Rating: 2 Units

The Lightning won the rivals' two previous playoff encounters in 2021 and 2022. Though Florida leads the best-of-seven series 3-1 -- with Game 5 set for the Panthers' home ice in Sunrise today.  The battle has been intense between the goalies -- Florida's Sergei Bobrovsky and Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy. They have combined to win three Vezina Trophy awards -- two by Bobrovsky -- and their talents have been on full display in this series. Panthers broadcasters swear Bobrovsky has made some of the best saves in franchise history in this series, and he has stopped 18 high-danger shots overall. But Vasilevskiy, despite being down 3-1, has stopped an amazing 28 high-danger shots as per NaturalStatTrick.com. Vasilevskiy has historically been a great playoff netminder. In fact, he has a .926 save percentage in elimination games. As a team, Tampa Bay is 8-5 in elimination games, and that's the third-highest winning percentage in NHL history.

Rating: 2 Units

The Panthers look to take a commanding series lead but the Lightning look to bounce back and take over this game from the first period. The Lightning, who averaged 3.51 goals per game this season, should create plenty of scoring chances with Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and the rest of the forward unit controlling the puck in the offensive zone and creating open shots with quick passes. The Lightning should limit the Panthers' offense with Victor Hedman and Mathew Dumba stepping up at the blue line and cutting off angels to the net on the rush while limiting shots on the net, allowing goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy to make plenty of big saves. The Lightning should win the game to even up the series. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Kraken are the clear favorites in this contest, meaning there is not much money to be had by simply taking them against the Moneyline. Instead, it might be worth taking the risk and giving up the 1.5 goals. The Kraken have defeated the Ducks five straight times, including three straight in Seattle. Each of those victories in Seattle has been by at least three goals, as the Ducks have had no answers for them. Eight of the last nine losses for Anaheim have been by at least two goals. The Kraken ended their eighth-game losing streak with the victory over Anaheim on Tuesday and will be looking to still keep their very thin playoff hopes alive.

Rating: 2 Units

The offense has struggled but the defense also disappointed this season, allowing 3.01 goals per game. Nick Leddy and Colton Parayko have combined for 8.4 defensive point shares but the rest of the unit has struggled, allowing opponents to find open shots on the net with ease. The bright spot has been the play of goaltender Jordan Binnington who has a .912 save percentage and a 2.85 goals-against average on 1542 shots with 13.0 goals saved above average. Binnington has won three of his last four starts and has posted a solid .926 saves mark so far in March. Additionally, St. Louis is 6-1 in its past seven games. 

The goal is to make as much money as possible, so giving up the 1.5 goals and taking New Jersey is definitely to your advantage. The Ducks may have defeated the Devils the last time these teams met, but they have lost four of the last six meetings. In addition, New Jersey is coming off a decisive victory over San Jose where they defeated the Sharks by five goals. Anaheim is terrible on both ends of the ice. They have given up four goals or more in five of their last eight games, and have been held to three goals or fewer in seven of the last 10.

Rating: 2 Units

Boston, most of their points have come in overtime losses, earning points in this manner in three of the last five games. Seattle has beaten Boston in two of the last three meetings between these teams but, surprisingly, has never beaten the Bruins at home, losing both meetings all time. Seattle is playing well of late as well, going 3-1-1 in their last five. They have also gone 2-1-1 in their last four games at home. The Bruins earn a point in this game, but they fall in overtime.

Rating: 2 Units

The Jets are having a great season and I see them controlling this one from the first period. The Jets, who average 3.06 goals per game, should pile on the goals against the Blackhawks, who allow 3.53 goals per game, with Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, and the rest of the forward unit carrying the puck into the offensive zone and creating open shots with quick passes. The Jets, who allow only 2.35 goals per game, should limit the Blackhawks offense, which averages only 2.07 goals per game, with Dylan DeMelo, Josh Morrissey, and the rest of the defensive unit creating turnovers in the defensive zone and limiting shots on the net, allowing goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to make plenty of big saves. The Jets should win the game and cover the spread in a dominant win on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

The Maple Leafs are having an exceptional season and I see them taking over this game from the first period. The Maple Leafs, who average 3.57 goals per game, should pile on the goals against the Coyotes, who allow 3.24 goals per game, with Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and the rest of the forward unit carrying the puck into the offensive zone and creating open shots with quick passes. The Maple Leafs should limit the Coyotes offense, which averages only 2.87 goals per game, with T.J. Brodie, Jake McCabe, and the rest of the defensive unit creating turnovers in the defensive zone and limiting shots on the net, allowing goaltender Ilya Samsonov to make plenty of big saves. The Maple Leafs should win the game and cover the spread in a dominant win on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

Carolina has defeated Chicago four straight times and has won each of those games by at least two goals. In fact, they have shut out the Blackhawks in each of the last two meetings between these clubs and have held the Blackhawks to three or fewer goals in 10 straight meetings. As long as the Hurricanes score 4 goals in this game, they should easily win by two. That has not been a problem, as they have scored at least four in six of the last 10 meetings against Chicago. This should be a breeze for Carolina to easily cover the spread, even giving up the 1.5 goals.

Rating: 2 Units

The Hurricanes are having a great season and look to control this game from the first period. The Hurricanes, who average 3.31 goals per game, should pile on the goals against the Coyotes, who allow 3.13 goals per game, with Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and the rest of the forward unit carrying the puck into the offensive zone and creating open shots with quick passes. The Hurricanes, who allow only 2.88 goals per game, should limit the Coyotes, who average only 2.90 goals per game, with Jaccob Slavin, Brent Burns, and the rest of the defensive unit creating turnovers in the defensive zone and limiting shots on the net, allowing goaltender Pyotr Kotchetckov to make plenty of big saves. The Hurricanes should win the game and cover the spread in a dominant win on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

The Bruins square off against the Caps for the first time this season on Saturday. The timing of the meeting couldn't be any better for the Bs. The Caps come into this game with six straight losses and struggling to put the puck in the net. On the season, the Caps are just 30th in the NHL in shots on net. That is not a good recipe against a Bruins team that is second in the league in save percentage. They will square off against goalie Jeremy Swayman, who earned his first-ever All-Star berth after a strong first half of play. The Bruins have scored 13 goals in their last three wins and should have ample opportunity against a Capitals team that is just 22nd in save percentage this season.

Rating: 2 Units

The Oilers have looked unbeatable in recent games and look to dominate this game on their home ice. The Oilers, who average 3.50 goals per game, should pile on the goals against the Blue Jackets, who allow 3.73 goals per game, with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the rest of the forward unit carrying the puck into the offensive zone and creating open shots with quick passes. The Oilers, who allow only 2.90 goals per game, should limit the Blue Jackets offense with Darnell Nurse, Mattias Ekholm, and the rest of the defensive unit forcing turnovers in the neutral zone and defensive zone while goaltender Stuart Skinner blanks the shots on the net. The Oilers should win the game and cover the spread in a dominant win on their home ice.

