Ottawa @ San Jose 1:35 PM ET

Play On: Ottawa +141 (10*)

Since the start of last season, Ottawa has won all three games played against San Jose, and outscored them by a decisive 14-6 margin. The Senators are coming off an impressive 5-3 win at Los Angeles on Saturday. San Jose has won 5 straight games, but they last two have come in overtime.

Any team (Ottawa) coming off a win by 2 goals or more, versus an opponent (San Jose) coming off two consecutive overtime games, resulted in those teams going 73-43 (62.9%) since 1996. Play on the Ottawa Senators as a 10* money line underdog pick.

Bruins @ Sabres 7:05 PM ET

Play On: Sabres +110 (5*)

Confidence is a huge asset to have in the NHL, but especially so for a rebuilding team like Buffalo. After enduring a miserable six game losing streak which descended them to near the bottom of the NHL overall standings, Buffalo has rebounded with two impressive road wins in each of their previous two games. The Sabres were a 4-2 winner at Winnipeg last Sunday afternoon, and then on Tuesday captured a 3-2 win in Minnesota. Buffalo also played a strong road game at Chicago last Friday in a 2-1 loss. Chicago scored the go ahead goal with less than five minutes to play in the third period. Buffalo will also get a boost with the return of #1 goaltender Robin Lehner who’s been sidelines since suffering a high angle sprain in the season opener.

Boston has been reeling of late, going 2-8 in its last ten games, and that includes dropping their last three in a row. The Bruins have managed to score 2 goals or less in five of its last six games. They’ve met Buffalo once this season, and were beaten at home by the Sabres 6-3. Play on the Buffalo Sabres as a 5* money line underdog pick.

This is a road weary Detroit team which will be playing the finale of a six game in thirteen day road trip tonight. As a matter of fact, Thursday will be their ninth contest on the road over its past tem games. The Red Wings have played in just one home game since 12/22/2015.

Arizona enters tonight red hot having gone 8-3 against the money line in their last eleven games, and that includes winning its last four in a row. During this current four game win streak, they’ve allowed just a combined 6 goals, and rookie goaltender Louis Dominique has compiled a superb .949 save percentage while starting in each of those contests. Play on the Arizona Coyotes as a 10* money line pick.

The Bruins have dominated this head to head series during the past three seasons by going 6-1 against their Atlantic Division rival (Rangers). Boston has gone a dismal 9-13 against the money line in road games this season, but is a superb 12-6 on the road. Monday’s expected starter in goal for the Bruins is Tuukka Rash, and he’s 7-4 on the road with a stellar .940 save percentage.

The Rangers have been mirrored in an awful slump, and especially when considering the talent level on this club. They’ve gone a horrible 6-14 against the money line in their last 20 games. Their usually reliable all world caliber goaltender Henrik Lundquist has been erratic over his last nine starts. Play on the Boston Bruins as a 10* Top Play money line underdog.

Due to time constraints there will be no analysis on NHL games for Saturday. Check back daily no later than 4:00 PM ET for NHL updates.

Thank You,

Ross Benjamin

Due to time constraints there will be no analysis on NHL games for Saturday. Check back daily no later than 4:00 PM ET for NHL updates.

Thank You,

Ross Benjamin

Due to time constraints there will be no analysis on NHL games for Saturday. Check back daily no later than 4:00 PM ET for NHL updates.

Thank You,

Ross Benjamin

Due to time constraints there will be no analysis on NHL games for Saturday. Check back daily no later than 4:00 PM ET for NHL updates.

Thank You,

Ross Benjamin

St. Louis has dropped their last four games in a row, and this will be their 9th game in the last 14 days. Any money line home favorite, versus an opponent that’s lost 4 of its last 5 games, and they’ve played 8 or more games in the last 14 days, resulted in those home teams going 55-14 (79.7%) during the past five seasons. Play on the Anaheim Ducks for a money line 10* Top Play.

