames offense is struggling right now. They had one goal TOTAL in regulation all three of those recent unders. They probably won’t be held that low tonight, but it’s safe to assume they won’t light up the scoreboard, either. Anaheim has scored two goals each in three of their last four, and we don’t see them doing much on the offensive end here. The under is 11-5-1 in the last 17 meetings, and the last meeting, in December, was a low scoring affair. We see a repeat here on Friday.