Rating: 2 Units

The Bruins look to wrap up their historic season with a win and should overwhelm a struggling Capitals team on both ends of the ice. The Bruins, who average 3.64 goals per game, should find the back of the net at will with David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, and the rest of the forward unit controlling the puck in the offensive zone and creating open shots with quick puck movement. The Bruins, who allow only 2.10 goals per game, should eliminate the Capitals' offense with Hampus Lindholm, Charlie McAvoy, and the rest of the defensive unit creating turnovers in the neutral zone and defensive zone alike while goaltender Linus Ullmark blanks the shots on the net. The Bruins should win the game and cover the spread in a dominant win on their home ice.

Rating: 2 Units

Colorado is a heavy favorite on Sunday afternoon, but I am not sure the -315 price tag is warranted. Arizona has been a completely different team at home this season, going 20-11-3 and winning each of its last six games. The Coyotes have been a profitable team to back in those games with a 21-13 record against the spread. They are coming off a rough road trip, but they were competitive against the Avalanche before giving up a pair of goals in the third period. This is all about finding value on a team that has drastic home-road splits.

Rating: 2 Units

The Senators have won two of their last three games. They are playing well offensively, scoring 10 goals in their last three games. They’ve also played well on special teams, converting over 24 percent of their power play opportunities. The Devils have done a good job killing penalties and they usually play well defensively, but they struggled in recent games, giving up 10 goals in their last three home games. They are also playing 0n consecutive nights and will be dealing with some fatigue, so expect them to have a hard time slowing down the Devils in this game. The Devils have lost four of their last five games and four of their last five home games. They have struggled offensively, scoring only five goals in their last three home games. They have played well on special teams, converting over 20 percent of their power play opportunities. Unfortunately for them, the Senators are very good at killing penalties and they’re playing well defensively, giving up five goals in their last three games, so expect them to keep New Jersey’s offense in check.

Rating: 2 Units

The Stars are having a great season and look to step up and control this game on their home ice. However, the Canucks have looked great recently, winning eight of their last 10 games, and look to control this game on both ends of the ice. The Canucks, who average 3.35 goals per game, should create plenty of scoring chances with Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and the rest of the forward unit carrying the puck into the offensive zone and creating open shots with quick passes near the net. The Canucks should limit the Stars' offense with Quinn Hughes, Ethan Bear, and the rest of the defensive unit stepping up at the blue line and cutting off angles to the net on the rush while limiting shots on the net, allowing goaltender Thatcher Demko to make plenty of big saves. The Canucks should win the game.

Rating: 2 Units

Philadelphia has struggled all season at both ends of the ice and will be without its leading goal scorer and overall leader in points Travis Konecny. Philadelphia struggles in goal, as Carter Hart has a 2.96 goals against average and as a team the Flyers are allowing an average of 3.31 goals per game. Philadelphia has lost 13 of its last 18 and the Flyers have dropped eight of the last 11 played against the team from the Eastern Conference. Besides missing Konecny, Philadelphia will be without Sean Couturier as well as Ryan Ellis and the Flyers have played the most of the season without Cam Atkinson, which means they lack overall attack and cannot keep pace with the number of goals the defense and goalies allow.

Rating: 2 Units

The offense has been great but the defense has carried the Hurricanes, allowing only 2.52 goals per game. Brent Burns and Brett Pesce have combined for 9.4 defensive point shares and 163 blocked shots while Brady Skjei, Jaccob Slavin, and Jalen Chatfield have combined for 12.3 defensive point shares to add depth to the unit. The hope is that goaltender Frederik Andersen can improve as he has a .903 save percentage and a 2.41 goals-against average on 599 shots with -0.9 goals saved above average.

Rating: 2 Units

The Columbus Blue Jackets put an end to their four-game losing streak this past Tuesday. After losing against the Seattle Kraken 4-2, Ottawa Senators 5-2, Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 in overtime, and St. Louis Blues 5-2, the Blue Jackets outlasted the San Jose Sharks 6-5 in overtime as +130 road dogs. Johnny Gaudreau went off for a pair of goals and three assists last Tuesday, while Boone Jenner scored a couple of goals. The Blue Jackets outshot the Shark 48-32 and fully deserved the victory despite blowing a 5-3 lead in the third period. "I felt good tonight," Gaudreau said. “Just a fun game to be a part of there.” 

Rating: 2 Units

The Stars had their three-game winning streak snapped by the Canucks in their last game. They will try to bounce back from the loss with a win over the Oilers, which will give them their fourth win in their last five games. Dallas is averaging 3.41 goals per game. They scored two goals on 27 shots in their last game. Jamie Benn had a goal and an assist for the Stars. Wyatt Johnston scored a goal, while Miro Heiskanen had an assist. Dallas has played well defensively, giving up 2.68 goals per game. They gave up five goals in their last game and will need a significantly better effort if they want to win this game.

Rating: 2 Units

The Flames are looking to build off a big win on their home ice but I see the Coyotes, who have won three of their last four games, stepping up and controlling this game from the first period. The Coyotes look to build off a five-goal game and constantly find the back of the net with Clayton Keller Lawson Crouse, and the rest of the forward unit controlling the puck in the offensive zone and creating open shots with quick passes. The Coyotes also look to the Flames' offense with Patrik Nemeth, J.J. Moser, and the rest of the defensive unit creating turnovers in the defensive zone and limiting shots on the net, allowing goaltender Karel Vejmelka to make plenty of big saves. The Coyotes should win the game and provide great odds in the process as home Underdogs.

Rating: 2 Units

The Predators presently find themselves in the fight of their lives to make the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, sitting just five points below the current 2nd-Wild Card holders Colorado Avalanche, trailing the 1st Wild Card occupants Edmonton Oilers by seven points, but with three games in hand. Everything counts for Nashville at the moment! Still, while the Preds have done pretty decently lately, winning seven of their last 10 matchups (7-2-1), only one of those victories, mind, has come on their own ice, where Nashville has recorded just a single regulation win on the previous six occasions (2-4-0). Detroit, which is still just seven points off a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference with two games in hand, meanwhile, has been a real threat versus opponents from the Western Conference of late (6-1-1), while the Predators have only managed to triumph in four of their most recent 11 domestic fixtures against the Red Wings (4-7-0).