Edmonton has gone 9-2 in their last 11 games at home. The Oilers are also a very profitable 8-2 at home this season when facing a non-conference opponent. They coming off home wins of 4-3 over Arizona 4-3 and 1-0 against Arizona. Tampa Bay enters tonight having lost three of its last four. The general public is betting on Tampa Bay like they’re stealing. Not so fast my friends. Play on the Edmonton Oilers for a 5* money line underdog selection.

Detroit @ San Jose 10:05 PM ET

Play On: San Jose -130 (10*)

Detroit is coming off one goal road wins in each of their previous two games. They’ll be playing in just their second game in the last five days.

Any NHL team that’s facing an opponent coming off one goal road wins in each of their previous two games, and is playing in its second game during the past five days, resulted in those teams going 41-9 (82%) against the money line since 1996. Play on the San Jose Sharks as a 10* Best Bet.

Dallas is coming off a 5-1 home win over Central Division rival Nashville in their previous game. The Stars are 9-2 in non-conference road games this season. New Jersey enters Saturday’s game on a modest two game win streak. They’ll also be playing in their third game in the last four days. The Devils are 8-24 during the past three season after winning their previous two games. New Jersey is just 8-11 against the money line at home this season, and Dallas is a very profitable 12-7 on the road. Play on the Dallas Stars for a 5* money line wager.

Florida enters Saturday’s game riding a seven game winning streak. They’ve allowed one goal or less in five of those seven games. The Rangers are coming off a 5-2 win at Tampa Bay in their previous game. That put a halt to a eight game road losing streak. The Rangers have allowed 5 goals or more in six of their last nine games. Play on the Florida Panthers for a 5* money line selection.

The Canucks have scored just 13 goals over their last eight games and were shutout for the fourth time in 11 outings during Monday's 5-0 home loss to Los Angeles. They're averaging a meager 23.3 shots over a three-game span. Vancouver has gone a dismal 6-10 against the money line at home this season.

Anaheim has won their last three games in a row, and shutout their opponents in each of their previous two contests. John Gibson has been in goal for both of those shutouts. In all likelihood, he’ll be given a rest tonight since Friday will be the Ducks third game in four days. You can do a lot worse than current backup Frederik Anderson between the pipes. Anderson has an excellent 1.19 GAA in nine career starts versus Vancouver. Play on the Anaheim Ducks for a 5* wager.

Calgary is playing with a lot of confidence right now. They’ve gone 9-2 in their last eleven overall, and are currently on an incredible 11 game home win streak. The Ducks have been by far the most disappointing team in the NHL during the first half of the season. They’ve gone a dismal 1-5 in their last six road games. Play on the Calgary Flames for a 5* money line wager.

Montreal is coming off a 4-3 road win over Atlantic Division rival Tampa Bay in their previous game. Both of these teams possess a better than .500 win percentage this season.

Any road team with a total of 5.0 or less, playing in the first half of the season coming off a division road win, and both teams have a better than .500 win percentage, resulted in these games going 33-9 (78.6%) under the total since 1996. Play on under the total for a 5* wager.

These two teams met last night in Carolina, and the Hurricanes skated away with a 3-1 win. The starting goaltenders last night were Eddie Lack for Carolina and Cory Schneider of New Jersey. In all likelihood it will be Cam Ward (Carolina) and Keith Kincaid (New Jersey) between the pipes today. Ward has been red-hot during his previous four starts, evidenced by a stellar .948 save percentage. Carolina has gone 4-1 in their last five away games, and 7-4 during its previous eleven overall. They’re coming off an impressive 2-1 win at Chicago on Sunday. The Hurricanes have allowed an average of just 1.4 goals per game during its last five outings.

New Jersey has gone a dismal 7-11 versus the money line at home this season. The Devils are 1-4 in their last five overall, and scored an average of just 1.6 goals per game during that stretch. Play on the Carolina Hurricanes for a 5* money line wager.

