At 9:00pm ET, my NHL Playoff Total Of The Year is on the Edmonton Oilers vs Florida Panthers Under the total. The first two games of this series were both played at Edmonton. The Oilers won 4-3 in Game 1, the Panthers responded with a 5-4 win in Game 2. Both contests went to Overtime. Now the series shifts to Florida's Amerant Bank Arena. This will lead to a lower-scoring game. Three of the Panthers' last 4 games here finished with 3 goals or less. Skinner has a better GAA on the road than at home and Bobrovsky has better numbers at home than on the road. Series tied and neither team wanting to give an inch, I believe that this will be the lowest scoring game of the Finals. Play on the under.

At 8:00pm ET, my NHL Western Conference Total Of The Week is on the Edmonton Oilers vs Dallas Stars under. These teams do have some dangerous offensive weapons but this is a very high total for an NHL playoff game. Before losing Game 1 of this series, the Oilers' previous 2 games had scores of 1-0 and 3-0. Before winning Game 1 of this series, the Stars' previous 3 games had scores of 2-1, 4-0 and 3-1. Six of the Stars' last 8 games have finished with 6 or fewer goals. Scoring will be more difficult tonight. Play on the under. 

At 7:00pm ET, my NHL Eastern Conference Total Of The Year is on Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs Under. After the first 3 games of the series went over the total, things changed drastically in Game 4. The score was just 2-0. That brings us to a critical Game 5. I believe we can expect more of what we saw in Game 4; a low-scoring, tight-checking, great goaltending brand of hockey. Bobrovsky has found his groove and the Toronto big guns aren't scoring: Captain Auston Matthews has yet to score a goal this series. Mitch Marner has only one shot on goal in the past three games. John Tavares, who opened the playoffs with five points in the first three games, has just two points over the past six.  Filling in for Stolarz, Toronto goalie Woll has risen to the occasion. Goals will be hard to come by. Play on the under. 

At 8:00pm ET, my NHL Center Ice Report is on Winnipeg Jets vs Dallas Stars Under. In the most recent matchup, the game total (5-2 Dallas) exceeded expectations. However, that was an outlier compared to historical trends. Notably, the previous ten meetings between these teams all finished below the projected total. The last game saw an unusually fast-paced start, with three first-period goals, including one within the opening few minutes, which undermined the under. A slower start tonight is likely to result in a lower final score. Expect improved performance from Winnipeg's goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, who will need to be sharp given the Jets' challenges scoring on the road. Play on the under.

At 8:00pm ET, my May NHL Total Of the Month is on Winnipeg Jets vs St. Louis Blues Under. Winnipeg now leads the series 3-2. A win tonight and the Jets move on to the next round. The goaltending hasn't been as sharp as might have been expected the past few games. These are high-level net-minders though. In an elimination game, they're going to give us great goal-tending. Scheifele, the Jets' #1 center is out. That's big. Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel expects this: “This is going to be a meat-and-potato kind of work zone-to-zone game. Get out of our zone, get through that neutral zone and then make them spend some time in their end of the rink. You know, not having Nic [Ehlers], not having ‘Scheif,’ kind of knocks out a couple of your top-six players. So this is straightforward, grind it out kind of work for, fight for every inch." Go with the Under.

My WESTERN CONFERENCE TOTAL OF THE WEEK is on the under between the Oilers and the Kings at 10:00 EST. The first four games of this series have all flown over the number. LA won the first two games before Edmonton bounced back and won the next two. All tied up and now heading back to LA in the best-of-three series, I finally expect these fatigued sides to play some defense tonight. The Edmonton power-kill went 3-for-3 in Sunday's 4-3 OT victory. Yes, these four games have been high-scoring, but previous to this playoff series from December 28th to April 21st, five games between these clubs had a posted total of 5.5. Their final three regular-season games all went under the number. Expect a slower overall pace in Game 5 to lead to a much tighter and lower-scoring combined outcome. This number is high, the play is on the under.

My EASTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ONE TOTAL OF THE YEAR is on the over between the Hurricanes and the Devils at 3:30 EST. Home ice advantage has so far proved crucial in this series. Carolina won Game 1 by a score of 4-1, and then Game 2 at home by a score of 3-1. The Devils finally answered back at home in Game 3 with a hard-fought 3-2 overtime victory. While the first three games of this series have all gone under the number, I'm finally anticipating a much faster-paced affair in Game 4, and will therefore be hammering the over in this one. These teams played a back-to-back on December 27th and 28th in the regular season. The Devils beat Carolina 4-2 on the 27th, and then Carolina responded with a 5-2 win on the 28th. I believe we'll see a similar offensive response here following the Game 3 loss. Keep your eyes on the Devils' Timo Meier, who has ten shots on 27 attempts through three games. Jacob Markstrom and Frederik Andersen have so far been the focal point of this series, but now everything points to these offenses taking "center stage" so to speak in Game 4. This number is low, the play is on the over.

My SLAP-SHOT play is on the over between the Jets and the Blues at 8:30 EST. The Blues are on the ropes and must play with desperation here to match Winnipeg if they have any hopes of getting back into this series. The Jets, though, have scored seven goals over the first two games, and I don't see their offense slowing down here. Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele have led the way for Winnipeg by combining for four goals and five assists so far. St. Louis has only scored three goals over the first two games. Pavel Buchnevich, Jordan Kyrou, and Robert Thomas should have a much better game at home here though in my estimation. Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington though has struggled so far and he'll once again have his hands full with this aggressive Winnipeg offense. This number is low in my opinion, so the play is on the over.

My SLAP-SHOT play is on the under between the Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche at 9:30 EST. Colorado won Game 1 by a score of 5-1, while Dallas bounced back with a 4-3 overtime win in Game 2. The first two games have been fairly high-scoring, but with the shift in venue, I'm also expecting a shift in pace, and so, because of that, I like the "under" in Game 3 as far as the total is concerned. Nathan MacKinnon had a goal in both games for Colorado. I had a play on the Stars in both Game's 1 and 2. I lost in Game 1, and won in Game 2. That victory snapped a eight-game slide for Dallas. It really was a "do or die" type of scenario for the Stars. Will they have a letdown here now in Game 3 after that emotional victory? The Stars are still without top-scorer Jason Robertson and I think that catches up to them again here in Game 3. Look for Game 3 to be a much tighter, and lower-scoring defensive battle. The play is on the under.

My WESTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ONE TOTAL OF THE YEAR is on the under between the Wild and Knights at 11:00 EST. Game 1 flew over the posted total in the Knights 4-2 victory, but I'm expecting a much tighter, and ultimately lower-scoring battle here in Game 2. Over bettors were in fact "lucky," as Las Vegas would hit the late "empty netter" to push the total over the posted number of 5.5. Minnesota struggled offensively this year, averaging 2.74 GPG. The Knights averaged 3.34, but goaltender Adin Hill, who stopped 18 of the 20 shots he faced, should only get stronger now moving forward. I see Game 2 playing out much the same as Game 1 did, but even tighter and lower-scoring this time around. The play is on the under.

My SLAP-SHOT play is on the under between the Calgary Flames and the LA Kings at 9:30 EST. Calgary is 2-0 in the season series and the Flames enter having won four of their last five, but they've officially been eliminated from Playoff contention and I expect a predictable letdown here in this meaningless game. The Kings are also super hot, having won four in a row and eight of their last nine, but they've already clinched their spot and will be resting most starters in preparation for their series with Edmonton. With each team "going through the motions" like I believe they will, the "under" becomes the correct call as far as the total is concerned in my opinion. 