Rating: 2 Units

Two division foes with differing agendas battle for the third time this season Tuesday night when the Rangers host the Capitals. New York heads into Tuesday at 84 points, good enough to be six points clear of the Penguins for the first wild-card spot. However, Rangers are 4-5-2 since Feb. 17 to go from six points out of first place in the division to a 10-point deficit behind the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils. During their run of uneven performances, the Rangers played three home games and lost to Winnipeg and Ottawa. New York is returning home to play six of its next eight at home after going 2-0-1 on a three-game trip through Montreal, Buffalo and Pittsburgh. The Rangers ended the trip with a 3-2 loss in Pittsburgh on Sunday when backup goalie Jaroslav Halak was beaten by Kris Letang's power-play goal 1:38 into overtime. Sunday's loss occurred after the Rangers got 32 saves from Igor Shesterkin and a power-play goal from Artemi Panarin in a 2-1 overtime win at Buffalo a day earlier. It marked the sixth time since the Edmonton win on Feb. 17 that the Rangers scored two goals or fewer.  Consider that the Capitals are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Lightning are having a great season with their offense leading the way, scoring 3.45 goals per game. Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point have scored 69 goals and 105 assists to leave the top line but the rest of the offensive stepped up as well. Brandon Hagel, Alex Killorn, and Nick Paul have combined for 60 goals and 75 assists while defensemen Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev have added 13 goals and 78 assists from the point to open up the offense. The bright spot has been the play of goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy who has a .914 save percentage and a 2.70 goals-against average on 1564 shots with 13.3 goals saved above average.

Rating: 2 Units

The Winnipeg Jets are allowing an average of 2.81 goals per game, which is 11th best in the NHL, while scoring an average of 3.10 goals per game. Winnipeg is holding opponents to an average of 31.2 shots per game which is 15th best and the Jets are taking an average of 30.4 shots per game which is 22nd. Winnipeg's power play scores 21.3% of the time the Jets have the man advantage which is 17th and the penalty kill unit is successful 82.5% of the time Winnipeg is short-handed which is 7th best. Connor Hellebuyck is 29-20-2 with a 2.64 goals against average, .919 save percentage and three shutouts.

Rating: 2 Units

The Ducks have won against the spread in five of their last eight games and two straight at home.  The Predators have lost their previous two games against the spread and are 2-2 ATS in their last four road games. The Predators did beat the Ducks at home earlier this season, but Nashville has lost their last two road games straight up and have been trending in the wrong direction away from their home arena.  Looks for the Ducks to win at home this time around.

Rating: 2 Units

With the way that Fleury has been playing lately, Arizona should struggle to score in this game, but the Wild are going to struggle themselves without Kaprizov. He is one of the best players in the NHL, and his absence is a big one. The big difference in this game is going to be the penalty killing. Arizona has been terrible of late. The Wild are struggling on the power play in their last 10 (2-26), but will get going here. Take Minnesota to score early and clamp down defensively, but they will win by just one. 

Rating; 2 Units

This is going to be a great game between two of the best teams in the league. The Maple Leafs look to win on their home ice but the Oilers are coming off back-to-back wins and look to control this game from the first period. The Oilers, who average 3.85 goals per game, should pile on the goals with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the rest of the forward unit controlling the puck in the offensive zone and creating open shots with effective puck movement. The Oilers look to build off a game where they only allowed two goals and limit the Maple Leafs' offense with Darnell Nurse, Cody Ceci, and the rest of the defensive unit creating turnovers in the defensive zone and limiting shots on the net, allowing goaltender Stuart Skinner to make plenty of big saves. The Oilers should win the game and provide great odds in the process as road Underdogs to extend their winning streak to three games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Golden Knights are having a great season with their offense stepping up and scoring 3.14 goals per game. Chandler Stephenson and Jack Eichel have scored 36 goals and 65 assists to lead the top line but the entire offense has stepped up. Reilly Smith, Jonathan Marchessault, and William Karlsson have combined for 52 goals and 75 assists while defensemen Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo have added 16 goals and 56 assists from the point to open up the offense.

Rating: 2 Units

The New York Islanders face the Pittsburgh Penguins in a matchup between two playoff-caliber teams in the Eastern Conference looking to keep their wild card positions. The Islanders have a 33-25-8 record and with back-to-back wins, have leaped into the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins have a 32-22-9 record and are coming off a come-from-behind 5-4 overtime win that helped them maintain their playoff spot. Both teams are looking to secure their playoff spots down the stretch and the upcoming game looks to be a great one. Consider that the Penguins are 5-13 in their last 18 vs. Eastern Conference.

Rating: 2 Units

The Tamp Bay offense has been great but the defense has struggled, allowing 3.06 goals per game. Mikhail Sergachev and Ian Cole have combined for 6.4 defensive point shares but the rest of the unit has struggled, allowing opponents to carry the puck into the offensive zone and find open shots on the net. Consider as well that the Golden Knights are 12-4 in their last 16 vs. Atlantic.

Rating: 2 Units

After staging a spirited comeback attempt against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday, the Arizona Coyotes hope to carry that vibe into today's home game against the St. Louis Blues. The Coyotes rallied from a 4-2 deficit to tie the game and force overtime with the Devils at Mullett Arena. The Blues are 1-5-2 in their last eight. These teams split their first two games this season. The Coyotes won 5-0 at home on Jan. 26 on Karel Vejmelka's 33-save shutout. Consider that the Blues are 8-21 in their last 29 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.

Rating: 2 Units

Buoyed by Monday's win in Dallas that snapped a five-game losing skid, the Calgary Flames head to St. Paul, Minn., looking for revenge against the Minnesota Wild tonight. After all, the Wild handed the Flames a humbling 3-0 defeat on Saturday. "We definitely owe Minnesota, so we have to be ready to go. It's another big game," Flames forward Tyler Toffoli said. Toffoli's goal with 6.2 seconds remaining was the difference maker in Calgary's 5-4 win over the Stars, and provided a much-needed boost for the club sitting outside a playoff spot. "Ever since last year, I feel it's a playoff game every time we play these guys. It's a rivalry. It's fun to play those types of games," Toffoli said. Consider that the Flames are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

This is going to be a great game between two great teams. The Oilers look to bounce back from a rough loss but the Sabres look to step up and control this game on their home ice. The Sabres, who average 3.74 goals per game, should pile on the goals against an Oilers defense that allows 3.31 goals per game with Tage Thompson, Jeff Skinner, and the rest of the forward unit carrying the puck into the offensive zone and creating open shots with effective puck movement. The Sabres should limit the Oilers' offense with Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, and the rest of the defensive unit creating turnovers in the defensive zone and limiting shots on the net, allowing goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to make plenty of big saves. The Sabres should win the game and provide great odds in the process as home Underdogs.