Toronto is coming off a pair of impressive wins over Los Angeles 5-0 and 7-4 last night at Colorado. Those two victories improved their money line record to 9-5 this season against non-conference opponents. The Leafs have been on a nice offensive roll for an extended period of time. They’re averaging a robust 4.5 goals per game during its previous six contests. That’s not good news for an Arizona team which has allowed 5 goals or more in six of their last nine games, and has gone a dismal 2-7 during that stretch. Play on the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Edmonton returns home for the first time since completing a grueling four game in six day road trip. The excursion got off to a good start by knocking off the red-hot Boston Bruins. Then things went a bit sideways, they lost the last three, and each of those defeats came by 2 goals or more. They enter today with a .412 win percentage. The good news for Edmonton is they’ve won six straight games at Rexall Place and will be playing tonight on four days of rest. They will also be facing a Winnipeg team on Monday which has gone 1-9 in their last ten road games. Play on the Edmonton Oilers for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Due to time constraints there will be no analysis for NHL selections on Friday.

Thank You,

Ross Benjamin

Due to time constraints there will be no analysis for NHL selections on Friday.

Thank You,

Ross Benjamin

Due to time constraints there will be no analysis for NHL selections on Friday.

Thank You,

Ross Benjamin

The Rangers have lost five straight road games heading into tonight. They allowed an average of 4.0 goals per game during those losses. New York has scored 4 goals or more in each of their previous three contests overall, and has still managed to lose two of those three games.

Minnesota is coming off a 6-2 home win against Vancouver on Tuesday. That improved their home money line record to 11-4 this season, and that includes winning in each of their previous three. Devan Dubnyk has been confirmed as the starting goaltender for Minnesota this evening. He’s compiled an excellent .960 save percentage and posted a shutout during his previous four starts. Dubnyk is 10-3 at home this season with a stellar .931 save percentage and four shutouts.

Any money line favorite (Wild) that scored 6 goals or more in their previous game, versus an opponent (Rangers) that scored 3 goals or more in each of its last two games, resulted in the favorite going 54-14 (79.4%) during the past five seasons. Play on the Minnesota Wild for a 10* money line wager.

The Sabres are coming off a pair of 2-1 over red-hot opponents in Detroit and Los Angles. In doing so they put a halt to a six game Kings win streak, and a thirteen game stretch in which Detroit earned at least one point. They have plenty of momentum after erasing a 1-0 deficit by scoring two goals in the final five minutes at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit last night. Buffalo has received superb goaltending from both Linus Ullmark and Chad Johnson in their last two games, and they enter tonight on a three game home win streak. New Jersey has been a huge surprise to start the season. However, they’ve gone just 5-8 against the money line in the last thirteen games. Play on the Buffalo Sabres for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Columbus heads into today’s game having lost three in a row and six of its previous seven. Joonas Korpisalo will be making his first career NHL start tonight in goal for Columbus. The 21 year old native of Final appeared in eleven games this season for Lake Erie of the AHL and compiled a 2.12 GAA in addition to a .923 save percentage. Columbus has allowed 3 goals or more during its current three game losing streak, and they’re 3-16 at home during the past two seasons, following two straight games in which they allowed 3 goals or more. The Jackets are a dismal 0-5 on home ice this season following two or more losses in a row.

Ben Bishop will get the call for Tampa Bay, and he’s posted a superb .930 save percentage in ten road starts this season. Play on the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 5* money line wager.

Washington enters this week having gone 8-2 during their previous ten games. Braden Holtby is expected to be in goal tonight for Washington, and he’s gone 18-5 in 23 starts this season with a stellar .930 save percentage. Holtby has been red-hot in his last four starts, going 3-1 with a brilliant .946 save percentage. The Capitals are an outstanding 9-4 on the road this season.

You may be very surprised to know that Pittsburgh has gone a miserable 11-28 the past two seasons versus fellow Metropolitan Division teams. The Penguins have lost three of four and five of their previous seven games. They inexplicably are averaging just 2.4 goals per game this season, and that’s despite having a plethora of offensively skilled players with a proven track record. Former head coach Mike Johnston was fired on Saturday morning, and he’ll be replaced by Mike Sullivan who was the bench boss at Wilkes-Barre (AHL) this season. Play on the Washington Capitals for a 5* money line wager.

Carolina enters Saturday’s game having won three of its last four, and they possess a goal per game differential of -0.6 this season. They’ve scored 5 goals in each of their previous three outings. Arizona was able to snap a five game losing streak last night with a 2-1 overtime win over Minnesota. The Coyotes are an abysmal 0-12 at home during the past two seasons after losing four of its previous five games.