My 8* CENTER-ICE REPORT is on the over between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers at 7:00 EST. These teams are also battling Tampa for top spot in the Atlantic. Toronto is 8-1-1 in its last ten, while Florida is 3-6-1. Florida will be particularly eager to bounce back here as well after three straight losses. William Nylander and Nicholas Robertson each scored twice and Auston Matthews had two points in Toronto's latest 5-0 win over the Blue Jackets. I think Toronto keeps that offensive momentum rolling here. Florida on the other hand is off a 2-1 loss to Detroit. Florida though still ranks first in the league in shots with 32 per game on average and I expect a big response here in this important contest. A great overall situational play on the over, as I'm anticipating each side to push the pace from start to finish.

My 8* TOTAL CENTER-ICE REPORT is on the over between the Wild and Islanders at 7:30 EST. Minnesota enters 41-28-7, while New York is 32-32-10. The Wild beat the Isles 6-2 at home in February, and I believe everything points to a similar final combined score here as well in what I anticipate will be a much faster-paced affair than most. Minnesota is off a 5-4 OT loss at the Rangers, so they're now in the fourth spot in the Central, seven points ahead of the Flames. New York though has lost six straight. While only scoring 16 goals over that span, note that the Islanders have conceded 27 over that stretch as well. Most recently they lost 4-1 to the Lightning despite outshooting Tampa 29-24. Now five points behind the final wild-card spot in the East, time has all but run out for New York at this point. However, with each side pushing the pace in this one like I believe it will, the over is what I'm rolling with in this one!

My 8* CENTER-ICE REPORT is on the Rangers/Wild over at 8:00 EST. These teams haven't been scoring a lot of goals of late, but I believe that's about to change here on Thursday in Minnesota. The Rangers are 31-28-6 overall and 15-14-3 on the road, while the Wild are 27-24-4 overall, and 15-14-1 at home. The Rangers have lost four straight and they'll be desperate to snap the slide. The Wild just broke a two-game losing streak with a 2-1 shootout win over Colorado. Minnesota has seen the total go under in three straight. The Wild have a favorable schedule here though with upcoming home games vs. St. Louis, LA, Seattle and Buffalo. With each team pushing the pace of this one from the outset like I'm predicting, I see this total flying well over the number.  

My 8* CENTER-ICE REPORT is on the under in the Wings/Senators at 7:30 EST. Detroit is 30-27-6 this year and 14-12-3 on the road. Ottawa is 32-25-5, including 18-9-2 at home. Detroit though enters desperate to snap a five-game slide following 5-2 setback at Washington last time out. Perhaps a date vs. the Senators is just what the doctor ordered to get back on track, as Detroit prevailed 3-2 in OT at home back in early January. The Senators have played in three straight extra time games, winning 4-3 OT contests over Chicago and New York most recently. The home side though will have to be cautious here to not get caught looking ahead to its game at Philadelphia on Tuesday night. I expect another competitive battle between these clubs with a similar lower-scoring outcome as what we saw in their OT game in February. This number is high in my opinion.

My 8* CENTER-ICE REPORT is on the OVER Jets/Devils at 7:00 EST. I'm expecting a wide-open offensive affair here between these non-conference opponents on Friday night. Winnipeg snapped a three-game slide with a 4-1 win at Philadelphia just last night. The Jets have seen the total go under in six straight now. New Jersey is coming off back-to-back losses, most recently a 4-3 setback at Dallas on Tuesday. This is a big game for the Devils as they look to snap their slide. With a game at red-hot Philadelphia on Sunday, tonight's contest takes on added importance for the Devils. Because of that, the home side will be forced to push the pace in this one to snap the slide. A faster-paced affair leads to production on the ice in my opinion, so I'm rolling with the over in this one.     

At 8:07pm ET, my #1 NHL Total Of The Month is on Columbus/Anaheim under. The Ducks have scored 3 goals or less in 10 straight games. Over that 10 game period, they have scored only 19 goals in total, less than 2 per game. Over their past 4 games, the Ducks have managed only 6 total goals. For the season, they are the lowest scoring team in the league. The Blue Jackets know how they feel. They have scored 2 or less in 5 straight and only 7 goals over their past 4 games. With the struggles these offenses are currently having, this total is too high. Play on the under.

At 9:07pm Et, my NHL Total Of The Month is on Colorado/Ottawa over. Games between these teams are fun. They've faced each other 6x since the start of 2021. Scores were 7-5, 6-5, 7-0, 5-4, 6-4, and 7-4. That's 10 goals per game, 60 in 6. Ottawa is off a "10-goal game," losing 6-4 to Vegas. In their last 5, they've also had a game which hit 9 goals and another which finished with 15! The Avalanche scored 4, 4, 3 and 5 goals, their last 4. The 5 goals last game was their most yet and they will build off that with a big offensive performance against Ottawa. Play on the over.

At 8:07pm ET, my NHL Western Conference Total Of The Week is on Colorado/SJ under. The Avalanche have gone over in every game this season. Their defense and goal-tending has been steadily improving with each game though and now they will face the worst team in hockey. Colorado's last game was 3-2 with 15 seconds left but the Avalanche allowed a tying goal which led to Overtime. It was very close to staying under. This time, they probably won't be going to OT and they almost certainly won't be allowing a goal with 13 seconds remaining. Colorado has held San Jose to 2 goals or less (average of 1.5) in 4 straight meetings. This season, the Sharks have scored just 11 goals in 5 games. The last head-to-head meeting was a 3-1 final score. The last time that the Avalanche played at San Jose, the score was 2-1. Play on the under.

At 1:07pm ET, my Atlantic Div. Total Of The Year is on Florida/Boston under. This is already the 2nd meeting between these Atlantic Division rivals. The Bruins had to watch while the Panthers raised their Championship banner on October 8th, at Florida. That was a high-scoring game with Panthers earning a 6-4 victory. Inspired by the moment, the Panthers scored 4 first period goals. Things be much different at TD Garden on Monday afternoon. Since that opening game, the Panthers have only scored 3 goals in their last 2 games combined. Boston is off a 2-1 OT win over the Kings on Saturday afternoon. Florida's last 2 visits here had scores of 2-1 and 3-2. Four of the past 5 meetings here have gone to the under, all 4 of those finishing with 5 or fewer goals. This will be another low-scoring battle. Play on the under.

At 10:07pm, my NHL Western Conference Total Of The Month is on Colorado/Vegas under. This is a great showdown between a pair of former Stanley Cup champions. You might expect otherwise but their recent games against each other have been low-scoring. As a matter of fact, 7 of the past 9 meetings between these teams have gone to the under. Those 9 games had a total of only 41 goals. That's an average of only 4.56 goals per game. The Golden Knights lost a number of contributors in the offseason including last year's leading scorer, Jonathan Marchessault. The 6 players they lost to free agency on July 1st combined for 85 goals and 182 points last season. It may take time to figure out who replaces that scoring. This will lead to a low-scoring home opener.

At 8:00 ET, my NHL Playoff TOW is on the Under in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The series started with 2 low-scoring games. I came back with a winner with the Over in Game 3. That was followed with overs in Games 4 and 5. Now we've got a series again! Game 6 will be the lowest-scoring game of the series so far. The Panthers only lost 2 games in a row one other time in these playoffs. They won 3-2 the next game. Before that, the last time that they lost 2 in a row, they responded with a shutout. At 5-on-5, the Panthers are really difficult to score against. They will do a much better job at limiting Edmonton's chances in this one. Play on the Under.

At 8:00 ET, my NHL Playoff TOY is on the Over in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The 2 games in Florida were both won by the Panthers. Each of them stayed under the posted total. Now the series shifts to Canada. The change of rinks will bring a different style of game and that means more scoring.

The Oilers are hard to stop on home ice. They average 4.1 goals per game in games played at Edmonton. Games here average 6.8 combined goals. The Panthers actually score slightly more goals (3.4) on the road than they do at home. Bobrovsky is a top goalie for Florida but he's not unbeatable. He let in a soft one to start Game 2. Edmonton's goaltending hasn't been at the same level. Florida will continue to score but this time Edmonton will do the same. Each of Florida's last seven visits here have finished with 6 or more goals. Play on the Over.