Rating: 2 Units

After seemingly accepting their fate of most likely missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the seventh straight year following a string of defeats, which have now risen to five in a row, the Red Wings turned into NHL Trade Deadline sellers, moving Tyler Bertuzzi, Jakub Vrana, Filip Hronek and Oskar Sundqvist for draft picks. That said, the team still remains pretty competitive (the postseason is not written off completely). Especially when it comes down to facing off against teams that are struggling at the moment. Like the Flyers, for example! Despite having beaten Detroit with a count of 2-1 in their prior meeting this season at Little Caesars Arena, Philadelphia has managed to post just three victories since then, losing on a whopping 12 occasions. The Flyers have also dropped three of their previous four overall decisions against the Wings and are a shocking 0-6 in their most recent six matchups played on Sundays, when Detroit, in turn, has won four consecutive games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Flames have beaten the Coyotes in 17 of their previous 22 overall meetings, winning seven of their last 10 trips to Arizona, currently riding a six-game triumph run against the ‘Yotes. That said, Calgary has not really impressed that much lately, managing to grab just two victories in its past seven outings, currently being embroiled in a five-game losing streak against opponents with a negative record. The Flames have also posted seven setbacks in their most recent nine fixtures versus teams from the Central Division, while the Coyotes are proudly riding a four-game winning run on own ice, having triumphed in three of their previous four matchups overall.

Rating: 2 Units

The Lightning are having a great season but I like the Coyotes to step up on their home ice and take advantage of a team playing on the second game of a back-to-back. The Coyotes should pile on the goals with Lawson Crouse, Clayton Keller, and the rest of the forward unit carrying the puck into the offensive zone and creating open shots with effective puck movement. The Coyotes also look to build off a game where they only allowed two goals and limit the Lightning offense with Troy Stecher, Shayne Gostisbehere, and the rest of the defensive unit creating turnovers in the defensive zone and limiting shots on the net while goaltender Karel Vejmelka blanks the shots on the net. The Coyotes should win the game, pull off the upset, and provide great odds in the process as home Underdogs.

Rating: 2 Units

Looking at the offenses in the last four games, there is a bit of a difference as Chicago is averaging 2.5 goals per game while Toronto is scoring 3.25 goals per game in that stretch. Diving into the power play percentage throughout the season, there is a massive difference with the Blackhawks being 26th in the sport with an 18.5 power play percentage while the Maple Leafs are fourth in all of hockey with a 25.4 power play percentage. All in all, go with the Toronto Maple Leafs to win this game at home. 

Rating: 2 Units

We know how good Tampa Bay is on home ice, posting an 18-4-1 record on the year after taking down Minnesota in their game Tuesday night. The problem for the Lightning is that they are dealing with a Bruins team that has been dominant regardless of venue this year. While Boston is a sparkling 22-1-3 on home ice, they are still extremely dangerous on the road, posting a 16-4-1 record as the visitors this season. The Bruins are tied for the league in goals for per game while they are leading the league by a wide margin in goals against per contest. That makes them extremely dangerous, even against a team that has plenty of firepower offensively. The Bruins have won five straight meetings and this makes it six straight as they prevail on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

The Blackhawks are cognizant of the effort they're receiving from goaltender Arvid Soderblom, who made 29 saves against Winnipeg and consistently has kept the team competitive during its month-long malaise. "He's working his (butt) off in there and backdoor saves left and right," defenseman Seth Jones said. "We're obviously giving up too many chances. Your goalie's got to make timely saves for you, but you've got to do a little bit better job. "He's part of this team, and he's a guy that's never going to complain or show his emotion." Since winning their first two games against Eastern Conference foes this season, the Blackhawks have lost eight of nine. However, head to head,  the home team is 13-4 in the last 17 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

Consider that the Flames are 4-11 in their last 15 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game, 2-6 in their last 8 vs. Metropolitan, and 2-7 in their last 9 road games. While the Blue Jackets are 7-3 in their last 10 games following a home loss of 3 or more goals.

Rating: 2 Units

The Panthers are facing two major issues: injuries among their forwards and uncertainty at goalie. Panthers coach Paul Maurice played Tuesday's game without four of his top nine forwards: captain Aleksander Barkov (non-COVID illness); Anton Lundell (upper-body injury); Anthony Duclair (foot); and Patric Hornqvist (upper body). Hornqvist and Duclair are on injured reserve, although the latter could return this month. Barkov and Lundell are day-to-day. Barkov (39) and Duclair (31) combined for 70 goals last season, and Lundell, 21, is a player on the rise with 22 goals in 89 NHL games. At goalie, Spencer Knight was pulled on Tuesday after allowing three goals on 15 shots. Sergei Bobrovsky, who opened the season as the starter, has struggled this season. He is 4-6-1 with a 3.84 goals-against average that is on pace to be the worst GAA of his 13-year career. Knight has been the better goalie this season, going 8-4-3 with a 2.64 GAA. But it remains to be seen if Knight getting pulled on Tuesday will open the door for a Bobrovsky start today. Meanwhile, the rebuilding Red Wings are much improved and will enter today on a two-game win streak. In fact, Detroit has won four straight road games. Overall this season, Detroit is 6-3-2 on the road. The Red Wings are getting excellent goaltending from Ville Husso, who is 11-4-3 with a 2.54 GAA. The 27-year-old native of Finland had a career year for St. Louis last season, going 25-7-6 with a 2.56 GAA.

Rating: 2 Units

Luukkonen has conceded three or more goals in four of his five appearances this season, giving him a 4.17 GAA and .856 save percentage on the year. Columbus swept the three-game season series a year ago and is 10-3-2 against the Sabres over the previous six seasons.

Rating: 2 Units

The Jets have won three of their last four games and three of their last five road games. They are playing well offensively, scoring three or more goals in three of their last four games. They have also played well on special teams, converting 20 percent of their power play opportunities. The Wild have played well defensively this season, but they struggled in recent games, giving up nine goals in their last three games, and will have a hard time slowing down the Jets. 

Rating: 2 Units

The Penguins are looking to win on their home ice but the Flames look to extend their winning streak to three games and control this game on both ends of the ice. The Flames, who average 3.17 goals per game, should constantly find the back of the net with Nazem Kadri, Elias Lindholm, and the rest of the forward unit controlling the puck in the offensive zone and creating open shots with great puck movement. The Flames should also limit the Penguins' offense with Nikita Zadorov and MacKenzie Weegar creating turnovers at the blue line and limiting the Penguins from establishing an offensive zone presence while goaltender Jacob Markstrom makes plenty of big saves in the net.