Any road money line underdog of +100 to +150 that scored 5 goals or more in their previous game, and has a -0.5 or worse goal per game differential for the year, has gone 22-9 (71%) the past five seasons. Play on the Carolina Hurricanes for a 5* money line underdog wager.

The Stars have gone a terrific 11-4 against the money line in road games this season. Kari Lehtonen is expected to get the start in goal for Dallas tonight. Lehtonen has gone a perfect 7-0 on the road this season with a stellar .931 save percentage. Dallas will be facing an opponent (Blues) on Saturday with a .551 winning percentage this season. The Stars are a perfect 8-0 this year when facing an opponent with a better than .500 win percentage.

St. Louis has dropped four of their last five games. Their only win in that sequence came against a struggling Arizona Coyotes club. The Blues have scored 2 goals or less in four of those five games, and that’s not good news considering their facing the highest scoring team in the NHL tonight. St. Louis is just 8-7 versus the money line at home this season, and that includes 1-3 during it previous four. Play on the Dallas Stars for a 5* money line underdog wager.

The Rangers are 2-6 in their last eight games, and have dropped three straight on the road. They’ve scored 1 goal or less in five of their previous eight games. That’s not good news since they’ll be facing a red-hot goaltender tonight. Anders Nilsson of Edmonton has started in each game during this current four game win streak for Edmonton, compiling a superb .946 save percentage, and posting a 1.93 GAA. Play on the Edmonton Oilers as a 5* money line underdog wager.

The Kings enter today riding a five game winning streak. They’ll also be playing on 2 days of rest. During this current win streak they’ve averaged 15.2 more shots on goal per game than their opponents. The latter of their two wins came by scores of 3-1 and 3-2. Los Angeles has gone a perfect 8-0 this season following two straight games in which they allowed 2 goals or less. Pittsburgh returns home from a four game west coast road trip, and will be playing on just one day of rest. Play on the Los Angeles Kings as a 5* money line wager.

Buffalo is 4-0-2 over the total during their last six games. The Sabres power play has been superb during their previous five games, converting on 27.8% of their man advantage opportunities. Contrarily, the Sabres penalty killing has been horrible on the road with opponents cashing in on 32.5% of their power play chances against Buffalo.

Speaking of poor penalty killing, the Flames have allowed opponents to convert on 28.2% of their power play chances against them. Calgary has gone over the total in each of their previous four games. The Flames have scored 4 goals or more in each of their previous three games, and are 5-0 over the total this season following a game in which they scored 4 goals or more. Play on this game to go over the total for a 10* Top Play wager.

San Jose enters tonight on a four game losing streak, and has been outscored in those outings by a cumulative margin of 14-6. Their most recent loss came at Calgary last night by a score of 4-2. Martin Jones made the start in goal last night, and in all likelihood backup Alex Stalock will get the nod this evening. In four appearances on the road, including three starts, Stalock has a poor .879 save percentage.

The Edmonton Oilers enter today having won their last three games. All of those contests were played at home, and Wednesday will be just their fourth outing during the past nine days. Anders Nilsson is once again expected to be in goal for Edmonton. Nilsson has started each of the games during Edmonton’s current win streak, and compiled an excellent .957 save percentage in those outings. Play on the Edmonton Oilers for a 10* money line wager.

San Jose has gone a red-hot 7-1 in their last eight games. Tuesday’s expected goaltender for the San Jose is Martin Jones, and he’s compiled an excellent .944 save percentage in his last four starts. The Sharks are coming off a 5-2 home win over Calgary in their previous game. San Jose is 23-4 against the money line during the past three seasons, following a home win in which they scored 4 goals or more. Pittsburgh has dropped their last two, and three of its previous four games. Play on the San Jose Sharks as a 10* Top Play money line selection.

The Ducks have gone 1-4 in their previous five games, and tonight will be their 8th game in the last 14 days. Anaheim is 2-7 on the road this season, and is averaging a pathetic 1.3 goals scored per game in those outings. Florida has won three of their last four games. Roberto Luongo is expected to be in goal for Florida this evening, and he’s posted a stellar .936 save percentage in 8 home starts.