At 8:30pm Eastern, my Neutral Zone Trap play is on Edmonton/Dallas Under the total. Last night's Eastern Conference Finals ended with a 3-0 final score. Great goal-tending and tough defense. Tonight's Western Conference Finals opener will take a similar trajectory.

The Oilers are known for their scoring but they got here with their defense. They held Vancouver to 2, 3, 1 and 2 goals in the final 4 games of that series. The Canucks had trouble generating shots. Dallas used a similar formula. The Stars held the Avalanche to 1 goal in 3 of the final 4 games of that series. Oettinger had a shutout when these teams met here last month. Play on the Under.

At 9:00 pm Eastern, my NHL Total Of The Week is on Vancouver/Edmonton under the total. The first 3 games of the series all finished with at least 7 goals. Things have tightened up since then. The last 3 games have all finished with 6 or less. Scoring opportunities have been hard to come by. Last game, the teams only combined for 42 shots. That's less than individual teams sometimes get.

Brock Boeser leads Vancouver in goals scored in these playoffs. He's also tied for the team lead in overall points. The problem is that Boeser is expected to miss the game. That hurts the offense. Goals are often hard to come by in a Game 7. This season's first 2 Game 7s (Bos/Tor and Dal/Veg) finished with scores of 2-1 and 2-1. Since last year, the past 5 Game 7's have all finished with 4 goals or less. Play on the Under.

Nine goals in the first game. That came down to 7 goals in the 2nd game, 6 in regulation. The number of goals will continue to fall in Game 3. The Canucks last trip to Edmonton ended in a 3-1 victory.

Vancouver playoff games are averaging 5.1 goals. The Canucks are averaging only 20.4 shots on goal in the playoffs. They permit just 24.6. The Oilers are allowing an average of just 2.4 goals over their past 5 games, only 27 shots per game. They concede 2.7 goals per game on home ice. The Canucks don't see many 6.5's. Let's take advantage of this one and go with the Under!

Wednesday's NHL games were high-scoring but Thursday's games will be different. There is a lot of firepower on the ice in this game but that's reflected in the fact that this total is very high. The number was 6 instead of 6.5 in the opening game.

The offenses are potent but the defenses can be really good as well. Dallas allows 2.2 goals over its last 5 games. Colorado also allows an average of 2.2 goals over its last 5 games. The Stars lost 4-3 in the opening game. Dallas also lost 4-3 in Game 1 of its first series against Vegas. The next game was a 3-1 final. Before Game 1 of this series, the Stars had played 6 straight games with 6 goals or less. Go with the Under!

Wednesday's NHL games were high-scoring but Thursday's games will be different. The Rangers allow 2.8 goals per game on the road. In the playoffs, they are conceding only 2.2 goals per game. Carolina allows only 2.5 goals per game at home, just 24 shots.

Both teams have top level goalies. Both are among the best at killing penalties. Go with the Under!

The Hurricanes are 19-11-1 to the under their last 31 tries when playing with 3 or more days rest, 6-3 this season. The Hurricanes allow 2.4 goals per division game and they're allowing 2.4 goals per playoff game. Their division games are 21-9-1 to the under.

The Rangers are 4-2 to the under when playing with 3 or more days rest. They are 5-2 to the under their last 7 2nd round playoff games, 31-15 long-term. They're allowing only 1.7 goals per game in the playoffs. The last h2h meeting was a 1-0 final score. Go with the Under!

The last game finished with a 2-1 final score. That makes 3 of the last 4 games which have produced 5 or fewer goals. Vancouver has generated only 92 shots in the first five games of the series. The Canucks' previously potent power play has scored goals in only one game.

Even in the regular season, these teams were both pretty good defensively but both have stepped up their defensive efforts even further in the postseason. Both teams are averaging only 2.4 goals in the playoffs. Only Toronto and Washington have averaged less.

This is from NHL.com about Vancouver's defense: "The Canucks are allowing 6.94 high-danger chances against per 60 minutes at five-on-five. That is the best in the league for defending against high-danger scoring chances. They also rank number one in the league for allowing scoring chances against per 60 minutes – only allowing 19.8/60 at five-on-five." Go with the Under.

The Capitals are very likely done in this series. They know it. They will still put up a good fight but their depleted group of defensemen won't be able to stop the potent Rangers attack. New York has scored 3 or more goals in every game, more than 3 in 2 of the games. The Rangers are deadly on the power-play and they're even dangerous when killing penalties.

There may be some extra penalties too, as the Capitals are out for revenge from a big hit that injured one of their players. Washington has yet to get any production from Ovechkin, one of the best goal scorers the game has seen. Don't be surprised when he finally makes an appearance in the boxscore. Also, the Capitals will pull their goalie extra early, should they find themselves trailing. Go with the Over!

You likely saw what happened in the first 2 games. They both sailed over the total. Tonight, we work with a very high total of 6.5. We don't even have to lay heavy juice to get it. Winnipeg is 15-9-3 to the under when playing in a road game where where the total is 6 or more.

The Jets only allow 2.5 goals a game on the road. The Avalanche concede just 2.7 goals per game at home. The goal scoring barrage comes to an end tonight. Go with the Under.

Game 1 got out of hand. A 7-6 final. Hockey playoffs are funny though. You can have a game like that and see the next one play out completely differently. The benefit of that Game 1 result is that the Game 2 total is now jacked right up. The Avalanche are 2-0 to the under the past 2 years when trailing in a playoff series.

The Avalanche are 20-10 to the under their last 30 tries when playing with revenge. The Jets are 11-7 to the under after allowing 4 goals or more. The Avalanche still allow just 3.1 goals per game and the Jets still allow a measly 2.5 goals per game, 2.2 gpg over their last 5. Go with the Under!

Playoff hockey brings playoff level defense. Games tend to be lower-scoring. Recent games between these Original Six rivals have also shown a tendency to be low scoring. The last 2 meetings have had identical 4-1 scores. Four of the past 5 meetings have finished with 5 or fewer goals.

Toronto is one of the highest scoring teams in the league and everyone knows about Matthews' big season. Boston is one of the best defensive teams though and this is a very high total. The Leafs only managed 2 combined goals the last 2 games and Matthews was held without a goal in each of those games. Go with the Under!

These teams both have trouble scoring at times. The Coyotes average 2.8 goals per game on the road. The Flyers average 2.8 goals per game at home. This season's first meeting had three first period goals but still only finished at 4-1.

The Flyers may have lost their previous starting netminder for a while but they are still getting exemplary goal-tending. They've conceded only 4 total goals thier last 3 games. None of those finished with more than 5 combined goals. Samuel Ersson has been sharp and his backup Cal Petersen came through with a strong performance when called upon last game. The surging Flyers will make scoring difficult for an Arizona team which is missing some attacking pieces. That will help keep this game under the total!

The Penguins are 54-33 to the under the last few seasons, 13-10 this year, when playing on the road with a total of 6 or more. The Wild are 14-9 to the under at home, when the total was 6 or more.

Both teams are playing a low-scoring brand of hockey since the All Star Break. The Penguins last 3 games, all unders, have averaged, 3.3 goals. Minnesota's last 3 games, also all unders, have averaged 4.33 goals. The Wild are now 16-8 to the under their last 24 in the month of February.

Remember that Minnesota goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury played for the Penguins for many years. The under trend continues for another night!

Sometimes, you need to take what the books are giving you. These teams never have totals of 7 when they play each other. A glance at the past 10 meetings reveals most 6.5s. The last meeting had a total of 6 and it finished with 6. We're getting a whole extra goal tonight.