Rating: 2 Units

The Colorado Avalanche are the rightful favorite as they’re at home, have been the more consistent team and have won six of the last nine meetings against the Oilers. However, the Oilers are too talented to pass up the +1.5 PL, and they showed in game 1 they have the horses to hang with the Avs. The Oilers have still won 72.4 percent of their last 29 games, and they’ve lost back-to-back games just twice since March 24. There’s too much value with Edmonton and the PL given the offensive firepower this club has.

Rating: 2 Units

Sebastian Aho scored late in the third period and defenseman Ian Cole tallied 3:12 into overtime to lift Carolina to a 2-1 victory over New York in the series opener on Wednesday. Cole scored his second career NHL playoff goal after his wrist shot from above the right faceoff circle caromed off the stick of Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren and past Vezina Trophy finalist Igor Shesterkin. While the Hurricanes won Game 1 for the second straight series in these playoffs, the Rangers find themselves trailing after the opener for the second consecutive time. New York fell in triple overtime in Game 1 of its first-round series to Pittsburgh and overcame a 3-1 deficit in games to eliminate the Penguins.

Rating: 2 Units

If the Calgary Flames need a history lesson to remind them their situation isn't hopeless, they must only look at what happened the last time they met the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup playoffs. As the Flames prepare for tonight's Game 4 in Dallas, they trail the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series 2-1. It's the same position the Stars were in two years ago, but Dallas went on to beat Calgary three straight times and advance. It would help if Calgary's offensive attack arrived. Meanwhile, Oettinger has posted a 1.01 goals-against average and .969 save percentage while stopping 93 of 96 shots, all in his first opportunity as a starter in the playoffs. His play is a huge reason the Flames have just one power-play goal in a dozen chances.

Rating: 2 Units

It had been nearly four months since any team had held the Florida Panthers to one or fewer goals. The Washington Capitals, who accomplished that feat on Saturday afternoon, will try again tonight when they host the Panthers in Game 4 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series. Washington leads the best-of-seven series, 2-1, thanks in part to goalie Ilya Samsonov, who has stopped 46 of the 47 shots sent his way in the series. Samsonov played the third period in Thursday's Game 2 loss and got the start in Saturday's 6-1 win, his first-ever playoff victory. The Capitals now need just 14 more victories after holding the Panthers to their fewest goals since a 5-1 loss at Calgary on Jan. 18. Florida had the NHL's best regular-season record. But the Panthers haven't looked consistently sharp against the eighth-seeded Capitals, who still have a core of players remaining from their 2018 Stanley Cup championship team.

Rating: 2 Units

Heading into today's Game 3 at Dallas, the Flames are well aware of the parallels between their recent playoff failures, especially after a 2-0 defeat to the Stars on Thursday that has the best-of-seven series tied 1-1. The Flames won their opening playoff game in the first round in both 2019 and 2020, but lost both second games on the way to being eliminated. The Flames, who won the opener 1-0 against the Stars on Tuesday, are getting placed under the microscope. Despite being one of the highest-scoring teams in the league, an early Game 1 power-play goal by Elias Lindholm in the opener is their only score, despite holding a significant edge in shots. A big factor in Calgary's offensive struggles has been Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger, who has risen to the occasion in his first two NHL playoff starts. Oettinger has stopped 54 of 55 shots and has a shutout streak of 114 minutes, 59 seconds.

Rating: 2 Units

The Florida Panthers lacked focus in Game 1, while the Washington Capitals did not execute to their standards in Game 2. The result: The squads are tied 1-1 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round playoff series, with the scene shifting to Washington, D.C., on Saturday afternoon for Game 3. A key issue for the Capitals was the absence of forward Tom Wilson in Game 2 due to a lower-body injury. His status for Saturday is undetermined. The Capitals won the opener of the series 4-2 before losing 5-1 on Thursday and yet do not appear to truly have gotten on track. Washington's Alex Ovechkin, one of the most prolific scores in NHL history, has no goals with two assists in the two games. Ovechkin has been active, however, with nine shots on goal and 10 hits.

Rating: 2 Units

Regardless of where the games take place, the Carolina Hurricanes have delivered dominating efforts against the Boston Bruins all season. Entering tonight's Game 3 of an Eastern Conference first-round series, Carolina has won all five regular-season and playoff meetings between the teams by a combined 26-4 score. The Hurricanes took command of the series with a 2-0 lead after Wednesday's 5-2 win in which they had three 5-on-3 advantages and scored two power-play goals.

Rating: 2 Units

The Toronto Maple Leafs take a four-game winning streak into a three-game road trip that opens tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a potential first-round playoff matchup. While the Maple Leafs continued to roll with a 5-2 home win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night, the Lightning's struggles continued with a 4-3 loss to the visiting Detroit Red Wings. Toronto (51-20-6, 108 points) is second in the Eastern Conference and Tampa Bay (46-22-8, 100 points) is fifth. A win on Thursday could clinch home-ice advantage for Toronto in the first playoff round. The Lightning, who have won the Stanley Cup for the past two seasons, are in a 3-4-2 funk.

Rating: 2 Units

I always hammer the Sabres as home puckline dogs (paying -140 here) and it has paid off as Buffalo is 23-14 ATS at home. The team's last home game? Mammoth upset of Carolina. The Blues are on a six-game winning streak but this feels like a bit of a letdown off a big comeback win in Boston on Tuesday and with a huge game vs. Minnesota on Saturday. STL has dropped its past four as a road favorite.

Rating: 2 Units

We will keep hammering our home puckline dogs, getting the Sens +1.5 Thursday at a reasonable price of -150. They did lose in Nashville 4-1 a little over a week ago, but Ottawa has won three in a row since and generally doesn't lose by more than one at home if it doesn't win outright -- at least in recent weeks. The Preds may be in letdown mode off Tuesday's home upset of Minnesota and also looking ahead to a home game against the high-flying Panthers on Saturday. Nashville has dropped its past three away.

Rating: 2 Units

Anaheim is in a free-fall, but Calgary has lost three of four and that win was by a goal at the Kings on Monday (which we won on the puckline). With the Flames playing again Thursday in San Jose, I believe there's a good chance it's backup Dan Vladar in net here. Again, I don't think the Ducks have much of a chance to win, but getting them -120 against taking Calgary -260 on the road is the smart wager. Anaheim is 20-17 ATS at home.

Rating: 2 Units

The Wild are playing great hockey, but this is their third straight very tough opponent on the road since Saturday. The Preds are well-rested having been off since Friday and frankly need this more in the Western Conference playoff chase. This is a big price and I might play it with something TBA off-site (will wait on some injuries/goaltending choices to decide which), but I have a hard time seeing Nashville lose by more than a goal at home, where it has won six of seven. The Predators have won nine of their last 10 games vs. the Wild. Norris Trophy candidate Roman Josi has a whopping eight points in the two wins this season for Nashville. We are going to have to get used to expensive +1.5 pucklines for the playoffs.