Any money line home favorite (Florida( versus an opponent (Anaheim) that lost 4 of their past five games, and this will be their 8th game or more in the last 14 days, resulted in the home team going 53-14 (79.1%) during the past five seasons. Play on the Florida Panthers for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Thursday will be the fourth of a six game in ten day road trip for San Jose. They’ve won each of the first three, and are coming off a 5-4 win at Boston on Tuesday. The Sharks have a .555 winning percentage this season, and that includes .700 on the road. Philadelphia enters today with a poor .333 win percentage overall.

Any money line favorite playing in the first half of the season, and is coming off a one goal win on the road, versus an opponent with a less than .500 winning percentage, resulted in the favorite going 93-35 (72.7%) during the past five seasons. Play on the San Jose Sharks for a 5* money line wager.

The Rangers enter tonight’s game riding a dominating six game winning streak. I say dominating because they outscored their opponents by a combined 21-6 during that stretch. The Rangers are allowing just a paltry 1.7 goals per game this season, and that includes an even better 1.4 in nine home contests. The Rangers are coming off a 3-0 divisional win over Carolina in their previous game.

St. Louis will be playing in the finale of a four game in nine day road trip. The Blues have won each of their first three, and that includes back to back shutouts Jake Allen in their last two. There’s a red flag that comes up in my eyes that pertains to this current road trip. St. Louis has allowed opponents an average of 37.3 shots on goal per game in those three contests.

Any money line favorite coming off a divisional win, versus an opponent coming off 2 or more road wins in a row, resulted in the favorite going 37-7 (84.1%) the past five season. The favorite also had a sizable 1.8 goal per game differential during those 44 contests. Play on the New York Rangers for a 10* Top Play wager.

The expected starting goaltenders tonight are Mike Condon for Montreal and Marc-Andre Fleury of Pittsburgh. Both of those goalies have been superb this season. The rookie Condon has done nothing short of a sensational job as a backup, and filling in for an injured Carey Price. Condon has gone 6-1 during seven starts with an excellent .940 save percentage. Marc-Andre Fleury is coming off his worst performance of the season in the Penguins 5-2 loss at Calgary during its previous game. However, Fleury’s entire body of work this season has been super, going 8-1-3 under the total in 12 starts while compiling a stellar .933 save percentage.

Both of these teams penalty killing units have been terrific to this point. Montreal has killed off 48-of-54 (88.9%) of their shorthanded situations, and Pittsburgh is 39-for-44 (88.6%). Montreal is coming off a 4-2 home win over Boston in their previous game. The Canadiens are 23-5 under the total during the past three seasons, when coming off a home win in which they scored 4 goals or more. Pittsburgh has seen just 2 of their first 14 games go over the total. Play on this game to go under the total for a 10* Top Play wager.

The Wild have gone a superb 6-1 at home this season. They’re coming off a 1-0 home win against Tampa Bay in their previous game. Minnesota has gone 14-2 under head coach Mike Yeo following a home shutout win. The Wild has also gone a superb 20-5 at home the least three seasons following a 1 goal win. Winnipeg is coming off an embarrassing 3-0 home loss to a Philadelphia club that had lost six games in a row.

Play against any money line road underdog, coming off a home loss by 3 goals or more, and both teams have a winning record on the season. Following that NHL betting angle resulted in going 29-5 (85.3%) during the last five seasons. Play on the Minnesota Wild for a 5* money line wager.

Calgary is coming off a 5-2 home win over Pittsburgh. Florida comes off 2 losses in a row by scores of 5-2 at San Jose and 4-1 at Los Angeles.

Any money line underdog coming off a win by 3 goals or more, versus an opponent coming off two losses in a row, and each of those losses came by 3 goals or more, resulted in the underdog going 37-20 (64.9%) since 1997. Play on the Calgary Flames for a 5* money line wager.