The Red Wings have allowed 2 goals or less in consecutive games and 5 of their last 7. The Senators have allowed 3 or less in 6 of their last 7. This game goes Under!

The Avalanche are 3-0 to the over on their current road trip. That changes tonight as they are now facing one of the stingiest teams in the National Hockey League. The Bruins are off a 3-0 shutout last game and they allow only 2.63 goals per game. The Avalanche are 3-0 to the under after playing their previous 3 on the road. They are also 9-4-3 5 to the under their last 16 visits to Boston. The Bruins are 40-26-7 to the under their last 63 home games when the total was 6 or more. Go with the Under.

Two really bad teams. Do they even want to win? If so, who wants it more? In my estimation, its better not to lose sleep over the side and instead to focus on the total.

These teams are bad in no small part to their defense. The Sharks give up 4.05 goals per game. That's the most in entire NHL and the number climbs to 4.3 goals allowed per road game. The Blackhawks aren't far behind. They allow 3.65 goals per game, 4th worst in the NHL.

The last 3 meetings all finished with 7 goals. This one finishes with 6 or more, the over moving to 7-3 the past 10 times that Chicago played with 2 day's rest in between games.

This is a big total. Too big. Neither team was pleased with its number of goals allowed last game. Both will be looking to clean that up. Buffalo has already gone under 12 of 19 times, after giving up 4 or more goals. The Senators are 12-8 to the under after allowing 4 or more goals. For the past few seasons, Ottawa is 51-36 to the under after allowing 4 or more goals.

The Sabres are also 12-7 to the under when playing a home game with a total of 6 or more. The Sabres score less at home (2.8 gpg) than on the road. The under is 12-7 in their home games. Lastly, the under is 7-1-1 the past 3 seasons when these divisional foes have faced each other. Go with the Under! ***Atlantic Div TOY***

The Golden Knights won the first meeting 7-0. The Avalanche are 10-3 to the under in 13 tries when playing with revenge. Over the past few seasons, Colorado is 44-26-1 to the under, when in a revenge situation.

The Golden Knights haven't played in some time. They are 2-1 to the under when having had 3 or more day's off. They are also 12-5-1 to the under against winning teams.

Before the 7-0 game, the previous six meetings between these teams had all finished with 5 goals or less. The under was 6-0. This game will be low-scoring! ***NHL TOW***

The first outdoor game ever played in Seattle will be a good one. They're expecting a great turnout to see the Kraken host the defending Stanley Cup champions. I won't worry about who wins but I really like the total. Even if the ice conditions aren't an issue, this has all the makings of a defensive game.

This will be the 4th meeting since the start of 2023. Two in April and one in October. Scores of those games were 4-1, 3-1 and 3-1.

Vegas has scored 3 goals or less in three straight games. Seven goals over the 3-game span. Seattle has scored 3 or fewer goals in 6 straight games. During those 6 games, the Kraken scored just 14 goals. Their last 4 games had scores of 2-1, 2-1, 3-1 and 3-2. Go with the Under. **NHL TOM**

Previous meetings this season have had totals of 6 instead of 5.5. The lower number offers us excellent line value.

New York's last game had 7 goals. The previous game had 9. Three of the Capitals last 4 road games versus the Islanders have finished with at least 6 goals.

Washington allowed 5 goals last game. The Capitals have struggled to score in recent games and will be pleased to know that the Islanders are missing a few defensemen.

The Islanders are 20-14-1 to the over this season. Go with the over. ***TOTAL OF WEEK***

Both the Senators and the Knights will look to improve their number of goals allowed today. The last time that the Senators were off 3 straight losses, they responded with a 2-0 win. The last time that the Knights allowed 5 or more goals, they responded with a 4-1 win. The Knights allow only 2.48 goals per game, 3rd best in the NHL. They kill 87.3% of their penalties. Only Boston is better. Ottawa's last 3 visits to Sin City have finished with scores of 3-2, 2-1 and 4-1. All 3 of those games went under the total and this one will too. ***NHL TOW***

This is the lowest total of any of Thursday's hockey games. The rest have totals of 6 or more. Turning a 6 into a win instead of a push or loss is a big deal. Washington's last game finished with 6 goals. Two of the Capitals last 4 games have landed on that number. Three of their last 4 have finished with more than 5.5 goals. The last 10 meetings between these teams have also all had total lines of 6 or more. Capital road games average 5.9 goals on the season. Same goes for Flyer home games. Washington's last visit to the Philadelphia resulted in a 5-3 final, Travis Konecny recording a hat trick for the home team. This one will also finish over the total! ***Metro Div TOM***

The Jets couldn't muster much offense last night. They will have to do better tonight as the Kings have scored 15 goals against them in the past 3 meetings alone. LA finally lost on the road, the trip wearing them down. The Kings had scored 4 or more goals in 3 straight and 7 of 8 before visiting New York though. Winnipeg has only played back-to-back games once and that game finished with 7 goals. This one goes over! ***Total Wipeout***

Seattle has a scoring problem. The problem is that the Kraken can't score. They average only 2.52 goals a game. That's 4th worst in the NHL. Last game, they scored 0. They have scored 3 or less every time, in losing each of their 8 games. Over their last 5 games, they've scored only 6 combined goals. The Panthers are difficult to score against. They only permit 2.4 goals per road game. 8 of 14 road games have gone under. This season's earlier game finished at 3-2. Florida's visit here last December finished at 5-1. They won't even get that many tonight. ***NHL TOM***

Allowing only 2.35 goals per game, 2nd fewest in the NHL, Los Angeles has been an under team. The Kings last two game had scores of 4-0 and 2-1. They are 8-1-1 to the under their last 10 games. Colorado played last night. The game started high-scoring but had no goals from mid-way through the second period right up until the shootout. Last time that the Avalanche played for the 2nd time in 2 days, the final score was 3-1. This game goes under! ***WESTERN CONF TOY***

Ottawa scored 0 last game and has managed 5 goals total its last 3 games. Averaging 2.88 goals, Columbus is one of the lower-scoring teams in the league. The Jackets scored 2 last game which marked the third time in 4 games that they scored less than 3 goals. None of the last 9 meetings have exceeded 7 goals. Six games since 2022 have averaged less than 5 goals each. Under is 5-1 in Blue Jackets last 6 vs. a team with a losing record. Blue Jackets are also 4-1 to the under last 5 tries when playing with 1 day's rest in between games. This game goes Under! ***EASTERN CONF TOM***

The Oilers made a coaching change and immediately got a win. Better late than never! Draisaitl had four points and McDavid had a goal and an assist. Prior to that McDavid had been in a slump. With those two going and the entire team happier, we should see loads of offense from this team, going forward. Seattle has allowed 22 goals past 5 games, an average or more than 4. Before a 4-1 game a few days back, each of the previous 7 meetings have featured at least 7 goals. Both teams will find the back of the net regularly and this one will also finish at 7 or more. ***SUPER SHOOTOUT***

Last month's game between these teams was high-scoring but Columbus divsion games are only averaging 4.7 goals. The Blue Jackets won that firs game. The Rangers have gone under 4 of the past 5 times that they played with revenge. Under has hit 4 of past 5 meetings in New York. Rangers are also 47-29 to the under their last 66 tries, off a 2 or more goal victory. Also, Under is 6-1 in Rangers last 7 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game. This one goes Under! ***Metro Division Total Of The Year

Have a look at this group of 6 scores and see if you notice a pattern. 3-0, 3-2, 3-2, 3-2, 2-0, 3-1. Did you see it? Of course you did. All six games were low-scoring. All finished with 5 goals or less. Those were the scores from the last 6 meetings between the Avalanche and the Knights. No Western Conference team has allowed less goals than Colorado. Vegas would be right there but has played two more games. These teams are hard to score agaisnt. The Under is 6-0-1 in Colorado's last 7 games when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game. Under is also 6-1 in Colorado's last 7 vs. Pacific Division teams. This game stays under! ***total of the month