Rating: 2 Units

If the books are going to keep giving us great Sabres puckline prices (-122 here), I'm going to continue cashing. While I didn't play them Sunday vs. Florida in a two-goal loss, Buffalo had at least one point in the eight previous games, and all we need is a point to guarantee a puckline victory. At home this season, Buffalo is a stellar 22-14 ATS. Carolina is slightly under .500 ATS on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

Solid price at -122 on the puckline for Columbus, which is four games over .500 at home but has lost six in a row overall (thus the good price). The SportsLine Projection Model has the Jackets winning outright. Not sure I agree with that. The Bruins might take this one for granted as they beat visiting Columbus 5-2 on Saturday and play again Tuesday. Top Columbus defenseman Zach Werenski (42 points) will return from injury tonight and that's big. Coach Brad Larsen is back from COVID protocols apparently. It's Linus Ullmark in net for Boston and he's a bit of a step down from Jeremy Swayman.

Rating: 2 Units

Carolina is excellent, but we are getting a decent day-before price on the Wild puckline (-160 as of now that probably only goes up), and Minnesota is quite good itself. Jesperi Kotkaniemi (26 points) remains out for the Canes. Should be Marc-Andre Fleury in net for Minnesota, and he has been energized by the trade from Chicago, going 2-0 with only three goals allowed in a Wild uniform.

Rating: 2 Units

Going to jump this one early as we get the Flyers at -110 on the puckline. The Leafs are of course the much better team but also starting Jack Campbell in net -- he has been out since March 8 due to injury and had been horrible in five straight outings before being shut down. A couple of other regulars are out injured. The Flyers have lost three straight but those were all away. Their past two home games: Upsets of the Islanders and Predators. Philly can at worst stay within a goal Saturday.

Rating: 2 Units

Buffalo has been an absolute cash cow on the puckline over the past few weeks. Either the Sabres win outright or lose by a goal in overtime it seems. It's so nice when a game goes to OT/shootout and I don't give a fudge about the winner. Nashville has lost three of its past four on the road.

Rating: 2 Units

Buffalo has won six of nine and two of those three losses were at least in overtime, which is obviously all we need here on the puckline. Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck is 9-11-7 with a 3.12 GAA on the road. It's the Jets' first road game in 10 days and ahead of a rivalry matchup in Toronto on Thursday.

Rating: 2 Units

Pittsburgh is a -175 favorite to win ... and the Rangers are -175 on the puckline, so I'd be silly not to take New York wouldn't I? Igor Shesterkin (31-9-3, 2.11 GAA, .936 SV) is more than capable of stealing this game himself for the Blueshirts, who have won their past four as dogs. Just get to OT, that's all I care about, and no empty-net goal for Pittsburgh!

Rating: 2 Units

Neither team really has anything to play for, but Columbus is five games over. 500 at home and the Isles are three under on the road and won't have injured No. 1 goaltender Ilya Sorokin. The downgrade to Semyon Varlamov is enough for me to pay the puckline "tax" on Columbus at home -- although I think there's a pretty good chance the Jackets win outright. I'll play this with Panthers ML over Canadiens but won't post that game on here because the number is so high.

Rating: 2 Units

 The books are just not giving us great ML value, so I'm changing up a little with my bets and paying the "tax" on a more sure thing. Plus, I rather like not sweating overtime/shootout because I swear that I'm like 0-27 on games that go to shootouts this year. So incredibly frustrating. The Caps are 3-0 vs. the Hurricanes this season so I'm a bit surprised they are even home dogs. TJ Oshie returned from injury for Washington on Saturday and it sounds as if Nic Dowd might Monday. Carolina is 1-4 in its past five on the road. Maybe it wins here but tough to see it by multiple goals.

Rating: 2 Units

The Lightning are all but assured of getting a chance to become the first three-peat champion in the NHL since the Islanders won four in a row from 1980 through 1983. But a late-season slump may make the road tougher for Tampa Bay, which won for just the third time in nine games (3-6-0) Saturday and enters Sunday third in the Atlantic Division -- one point behind the second-place Bruins and one point ahead of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Lightning, which squandered a pair of one-goal leads in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Bruins, were in danger of falling to the Red Wings before Steven Stamkos scored the tying goal with 4:38 left in regulation. Brayden Point won the game by scoring on the power play at the 2:32 mark of overtime.

Rating: 2 Units

While I have been murdered on NHL big home favorites lately, have been killing it -- I need to stop watching all these Netflix serial killer shows -- on home dogs on the puckline. Unfortunately, the books don't give us the value to do it often, but this is one at -120 on Montreal in maybe the best rivalry in sports (seriously, see a Habs-Leafs game in your life if you can). Plus it's a Leafs rookie in net in Montreal? Honestly, the ML on the Canadiens might not be a bad idea, but I'm a tad conservative betting-wise.

Rating: 2 Units

Have to take the Habs at plus-money (+110) on the puckline at home. The team is 1-2 since netminder Jake Allen returned from injury but both losses were in overtime and that would be just fine here. Cats backup Spencer Knight goaltender has been better of late than he was early in the season but still is more than capable of a terrible game. Anton Lundell (28 points) and Aaron Ekblad (57 points) are both out for Florida.

Rating: 2 Units

Buffalo is playing pretty well of late -- the Sabres always had more talent than their record showed -- and it's the second of a back-to-back for the Penguins. It presumably will be Casey DeSmith in net for Pittsburgh, and he has lost back-to-back starts, plus not played in eight days.

Rating: 2 Units

Buffalo is a poor road team for the season, and have now lost 5 straight away from home.  They were pummeled on Thursday, and playing a tough  game against the very physical Flames team just 24 hours later does not bode well.  The Flames are probably the most balanced team in hockey right now.  the Flames are a prohibitive favorite, but the puck line odds are ok.  The Sabres will be lucky to leave town without a complete "flame out".

Rating: 2 Units

Before the Los Angeles Kings can dream of making a deep run in the Stanley Cup playoffs, they need to prove they can defeat the San Jose Sharks. The Kings will attempt to avoid a four-game season sweep by the Sharks when the Pacific Division rivals meet at Los Angeles tonight. The Kings are in second place in the Pacific Division and San Jose sits in seventh, however the Sharks have gotten the better of Los Angeles in head-to-head play. They breezed to a 6-2 win over the Kings at San Jose on Jan. 17, and then won back-to-back home-and-home games versus Los Angeles last week. The win on Saturday was a 5-0 rout, San Jose's most one-sided victory since defeating the Montreal Canadiens by the same score on Oct. 19. The Sharks also won six of eight against the Kings last season. San Jose is 26-11-0 against Los Angeles over the past seven campaigns, including a five-game series win in the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Rating: 2 Units

The Buffalo Sabres will try to build off the momentum from a pair of big wins when they kick off a three-game road trip with a visit to the Edmonton Oilers today. Buffalo, which is 4-2-0 in its past six games, followed up a 3-1 victory against former captain Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights last Thursday by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2 in the Heritage Classic in Hamilton, Ontario, on Sunday. The Sabres entered the third period of each game tied but dominated the final 20 minutes to win.