Tuesday will be Vancouver’s third road game in the last four days, and they enter tonight on a three game losing streak. Columbus is starting to wake up under new head coach John Tortorella. Following a 1-9 start, Columbus has gone a respectable 4-3 in their last seven games. The Jackets will also have the luxury of playing on two days of rest tonight.

Play against any team (Vancouver) in the first half of the season, coming off a road 1 goal loss, and has a money line winning percentage of .300 to .400, versus an opponent (Columbus) with a winning percentage of .300 or less. By following that NHL betting algorithm, it resulted in going 33-13 (71.7%) since 1997. Play on the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 5* money line wager.

Ross is a documented 48-32 (60%) with his last 80 NHL picks, and all at an average money line price of +103. Tonight he’s releasing a 10* Top Play total in the game between St. Louis/New Jersey (7:05 PM ET).

These teams have met once this season, and San Jose skated away with a 2-0 win. The Sharks have gone 5-1 against Anaheim since the start of last season, and 6-0 at home versus the Ducks during the past three seasons.

Play against any money line road underdog (Anaheim) in the first half of the season, playing with same season revenge that stems from a loss by 2 goals or more, and they have a winning percentage of .300 or less, versus an opponent (San Jose) with a winning record. This NHL handicapping algorithm has gone an excellent 32-3 (91.4%) against the money line during the past five seasons. Play on the San Jose Sharks for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Something has to give in Thursday’s game between these two ice cold teams. The rest factor certainly has to be weighed heavily when handicapping this contest. Philadelphia will be playing their third road game in the last four days, and it will also be their 6th game overall during the previous nine days. On the other hand, tonight will be just the second game in five days for Calgary. The Flyers enter tonight on a five game losing streak, and have lost the last four by two goals or more.

Any money line home favorite (Flames) of -200 or less playing in the first half of the season, coming off losing four of their previous five games, and has a winning percentage of .300 or less, versus an opponent (Flyers) with a losing record, resulted in that home favorite going 63-18 (77.8%) since 1996. Play on the Calgary Flames for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

The Penguins are coming off wins of 4-3 and 4-0 in their last two games. Pittsburgh is 7-13 the past two seasons after scoring four goals or more in each of their previous two games.

Vancouver has the confidence in knowing they not only beat Pittsburgh in both meetings a season ago, and they also shut them out on each occasion. The Canucks special teams units have been outstanding during their last five games. Vancouver is coming off 4-3 and 4-1 wins in their previous two games.

Any home team that’s scored 4 goals or more in each of their previous two games, versus an opponent that’s scored 3 goals or more in each of their previous two games, resulted in the home team going 100-45 (69%) during the past five seasons. Play on the Vancouver Canucks as a 5* money line wager.

After getting off to a nice start this season, Philadelphia has tailed off considerably of late, and has appeared listless in recent games. They’re coming off a 4-1 loss at Vancouver last night, and have now dropped four games in a row. This will be their fourth game in six days tonight, and that includes a second set of back-to-back contests in less than a week.

The results certainly results so far certainly would suggest otherwise, but my personal eye test sees them as vastly improved. The Oilers have scored 3 goals or more in five of their previous six games. They will be playing with two days of rest. This also will be just their third game in the last seven days, and all of those have taken place on home ice. Play on the Edmonton Oilers for a 5* money line wager.

The Flames have gone over the total in each of their previous three games, and there was a combined average of 8.3 goals scored per contest. Calgary is allowing a horrible 4.2 goals per game this season, and has surrendered a combined 23 goals during its previous five games. Kari Ramo is slated to be in goal tonight for the Flames, and he has a terrible .868 save percentage in four starts this season.

Semyon Varlamov is expected to be between the pipes for Colorado on Tuesday. Varlamov has been less than stellar to start this year. He’s gone 5-1 over the total in six home starts with a poor .875 save percentage. Colorado’s power play at home has been sizzling, going 8-for-24 (33.3%) with those man advantage opportunities. Contrarily, their penalty killing has been awful in their last five games, allowing opponents to cash in on 35.3% of their power play chances against them. Play on this game to go over the total for a 5* wager.