A very big O/U line. These teams faced each other already. Playing in their own building, the Canucks crushed the Oilers by an 8-1 score. Both Edmonton goalies struggled. We'll see a better defensive and goaltending effort from the Oilers on Saturday. Only one of Vancouver's past five visits here has produced more than 7 goals. Three of those five games finished with less than six. The under is 3-1-1 in those games and 6-2-1 in nine meetings overall. Also, the under is 5-1 the past six times that Edmonton allowed five or more goals in its previous game. Go with the Under! *NHL TOM

As expected, we saw a much tighter-checking game three, with significantly fewer shots on both sides.  Play-off Bob looked sharp but the Panthers did a much better job in allowing him to see the puck.  While the Panthers didn't shut down Vegas's big three in Marchessault, Eichel and Stone, they did at least limit their opportunities to 8 shots on net in total.  The Knights are a very well coached team, exceptional at adjusting from game to game, and at limiting scoring on the road.  They limited Dallas at home to just 3 goals in 3 games.  I expect game four could again be low scoring, especially if Bobrovsky continues to rebound.  Hill wasn't quite as sharp in game three.  Look for the Knights' oversized defenders to come to his aid this time out.  Take Saturday's game to again go under.

After a blow-out loss, the Panthers slink back to Florida for game three.  Location was highly significant for the Panthers in the regular season:  they were a .500 club on the road, and much better at home.  The Knights were actually a better on the road than at home this year.  They played a very different style, tight-checking and composed, and the totals reflected this.  The Panthers are now at critical mass and absolutely must play with more discipline and composure, limiting penalties.  They have had a couple of days of soul-searching.  Vegas, with solid defense and goal-tending from Hill, has been able to limit the Panthers' quality scoring chances.  I believe this will continue on Thursday.  I also believe that the Panthers will rebound and find their composure.  They'll have the final change, so with the right personnel on the ice, perhaps they can cool off the Eichel, Marchessault, Barbashev line.  Look for the return of the Florida forecheck, and a better game from Bobrovsky.  The Total has climbed to six.  Take the Under on Thursday. 10* Playoff TOY

The total in Game One went as expected, with Bobrovsky allowing four goals against for just the first time in eleven games.  I doubt that his extended rest will prove beneficial in this series.  Let's not forget that in spite of his recent play, Bobrovsky had a pair of five goals-against games early in the Boston series.  Adin Hill continued to impress with a .943 save % on 35 shots.  On offense, Eichel had a pair of assists in Game one.  Stone was held scoreless but had seven shots on net.  Tkachuk took himself out of the game for the final five minutes, and was also held pointless.  I am still convinced that offenses, especially Vegas' will rule the day in this series.  That same 5 1/2 total is readily available.  We have a small sample size, but recent games with the Knights as the home side have all gone over.  Take the Over again in Game two.

We have seen a stack of unders with the Panthers in the postseason, not in small part due to Bobrovsky's remarkable play.  It is now ten days since he played, so at what point does rest become rust?  He gave up three goals in his last start; I'm wagering that he will do at least the same tonight.  The Panthers are 0-5 in Vegas and those games have gone over to the tune of 4-1.  The Knights rolled out six goals against a very good defensive team in their last game.  The return of Mark Stone and Eichel's first foray into the playoffs have made the Golden Knights an offensive force to be reckoned with.  The Golden Knights have had five days rest and are mostly healthy, a rarity in the past two years. Let's not forget that the Panthers were a top six team in offense this season. Look for goal tending on a less heroic scale and a higher final score.  Take Vegas and the Panthers to go over the total.

The Stars and Oettinger bounced back with an overtime win in Game four.  I really thought that the young Stars goalie was down for the count, but he survived nearly 40 shots with by far his best game of the series.  Hill was again steady in net for Vegas as he has been all series long.  Dallas will be again in must win mode but at least they have now had a taste of success, however the Knights have been very good at making the necessary adjustments after a loss.  With 2/3s of the Stars second line out and with the final change tonight, Vegas can key on the Stars top line which accounted for all of the Dallas scoring in Game four.  This series was always expected to be a low scoring one, and in spite of some subpar goal tending by Oettinger, the last three games have gone under.  Look for another tight checking, low scoring affair tonight, and take the total to go under.

The top and second top forechecking teams in the NHL (by advanced metrics) are masterful at getting in on the puck.  But it turns out they are also great at limiting in zone high danger chances.  Their skill at forechecking includes an ability to clog up the neutral zone and stifle rush chances.  Both teams still manage to keep things exciting with checkers and puck carriers selling out and sacrificing themselves all over the ice. 

When you combine this with unbelievable goaltending it is a sure recipe for low scoring affairs.  The losing goaltender in this series, Andersen has save percentages of .941 and .950.  That is phenomenal.  But Bobrovsky has been otherworldly with 1.0, .974 and.969 save percentages.  It’s no surprise that the Canes under record is 4-0 in their last 4 and the Panthers is 8-0 in their last 8.  Both teams have averaged totals of 5.4 (Carolina) and 5.2(Florida) GF +GA in their last 10 games.

When you have no high scoring stars on either side it’s no wonder that the under is a must call on this one.  Take the under and enjoy this hard fought hockey to the max.

The Stars have not been getting the goal-tending required for  playoff success in Round three.  In spite of Oettinger's track record, and the Knights being limited to just 24 shots in Game two, Dallas came up in the wrong side of overtime again.  Golden Knights' net minder Adin Hill has looked very sharp in his last four starts.  This is obviously  a must-win situation for the Stars.  Vegas has been a tighter close checking team when playing on the road all season.  I think Dallas will respond with even more defensive pressure, while an obviously weary Oettinger will look to rebound from some poor outings.  Game three will be another close one, with an equally low total.  Take the Under on Tuesday

There are no Bobrovskys in this series.  Oettinger was expected to excel but for what ever reason (fatigue?) he has been little better than average in the playoffs.  Adin Hill was the better goalie in game one.  We have seen a surprising number of high totals from these two teams in the playoffs; 7-1 in the Stars' case, and three straight from Vegas.  The odds-makers keep setting the number at 5.5 but without superlative goal-tending, that number seems low.  It has been a rare game in the playoffs that the Knights haven't scored 4 or more goals.  The Stars have also averaged roughly four goals a game over their last 1o games.  I am jumping on that low number in Game two.  Take Vegas and the Stars to go over the total.

There has to be a regression to the mean in Bobrovsky’s goaltending.  His .943 save% in his last 6 games is off the charts and way above his seasonal and career numbers.  After an almost 7 period game, this is the time for it to come back down to earth.  The Canes are 3rd in average shots per game while the Panthers are 22nd in average shots against.  Bobrovsky is due for a melt down.  The Panthers’ PK is at 61%.  The Canes PP hasn’t been great but this will be Teravinen’s second game back so he should help their PP and offense in general more than last game.  
Florida has been involved in a lot of under totals lately but two stats point to the Canes being able to make adjustments to juice up their attack.  They are 7-1 over/under on one day’s rest and have a 21-7 win loss record when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in the previous game.  It all points to an over total for game 2. Tired teams usually score more rather than less goals.  Take Game two to go over the total.

The Kraken have been a much tougher nut to crack in the playoffs than anyone expected.  The Stars came in as favored, but the series has see-sawed wildly in wins.  The only consistent factor is the over, and I expect another one today. Goal tending and the Kraken offense have been the keys in  Series two.  The Settle goal tending was always suspect, and Grubauer, after a terrific first series, has reverted to an .865 save %  against the Stars.  Oettinger who was expected to excel in the postseason, has been pulled twice and has exactly the same .865 save % as Grubauer.  The high totals are perhaps not so surprising as these were the 5th and 7th ranked offenses, however the Stars' inability to control Seattle with one of the league's elite defenses is an eye-opener.  I am not going to second guess this one.  Take game seven to again go over.