Rating: 2 Units

With Mackenzie Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier both injured and likely to miss the remainder of the NHL season, the New Jersey Devils needed someone to step up as their No. 1 goaltender. Enter Nico Daws. The 21-year-old rookie won three of four games on the Devils' just-completed homestand, including a 2-1 shootout win against Anaheim on Saturday in Newark, N.J., in which he made 33 saves and stopped two shootout attempts. The Canucks continued a trend of slow starts, falling behind the Lightning 2-0 and being outshot 12-1 during the opening seven minutes. Vancouver is 10-18-5 when allowing the first goal this season.

Rating: 2 Units

Vegas entered the weekend clinging to third place in the Pacific Division with the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks all nipping at its heels in the race for the division's last guaranteed berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Golden Knights are 4-8-1 in their past 13 games and started their five-game trip by losing three straight games in regulation.

Rating: 2 Units

Carolina will go for its second win in as many days after a 3-1 home victory Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers, who sit last in the Metropolitan. That win tied Carolina with the Colorado Avalanche for most points in the NHL standings. The Hurricanes' .750 points percentage is the best in the league. They have won four straight and are 9-1-1 in their past 11 games. That 11-game stretch includes a 4-3 win in Pittsburgh on Feb. 20 and a 3-2 overtime victory against the Penguins at home on March 4.

Rating: 2 Units

Edmonton, which is two points behind third-place Vegas in the Pacific Division, comes in after snapping a three-game losing streak with a 4-3 overtime victory over visiting Washington on Wednesday. Connor McDavid scored the game-winner when he finished a 2-on-1 rush with Leon Draisaitl against Capitals center Lars Eller by firing a low shot past Ilya Samsonov for his 30th goal of the season. Consider that the Lightning are 2-6 in the last 8 meetings in Edmonton.

Rating: 2 Units

Consider that the Blues are 10-2 in their last 12 vs. Western Conference,
11-5 in their last 16 games playing on 1 days rest, and 36-17 in their last 53 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game.

Rating: 2 Units

The New York Islanders expected to spend March and April preparing for a Stanley Cup run, not enduring losses that served to encapsulate a hard-luck season. But the Islanders will get a chance to display the mettle they developed over the past two seasons on Thursday night when they'll aim to play spoiler in the Eastern Conference playoff race by hosting the Columbus Blue Jackets in Elmont, N.Y. Both teams have been off since losing 5-4 at home Monday, when the Islanders' last-minute rally fell short against the Colorado Avalanche and the Blue Jackets couldn't complete a comeback from a three-goal, first-period deficit against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The loss was the 13th in 20 games (7-11-2) dating back to Jan. 22 for the Islanders, who haven't won back-to-back games during that stretch. New York, which made the Stanley Cup Semifinals in each of the past two years, entered Wednesday 21 points behind the Washington Capitals, who occupy the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and nine points behind the ninth-place Blue Jackets.

Rating: 2 Units

For Pittsburgh, which is 6-3-1 in its past 10, it will be the third straight game against a top-tier opponent, following a 5-1 win at Tampa Bay and a 3-2 overtime road loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on successive nights last week. The Penguins, in a battle with the Hurricanes and the New York Rangers for the Metropolitan Division title, embrace the run against strong opponents. In the teams' first two meetings -- a 5-4 Florida home win in overtime on Oct. 14 and a 3-2 Pittsburgh home win in a shootout on Nov. 11 -- the Penguins were without their two star centers, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who were rehabbing from offseason surgery. Now those two are back and playing at a high level. Crosby has a six-game point streak and three-game goal streak, and Malkin has points in seven of his past eight games.

Rating: 2 Units

The Hurricanes hold a 10-game home points streak, part of a 20-4-2 record on home ice. The latest of those successes came Friday night, when they overcame a two-goal deficit in an eventual 3-2 overtime triumph against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Scoring has been an issue for the entire Kraken team. Seattle has scored more than two goals in only one of its past seven games. The Kraken began a five-game road swing in the Eastern time zone with Saturday night's 5-2 loss at Washington. With a game Sunday, it will be part of Seattle's only games on back-to-back days in March. Seattle holds a 1-7-1 mark across its past nine games.

Rating: 2 Units

The loss to the Golden Knights capped a span of six games in 10 days for the Sharks. San Jose finished 2-3-1 during the stretch. To help bolster the team's goaltending corps, the Sharks obtained Alex Stalock from the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday for future considerations. Backup Adin Hill has been sidelined with a lower-body injury but practiced Friday.  Consider that the Predators are 2-6 in their last 8 overall, 1-4 in their last 5 games as a favorite, and 1-4 in their last 5 road games. In addition the Predators are 9-27 in the last 36 meetings in San Jose.

Rating: 2 Units

The Kraken snapped a seven-game skid Wednesday, rallying from a two-goal deficit to defeat visiting Nashville 4-3. Yanni Gourde and Colin Blackwell each had a goal and an assist for Seattle, with Gourde setting up Blackwell's short-handed winner early in the third period. Consider that the Capitals are 2-5 in their last 7 games as a favorite, 2-7 in their last 9 games following a win, and 2-9 in their last 11 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.

Rating: 2 Units

One win doesn't constitute a streak, but both the Minnesota Wild and Buffalo Sabres will take it. The teams, who are scheduled to meet Friday night in Buffalo, both snapped lengthy skids this week. The Sabres' victory was much more impressive, however. On Wednesday, Buffalo won 5-1 at Toronto to end a five-game losing streak. Jeff Skinner had a goal and an assist and 40-year-old goaltender Craig Anderson made 29 saves. Consider that the underdog is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Philadelphia Flyers will look to build a rare winning streak when they host the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. The Flyers snapped a six-game skid (0-4-2) with a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Earlier this season, Philadelphia was mired in a 10-game winless streak (0-8-2) and a franchise-worst 13-game skid (0-10-3). Consider that the Oilers are 5-12 in their last 17 vs. Eastern Conference and 1-6 in the last 7 meetings in Philadelphia.