After getting off to a 0-4 start to the season, New Jersey has rebounded to go 6-1 in The Islanders has dropped their last three in a row. Their new digs at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn has provided them with little home ice advantage. The crowds have been sparse, and the enthusiasm less than noticeable. They’ve gone just 4-4 at home thus far. This will be their third game in the last four days, and the third straight without leading scorer John Tavares (illness).

After getting off to a 0-4 start, the New Jersey Devils have rebounded to go 6-1 in their last seven games. They’ll also be playing tonight with two days of rest, and have gone a superb 4-1 in road games so far. Play on the New Jersey Devils for a 5* money line wager.

The Bruins enter today red-hot having won four in a row and six of the last seven. They’ve allowed 1 goal or less in each of their previous three games, and have outscored opponents during that stretch by a wide 12-2 margin. The Bruins power play has been outstanding thus far, going 12-for-34 (35.3%). Boston will also have a luxury of playing on two days of rest.

Dallas is coming off a terrible effort last night during a 4-1 loss at Toronto. The Stars won’t only be playing without any rest today but this will be their third game in the last four days. Play on the Boston Bruins for a 5* money line wager.

The Predators are off to a stellar 6-2 start to the season. Pekka Rinne has been terrici in goal for Nashville thus far. In seven starts Rinne has compiled an outstanding .932 save percentage. The Predators special teams have been terrific to begin this 2015-2016 NHL campaign. As a matter of fact, they hold a huge +10.6 advantage on my personal special team efficiency rating over San Jose. The Sharks were able to snap a three game losing streak with a 5-2 win over Carolina in their previous contest. Sharks goaltender Martin Jones has cooled off after a sizzling hot start. During his first four starts Jones posted two shutouts and allowed a combined 2 goals. In the last three starts, Jones allowed 10 goals and had a below average .890 save percentage. Take the Nashville Predators for a 5* money line wager.

Anaheim is 1-7 and has been held scoreless in five games. They’ve been shutout in each of their previous two games, and remarkably it’s the second time already this season in which that’s occurred. Tuesday will be Anaheim’s third game in four days, fourth in the previous six days, and all of those contests will have been played on the road. That’s not good news considering their facing an opponent (Dallas) tonight who will be playing just their second game in the last five days, and both of those will have came on home ice. Backup Anton Khudobin will be ingoal tonight after Frederik Anderson play in Monday's 1-0 overtime loss at Chicago. Khudobin has compiled a terrible .875 save percentage in three starts.

Dallas is currently 6-2, and averaging a robust 3.4 goals scored per game. Antti Niemi is expected to get the start in goal tonight, and he’s compiled a stellar .928 save percentage during four starts and one relief appearance. Dallas is clearly the better team at this juncture, more rested, and holds a huge offensive edge. Play on the Dallas Stars as a 10* "Top Play" wager.

This money line stuck out like a sore thumb to me this morning. We have a 1-6 Leafs team that captured their lone win came against 1-8 Columbus as a money line favorite. It’s not like Arizona has been horrible thus gfar. The Coyotes are 4-4 and are coming off a road win on Saturday against a very good Ottawa Senators club. However, I like the grit that Toronto has played with despite their dismal record. Case in point was Saturday night in Montreal during a 5-3 loss to a 9-0 Canadiens team. They outshot Montreal in that loss by a decisive 52-27 margin only to be stymied by the world’s current best goaltender Carey Price. As a matter of fact, Toronto is averaging 33.9 shots on goal per game so far this season. Contrarily, the Coyotes are allowing opponents a very high average of 32.6 shots on goal per contest. Give me the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Washington enters tonight riding a four game winning streak. However, this will be their third road game in the last four days, and that includes last night’s 3-2 win at Vancouver. Braden Holtby has been in goal for all six of the Capitals games this year. He’ll be given the night off on Friday, and Philip Grubauer will get his first start of the season.

Edmonton is currently on a three game winning streak, and this will be just their third game in the last six days. The Oilers penalty killing has been superb so far. They’ve killed of 23-of-25 (92%) of opponents power play chances. Cameron Talbot is expected to be in goal tonight for Edmonton, and he’s posted a solid .920 save percentage in five starts. Play on the Edmonton Oilers for a 5* wager.