My run on totals is up to 13-3.  This is your chance to jump on board.  Skinner, tonight’s likely Oilers goalie, has alternated good with abysmal starts.  This is his turn for a good one. He has had save %s of .962 and .968 for his great starts.  We won’t talk about his bad starts.  Nurse will return from his suspension which should solidify the Oilers' back end. 

 Aidan Hill has had a .926 save % in his last 10 starts.  Pietrangelo and Kolesar have got their owlies out, so that should limit the power play chances for the Oilers.  The Knights have managed to limit the damage from Edmonton’s top scoring duo in most recent action. That combined with the fact that Vegas plays a different kind of lockdown game on the road should combine with all of the above to create a low event game for game 6. 

Three of the last 4 games of this series have been under.  In the last 8 meetings between these clubs, the under is 6-1-1.  Join me for another fine total selection. We should see a tense, much tighter,  more defensive tonight, especially from the last chance Oilers.The Under is the call for tonight’s game.

My run on totals in the NHL playoffs is up to 12-3.  I couldn’t believe my good fortune when I saw an over of 5.5 (-120) for Saturday.  I couldn’t write this pick quickly enough.  Dallas, in their last 10 games has averaged a total of 7 goals a game.  Seattle isn’t far behind at 6.8.  As a favorite Dallas’ games have averaged a total of 6.4 goals per game.  As a dog Seattle’s totals have averaged 6.5 per game. Overs are 4-0 for the L4 games in Seattle and 8-0 for the L8 meetings between these two clubs.  And then the clincher for me, Dallas is 5-0-1 on overs for their L6 and Seattle is 5-0 in their last 5. 

Although both clubs were just below .500 for overs against all opponents during the regular season, the playoffs seem to be a different story.  The intensity, physicality and pressure all seem to conspire to create high event hockey.  Jump on the over.

I am again confident on this one despite going 1-1 last night.  This is my first under in awhile but the sports books have been taking a beating and they offered up a generous one to try and turn the tide. 

That combined with the new approach Toronto is taking to protect their young goaltender, Woll.  12 different Leafs blocked shots last game as a key point in their heroic defending.  That combined with the fact that Toronto’s core 4 forwards can’t seem to get untracked with Florida’s physical and smothering defense indicates a low event affair tonight. 

Also of note is that all 4 games in this series have been under, Toronto has been under for their last 6 and head to head the Panthers and Leafs are 6-0 on unders for their last 6.  The Leafs may be under the gun to extend this series and you can pick under with confidence for tonight’s match up.

Dallas is a heavy favorite tonight, but the Kraken are a much better team on the road, and a very good candidate to bounce back after a loss this season. The total has edged up to 6 today; not surprising as every game has gone well over in the series.  Grubauer did not look sharp in Game four, and was pulled after 40 minutes.  He has been much less successful vs Dallas with a save % under .900 in three of four games this series.  The same could be said of Oettinger, with a surprisingly low  save % of .860.   Fatigue could be a factor; the young goalie has played a ton of hockey this year.    Seattle still managed three goals in spite of the Stars limiting the Kraken to just 19 shots.  The Kraken continue to surprise on offense, and with McCann back, offense could still be the name of the game tonight.  With the topsy turvy nature of wins in the playoffs, I am hesitant to pick a side today but I am big on the total.  Take the Kraken and Stars to again go over.

Every game this series has been over 5.5 and yet the sports books keep offering it to us and we’ll keep taking it. These two teams have averaged a total of 8 goals/game. Whether the Devils start Schmid or Vanecek doesn’t matter to me. Both have struggled in their last 10 and are barely above .500. Not a good look for the playoffs. So even though Carolina is not the most high octane offense they have consistently got to both goalies. And the Devils have the 4th ranked power play while the Canes penalty kill is 20th ranked. So the Devils should score their share as well. All bodes well for my record with this pick and another total above 5.5 for a fifth consecutive game.

The last game surprised in many ways. Oettinger looking so shaky, Dallas so vulnerable without Heiskinen, and so many different Kraken scoring at will. That second period seemed to take the wind out of the Stars’ sails. Coach Deboer is a master at making between game adjustments. Even if Heiskinen plays, the injury could affect his offensive and defensive abilities. Seattle has some confidence now and the home crowd to boost them even more. With the possibility of Grubauer coming back down to earth as well, all of this bodes well for a high event, high scoring game. The over is 6-0 for the last six games between these foes. Dallas averaged 3.83 goals and Seattle average 4.0 goals over that span. The total set at 5.5 seems like a gift. Take the over and make like a bandit.

The Devils woke up on home ice, pounding two of the three Canes' goalies.  It remains to be seen if Raanta can go in game four or if Carolina will return to Andersen.  If it is anything like last series, it will be difficult for the Hurricanes to stuff the Devils' scoring genie back in the bottle, so we could be in for a wild ride in game Five.  NJ will come out flying again. Hughes broke out with four points, but New Jersey got scoring from a variety of sources.  Even Vanacek chipped in with an assist.  I have no faith in either of the Devils' netminders to limit Carolina.  I expect another barn burner with plenty of scoring. Game five will go over the total, possibly well over.

The Golden Knights could not contain the Oilers' high octane offense and their potent power play in Game two.  What was surprising was the Oilers, who are often defensively suspect, limiting the Knights to a single goal.  Vegas has been a much better away team this season, playing a tighter more disciplined style on the road that is very suitable to the playoffs.  They are a very well-coached team with an ability to adjust on the fly.   While the Oilers are a heavy favorite today, I am not ready to count Vegas out.  I think the Knights will focus on slowing down the Oilers down, at the cost of total goals.  The total went under in Game two, and an even higher number is available today. Look for a tighter checking game and take the total to go under.

The Devils bounced back after a poor start in the first series and are favored today, but the Hurricanes really seem to have New Jersey's number in this series.  The Devils' goalie situation is pretty ugly.  Neither net minder was effective in Game two, and Schmid's run would seem to have come to an end. I do think that the Devils will  score more than  one goal today; they certainly responded on offense upon returning home in the first series.  The Canes, despite missing some key pieces on offense, are getting scoring from a range of players at the moment.  They have been absolutely tenacious on the forecheck, and I don't see them taking their foot off the gas.  We have seen the over in both games of the series despite very limited offense from the Devils.  Carolina will again get their opportunities against whoever is in net.  I am wagering on the over today.

The Oilers will score their share of goals, and they still could win this series. It won’t be easy without an elite goalie considering how some of the defense plays, and while Skinner hasn't played badly, he is no game-changer.  Like all the successful teams this year ,Vegas was tenacious on the forecheck in Game One.  Broissoit has played better than expected but the Knights face an elite offense at 5 on 5, and one of the very best power plays ever. Add Draisatl, who is lights out in the playoffs, and the potential more than in any other series is for a bunch of goals from both sides . Take the over again in game two.

The Devils were embarrassed by the more experienced Hurricanes.  Let's hope that this will kick-start them for Game two.  Schmid was pulled in Game one after three quick goals, leaving Game two's starter a question mark.  The Devils had an even worse result in the first game of the Rangers series and did bounce back.  While Carolina is an elite defensive team, Andersen faced just eighteen shots.  I don;t believe that the high flyers we saw in the latter part of the Rangers series will be held to just a single goal and under twenty shots twice in a row.  New Jersey has rebounded well after previous losses all season long and are 13-6 after a loss of two goals or more.  Schmid has now had two poor outings.  Is it possible that his cinderella run has ended?  There are enough questions around the Devils goal tending to make the total, a low 5.5, very tempting.  Go with the over today.