Rating: 2 Units

The Maple Leafs, who are 4-4-1 in their past nine outings, have won two in a row. The game in Detroit had its concerns, however. The Maple Leafs took a 7-2 lead into the third period and gave up four straight goals before Ilya Mikheyev scored to give them an 8-6 lead. Detroit cut the lead to 8-7 before Toronto put the game away. Goaltender Jack Campbell gave up three goals on seven shots in the third period before Petr Mrazek replaced him. Campbell, who has not been as consistent as he was earlier in the season, allowed five goals on 25 shots on Saturday.

Rating: 2 Units

The Seattle Kraken will try to snap a six-game losing streak when they visit the San Jose Sharks in a battle of Pacific Division cellar dwellers tonight. San Jose, which is in seventh place in the Pacific, holds a 15-point lead over the last-place Kraken. Both teams are coming off home losses to the Boston Bruins. Seattle dropped a 3-2 decision in overtime on Thursday while the Sharks fell 3-1 to the Bruins on Saturday. It's the third losing streak of at least six games this season for the expansion Kraken, who lost nine in a row from Dec. 15 to Jan. 15. The good news: Seattle, which has won just 16 games, is 2-0 against the Sharks. The Kraken, behind 33 saves by Chris Driedger, won at San Jose, 3-1, on Dec. 14. On Jan. 20, the Kraken used a pair of goals by Carson Soucy to edge the Sharks 3-2 in Seattle.

Rating: 2 Units

The Montreal Canadiens put their recent surge to the test when they kick off a five-game road trip with a visit to the Ottawa Senators today. The Canadiens hit the road winners of four straight to improve to 4-3 under interim coach Martin St. Louis. Only one of those seven games have been on the road, a shootout win against the New York Islanders on Feb. 20. Andrew Hammond will get the start in goal against the Senators, facing the club for the first time since Ottawa traded him to the Colorado Avalanche in 2017. Hammond spent parts of four seasons with the Senators, notably carrying the club on an improbable run to clinch a playoff spot in the spring of 2015.

Rating: 2 Units

The stage is set for an interesting contest Saturday when the New York Rangers visit the Pittsburgh Penguins for the teams' first meeting of the season. The Rangers posted a 4-1 win over Washington on Thursday, while the Penguins dropped a 6-1 decision to New Jersey. Those results allowed New York to leapfrog Pittsburgh into second place in the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers come screaming into the game 5-0-1 in their past six games, with just nine non-shootout goals allowed during that stretch. The Penguins come slinking into the game on a three-game skid, matching their longest losing streak in regulation.

Rating: 2 Units

The Ducks enter on a two-game winning streak following a 4-3 shootout victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. Rickard Rakell scored two goals for Anaheim and put the exclamation point on the evening with the game-winner in the shootout. But the real star might have been backup goalie Anthony Stolarz, who filled in for John Gibson for a night to hold off the surging Sharks with 40 saves, then held strong in the shootout. Gibson is expected back in goal Friday, while Rakell will try to extend a run in which he has delivered six goals and an assist over the past seven games.

Rating: 2 Units

This is a tough spot for the Stars as they could get caught looking ahead the Preds. This is particularly true after the Predators ultra impressive comeback win at Florida last night. As for the Jets, of course they are fully focused on this game as Dallas is just in front of them in the standings. This situational spot has upset written all over it.

Rating: 2 Units

The Toronto Maple Leafs know they must improve their defense tonight when they visit the surging Columbus Blue Jackets. The Maple Leafs have allowed 11 goals while dropping their past two games, including a 5-1 defeat to the host Montreal Canadiens on Monday night. Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said the latest game was similar to the team's 6-3 home loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. The Blue Jackets had Monday off after defeating the visiting Buffalo Sabres 7-3 on Sunday for their seventh victory in nine games. Also consider that the Blue Jackets are 5-0 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game.

Rating: 2 Units

The Canadiens won their second straight game Sunday 3-2 in a shootout over the host New York Islanders at Elmont, N.Y., as goaltender Andrew Hammond made 30 saves in his debut for his new team. In the only game between the teams so far this season, the Maple Leafs defeated the visiting Canadiens 2-1 in the season opener. The Canadiens are 2-3-0 since St. Louis took over on Feb. 9. "He's got everyone motivated and excited to play," Canadiens defenseman Ben Chiarot said. "Guys are seeing success, we are getting more touches, more offensive chances and less breakdowns. He's got us playing good hockey."

Rating: 2 Units

Consider that the Jets are 4-1 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game and 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Calgary. In addition, the road team is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

Ottawa is 2-3-1 over its past six games but also a respectable 7-5-2 in its past 14 since a three-game losing streak Jan. 18-22.  Consider as well that the Senators are 4-1 in their last 5 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game and 6-2 in their last 8 Sunday games. In addition the Rangers are 2-9 in the last 11 meetings in Ottawa.

Rating: 2 Units

The Panthers are rolling right now and right up there with the Avalanche as one of the best teams in the entire league. I don't think they're in a great spot on Sunday, however, as they head to Chicago for a matinee affair against the struggling Blackhawks. Note that Chicago has gone a perfect 5-0 when coming off a shutout loss over the last two seasons, as is the case here, outscoring opponents by an impressive average margin of 2.6 goals in that spot. The Blackhawks are also a respectable 22-18 after losing six or seven of their last eight contests over the last three seasons, which is also the situation here. As for the Panthers, they've allowed 3.8 goals per game, outscored by an average margin of 0.4 goals when playing on the road off consecutive victories this season. In fact, they're just 11-12 away from home this season, outscoring opponents by only 0.2 goals per game on average.

Rating: 2 Units

Consider that the Bruins are 1-4 in their last 5 overall, 1-4 in their last 5 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game, and 1-4 in their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.

Rating: 2 Units

Consider that the Kraken are 6-2 in their last 8 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game. While the Jets are 4-9 in their last 13 overall, 2-5 in their last 7 games playing on 0 days rest, 2-6 in their last 8 home games, and 1-5 in their last 6 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation.

Rating: 2 Units

Consider that the Penguins are 14-3 in their last 17 vs. Eastern Conference, 8-2 in their last 10 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game, and 21-6 in their last 27 overall. While the Maple Leafs are 2-5 in their last 7 Thursday games while the Penguins are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.

Rating: 2 Units

The Wild have been hot. That has led to them being mid-sized road favorites. With all due respect to Minnesota, I feel that's providing us with excellent value on Winnipeg. The home team has already won all three meetings this season. The Wild won 6-5 (in OT) and 7-1 in the two games at Minnesota. Those games were back in October and November. More recently, however, the Jets beat the Wild 2-0 here at Winnipeg. Including those results, the home team is 19-7 the past 26 meetings between these teams. That 2-0 loss, a fight-filled affair, was Minnesota's only recent defeat. The Wild are going to want to get some payback but the fact that the previous game was so "intense" will also bring out the best in Winnipeg.