Game one of the series featured more goals than expected.   Five goals against the Stars and Oettinger is a rare occurrence, but the Kraken accomplished it with tenacious forechecking and their usual balanced fifth-ranked attack. The Kraken's ability to play tough without taking penalties eliminated the Stars' very potent power play in game one.  Neither goal-tender looked sharp, but the less than stellar play by Grubauer is more concerning.  Oettinger is far more likely to bounce back.
The Stars bounced back after an opening loss in the first series.  It is unlikely that they will be able to completely shut down the Kraken, but they should get plenty of opportunity against Grubauer. Look for other forwards to chime in today, although Pavelski's return is significant.  Dallas is a very large, possibly exaggerated, favorite today.  I think the total is Thursday's best opportunity.  Take Dallas and Seattle to go over.

The Oilers' top rated offense and power play were a little much for the Golden Knights in the regular season.  Edmonton was 4-0 in Vegas and the over was 3-0-1.  They are a very good road team this year.  They do have their weak points, in goal tending and defense.  Skinner was the worst net-minder in the first round, and a healthy Vegas side will have their chances on goal.  Vegas got solid work from Broissoit in the Jets series, but the Oilers are a huge step up in speed and skill, and Broissoit has never been regarded as an elite talent.  It took Edmonton a series last year to really get flying.  We could see a very wide open style with the resulting high totals, starting in Game 1.  Take the Oilers and Knights to go over.    

Devils goal-tending issues returned as the Rangers finally broke through against Schmid in Game six. Who the Devils start in net today is the big question.  At the other end, Shesterkin has been consistently good for the Rangers with a fine .939 save % in this series.  While it didn't hold in  this series, NJ has bee a force at home this season.  The speed of the Devils has given the Rangers fits and we have yet to see a goal from Hughes.  The Devils have been tough to beat at home this season and have also a very fine record in bouncing back from a loss. Having solved both Schmid and Vanacek, the Rangers will be ready for whoever is in net.  In spite of these two teams' reputation for defense, I expect offense to be the color of the day.  Wager on the Devils and Rangers to go over.

There are some compelling reasons to consider a Kraken win tonight.  Seattle is a very good road team and are 4-1 vs the Avs in Colorado.  There are even more reasons to look at the total.  The under has figured in five of six games in this series and in all of the Av's home games.  Nine of ten recent meetings have all gone under.  Seattle and Grubauer have defended  better than anyone might have expected.  The Av's have just a single player in the top twenty playoff scoring leaders and the Kraken have none.  Seattle could still be missing McCann today, a big part of their scoring.  I am not confident on picking a winner in game seven, but I do like the total very much.  Jump on the under, especially if under six is available.

Skinner has a save % of .884 in the series and Korpisalo has given up 9 goals in 2 games.  We have now seen the total go over in the last two games.  Neither of these two teams were better than average statistically this season and goal-tending had much to do with that.  With the Oilers the top offense and with a devastating PP, high totals seemed inevitable. For me, Korpisalo overachieved in the early series.  I am betting that the Oilers get to him or Copley again today.  I also can't believe that the Kings can subdue McDavid much longer.  I am not counting the Kings out yet, but I am big on a total prediction today.  Take this game to go over the total

Both these teams have a penchant for winning on the road and the series has followed that pattern.  I think the Devils success in games three and four has more to do with A. a young team finding their playoff footing, and  B. putting Schmid in net.  The youngster has allowed just two goals in forty-nine shots..  It isn't as if the Devils are ripping up Shesterkin and the Rangers, having scored just just seven goals in four games.  These were, after all, two tough top ten defenses in the regular season, and if Jersey gets solid goal-tending again, we could see another low total.  I'm wagering on the under again today. 10*

The Avalanche got to Grubauer in a big way, which is not really a surprise.  Goal tending was always a question mark for the Kraken.  Seattle responded with four goals in game 3, again not really surprising, as they possess one of the better offenses in the league.  The Av's last 6  away games have all gone over, and Colorado is a tough opponent on the road.  Seattle has not been at their best at home this year.  We've reached situation critical in the series.   Seattle will be all in, and that means offense.  Colorado is tough to beat when MacKinnon et al get rolling. Look for another high total, and jump on the over today

I thought the Golden Knights would make more of a game of it, but the Jets shut them down, allowing just 17 shots. Hellebuyck, who can be a game changer, wasn't even worked.  However the Jets are not always consistent, so I am not convinced of a similar result in Game two.  Will it be Broissoit in net again?  He was very good down the stretch, but allowed 4 goals with an .867 save % in Game one. 

I think we will see a better game from the Golden Knights, but the Jets have been putting up some high numbers of goals lately and scored with relative ease on Monday night.  The best option in this match-up is the total.  With a very low number available on Thursday, look for this game to go over.

I wondered which goal tender would step up in the Wild/Stars series and it appears both will.  We could even see Fleurie tonight as Gustavsson did face over 50 shots on Monday. With Ek out and now Pavelski questionable, offense looks even more scarce for Wednesday.  These are two very strong defensive teams (third and sixth in goals-allowed), and with play-off hockey being generally tighter, a high total is not to be expected.  Take today's game to go under the total.

After four straight losses, the Lightning finally got their act together and played the way they are capable of, winning 3 straight.  Not just winning; they have outscored the competition 14-2.  They will face the Rangers on 3 days rest.

The 8-2 Rangers are also well rested, and are playing at home tonight.  The under dominates these two teams' latest action, 4 straight for Tampa, 2 of 3 for the Rangers, and 7-0 when these two teams meet. The Rangers have the fourth best goals-against avg. and Shesterkin in net.  He has a .946 save % over his last seven games. Not to be outdone, the Lightning have Vasilevskiy at the top of his form, with 2 shutouts and a scorching .978 save % in his last four starts.

This is essentially an early play-off game.  Look for a continued tight checking, low-scoring affair, and take the total to go under.

The Sharks have won three straight games, including wins against two play-off bound teams.  Equally surprising, they have also scored 23 goals in their last 6 games. Not surprising then, that the over is 5-1 in the Sharks last six games. The Avs, playing in San Jose on Tuesday, have won five straight road games, scoring 21 goals.  They have an exemplary record against the Sharks, with the over figuring in 14 of 19 meetings.  Kahkonen  is off a rare win, but has allowed at least four and as high as eight goals in recent appearances.  This is still a meaningful game for the Avs, but it appears San Jose still has it's heart in it while playing down the stretch.  Look for another high scoring game and take the over.

The Golden Knights play a very tight brand of hockey on the road, essentially play-off hockey. They have an exceptional road record. They beat up on the Wild last time out, holding Minnesota to a single goal. The Wild are not a highly productive offense, especially with Kaprisov still out.  Minnesota gets by on solid defense and excellent goal-tending, especially from Gustavsson, who should be in net on Monday.  He has been exceptional lately. Both teams are in first in their respective divisions, but have no breathing room.  Look for a pre-playoff type of game, and take the total to go under.

The Bruins seem to dictate the flow of the games they play, and five of their last six games have gone under the total.  With the best defense and PK in the league, no one seems to score often against the Bruins, and Boston hasn't relied on  a ton of offense for their recent wins,  Swayman will likely be in net today.  He has had 2 shutouts, and a .962 save % in his last 4 games. Jarry is much improved of late, off a  shutout win of his own.  The under is a solid 5-1 when the Bruins and Penguins meet up in Pittsburgh.  With a hefty total of 6 1/2 available, I believe this game will also go under the total.

The 6-4 Islanders have stepped up their play lately and have been finding the back of the net regularly, but have not been defending to their norm.  The Capitals are still a scoring threat, but are giving up goals at an alarming rate, 4+ GA  on average in their last 8 games.  Seven of ten of the Isles' games and a full nine of ten Caps' games have  gone over today's total.  Sorokin was great in his last start but has been more uneven of late than we have come to expect.  Caps' goalie Kuemper has allowed  4 goals in three of his last four starts.  The Islanders played poorly vs the Capitals last time out and are still on the dance card for the play-offs, so look for a better effort today.  The over is 4-1 when these two teams have met recently.  With the low total available, I expect a similar result today. Go for the over.

31 goals in 7 games; not bad for the NHL's 26th ranked offense. The Canadiens have been scoring surprisingly frequently lately.  Unfortunately they are also 29th/31st in goals against/PK, and have given up 37 goals in that same period.  The Habs have had 7 of 10 games go over the total.

The 3-7 Sabres have a legitimate barn-burner of an offense, but they've also struggled to defend.  They shut out the Islanders, but all 5 previous games went over, with the Sabres allowing 5+goals against on average. No net minder can be expected to perform well given these defenses, however Allen is scheduled in net for Montreal and he has been truly dreadful in his last 3 games.

Given the up and down nature of these two teams, either one could burn up the ice or flame out on any given day.  The total is a much more dependable bet.  Take the Over on Monday.

The Kings are riding high in recent games.  They haven't given up more than two goals in nine games, a real step up from their  3.2  goals against season's avg.  Korpisalo has played very well as a King, with a .929 save % in his last eight starts.

The Jets seem to be reverting to their fine defensive form but don't score much themselves lately.  Their last five games have all gone under the total.  Hellebuyck has looked better recently after a poor early March.  The Jets are still in the running for a wild card spot, but must do what they do best to succeed, which is play a tight defensive game with solid goal-tending.

Look for this match-up to go under the total.

The Islanders, winners of three straight, have scored seventeen goals while allowing just six.  Five of six of their games have gone over the total.  They have also won six straight against the Blue Jackets. The Islanders, still in the running for a wild card spot, have been beating up on weaker teams (and the Leafs), scoring in a very prolific un-Islander-like  style.  They face one of the league's worst defenses on Friday.  Columbus are off a 7-6 win, but victories have been few and far between. High totals have not.  The over has figured in eight of their last ten games.  The Jackets have given up a ton of goals, but they have also managed to score an average of four goals a game in their last five games.

The total is lowish, given the Islanders' reputation, but I expect a higher total on Friday night.  Take the game to go over the total.

Other than a poor effort vs Calgary, Vegas has been overachieving on offense, averaging over 4  goals a game in their last 5.  They'll be all in against Columbus to hold onto their lead in a tight Western Conference.  Both defenses are depleted.  Vegas is missing a remarkable 4 goal-tenders this year.  Columbus is down a goalie and 2 defensemen at the moment.  Hutchison gave up five goals for Columbus last time out.  Quick really struggled vs Calgary, and his save % is under .890 for the season.

Columbus is a finalist in the Bedard sweepstakes, winning just once in their last seven games.  They are 8-20 on the road, and bottom feeders on offense and defense.  I expect Vegas to put up big numbers vs the Blue Jackets, but Quick has hardly been unbeatable lately.   The over has figured in 7 of 10 Columbus games and 3 straight Vegas Knights matches.Take this game to go over the total as well.

The Caps travel to St. Louis on Friday, facing the 3-7 Blues. In addition to losing, the Blues have given up 13 goals in their last two games.  For the Season, the St Louis defense has sunk to 28th.  With Binnington sent to the corner, it will likely be Greiss in net.  He has seen very limited action this season and for good reason.  Even with their defensive woes, St. Louis can still put the puck in the net.  They've averaged 4 goals scored in their last 4 games.
The 5-5 Capitals are also scoring in bunches, putting up 13 goals in their last 3 games. We've seen the total go over in three straight in both the Capitals and Blues games.  The Caps are in a pattern of losing following a win, but I think they will have success against Greiss.  Let's stick to what works here and take this game to again go over the total.

The Wild have to be the best defense in the NHL over the medium term.  Add two star-quality goalies in Gustavsson and Fleurie, and you can expect a steady diet of low totals.  It will be Gustavsson in net on Sunday.  The under has figured in 8 or 10 of their last games. Losing Kaprizov has put a further damper on a low scoring Sild offense. 

Arizona wighs in at 24th on defense, which is better than their offense (27th)The Under is 4-1-1 in their last six back to back situations.  The Coyotes should have Vejmelka in net.  While a bit uneven lately, he has held the Coyotes in many games this season.

Bothe teams are playing on 0 days rest.  We'll see two tired teams, both of which struggle on offense.  The Wild are giving 2 or less goals a game on average.  Add a couple of good net-minders, and you have the makings of yet another under.

The Golden Knights are on the road against a very good Hurricanes side.  Vegas plays a close, tight-checking game on the road and will likely have Adin Hill back in net , a plus based on his recent play. The under is 11-2-1 in the Knights' latest away games.  The Knights have a top eight goals against average this year, but might be outmatched by the Hurricanes" Number two defense. Andersen should be in net on Saturday.  He has allowed just 1 goal in his last two starts.  The under has also dominated the Canes recent home games, 5-0-1 in their last six.

The total for this game is just average, too high for a pair of defense-first teams with solid net minders.  Take the Under all the way to the bank.

The Ducks are an all round poor team, worst or close to it in every category this season, but they have been managing to hold the score down in most of their recent games.  Much of this is due to their goalie, Gibson, who has played very well in a losing cause most nights.  They don't have a lot of quack on offense and just one game has gone over in their last 6 appearances.

The 4-6 Flames have face tough competition lately.  They got a shutout from Markstrom in their last game.  Perhaps his play will turnaround down the stretch.  The Flames will need him in prime form for any chance at a wild card spot.  4 of the Flames last 6 games have also gone under.  Calgary has a slightly better than average defense but they've had trouble scoring lately.   They won't likely face much of an offensive thrust from the Ducks.  I am wagering on a lower total on Friday night.  Take the Ducks and Flames to go under.

New Jersey has no trouble scoring goals but their defense has been shaky lately and in spite of a 7-3 record they are still giving up too many goals. New Jersey has seen 7 straight games go over.  Their main man in net, Vanacek, has struggled, with just an .821 save % in his last 5 starts. The Devils are  one of the very best road teams, facing a Capitals team that is only barely over .500 at home.  The Capitals haven't won many home games lately and are just 1-5 vs good teams.  Kuemper has played well behind a very depleted Caps' defensive corps, but has been facing a ton of shots in recent action. As far as the Capitals' scoring goes, any time you have Ovechkin, you have potential for offense.  I expect another high scoring game on Thursday.  Take the Devils and Capitals to go over the total.

The 25th and 26th ranked offense  meet up when the Wild host the Islanders on Tuesday.  The two teams sport top ten defenses and PKs, so goals may be scarce. It has been three straight unders for the Islanders who are missing their main scorer in Barzal.  Minnesota has gone under the total in eight of nine games The Wild are just a very defense-driven club. 

Minnesota's Gustavsson held the Leafs to two goals in his last appearance, and has held the opposition to two or less goals in six of seven games.  The Isles net-minder Sorokin has allowed just 2.4 goals a game this year, and has a .937 save % in his last five games.  Look for the Isles and Wild to do what they do best and keep the puck out of the net on Tuesday.  I'm wagering on another Under.

The Avs and Knights both have top ten defenses and middling offenses this year. Vegas plays a tight-checking game on the road with great success.  They are 17-5 away, and nine of their last ten road games have gone under the total. Meantime the Avs have limited the opposition to under 2 goals in 4 of 5 games.  Georgiev has a save % of .960+ in his last two starts.  Hill hasn't played in some days, but he has been very good this season.

The two teams don't usually produce much offense when they meet. If I had to pick a final score based on their history, I'd jump on 3-2.

With a total of six available, I am wagering on the the Avalanche and Golden Knights to go under the total.