After a brutal start to the year that saw them lose their first three games, and all of those coming on home ice, the Kings rebounded to win their last two games by identical 2-1 scores. It’s by no coincidence that Jonathan Quick has played extremely well in the two wins after a horrible beginning to the year, and especially so by his standards. Quick stopped 59-of-61 shots on goal in those wins. The Kings will be out to avenge an opening night 5-1 loss against San Jose, and they’ll be playing tonight on 3 days of rest. The Sharks have come back down to earth after a terrific 4-0 start. They’ve dropped each of their last two games, and were outscored in those contests by a cumulative margin of 10-3.

Any team (Kings) coming off wins in each of their previous two games by one goal on each occasion, and they’ll be playing on 3 or more days of rest, resulted in that team going 42-18 (70%) against the money line since 1996. Play on the Los Angeles Kings for a 5* wager.

This is a fairly even matchup on paper. However, after observing both teams play through each of their first five games, Buffalo passes my personal eye test compared to Toronto. I like the Sabres top six forwards more than the Leafs in that regard, and Buffalo’s power play has been superior compared to Toronto. The Sabres have defeated Toronto five consecutive times at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo.  

Any money line home underdog coming off two straight losses against division opponents, and they’re playing in their 2nd game in the last five days, resulted in the home underdog going 23-9 (71.9%) during the past five seasons. Play on the Buffalo Sabres as a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Today will be the finale of a grueling 6 game in 9 days road trip for St. Louis that seen them win in each of the last four. However, it will also be their 3rd game in 4 days and their 4th in 6 days. Montreal will be playing in just their 3rd game in the last 7 days, and each of those will have been played on home ice. The Canadiens are off to their best start in franchise history having won each of the first 6 games. Last year’s Vezina Trophy winner Carey Price has pickup up right where he left off, compiling an excellent .957 save percentage in 5 starts. Play on the Montreal Canadiens for a 5* money line wager.

New Jersey is a dismal 0-3 at home so far and was outscored by a cumulative margin of 8-3. Arizona has gone 2-0 on the road with wins over the Kings and Ducks by a cumulative score of 8-1. Mike Smith has been excellent in goal for Arizona to start the year by posting a .935 save percentage while starting in all 5 games. Play on the Arizona Coyotes for a 5* money line wager.

Pittsburgh has scored 2 goals or less in each of their five games this season, and has been bailed out by Marc-Andre Fleury in order to somehow squeeze out 2 wins. The Penguins power play has gone a miserable 0-for-17 to start the season. Roberto Luongo has been razor sharp for Florida in goal evidenced by his superb .948 save percentage in four starts. The Panthers are a solid defensive team that’s allowing 1.8 goals per game. Play on the Florida Panthers for a 5* money line wager.

San Jose suffered their first loss of the season on Saturday in a 6-3 road defeat against the New York Islanders. However, it must be noted, backup goaltender Alex Stalock was in goal for that loss. Martin Jones started the first four for San Jose and was 4-0 with an off the charts .982 save percentage. This will be San Jose’s fifth road game in their first six contests, and they’ve gone a solid 3-1 so far.

The Rangers are coming off a 2-1 home loss against the lowly New Jersey Devils on Monday. It was their third loss in a row since getting off to a fast 3-0 start. During this three game losing streak they’ve managed to score just a combined 2 goals. Play on the San Jose Sharks as a 5* money line wager.

Vancouver has been impressive in their 3-1 start. They’ve outscored the opposition thus far 12-5, and goaltender Ryan Miller has been terrific. Miller has started all four games for the Canucks, and he’s compiled an excellent .957 save percentage. Vancouver will enter tonight’s game with 2 days of rest. Contrarily, St. Louis played last night in Edmonton, and this will also be their third game in the past four days. Jake Allen will get the start in goal tonight for St. Louis and he was unimpressive in his only other appearance this season. Play on the Vancouver Canucks are a 10* Top Play wager.

Edmonton will be playing in their home opener tonight after starting the season with three road losses. There’s sure to be a juiced up home crowd considering it will be the regular season home debut of highly publicized 18 year old rookie Connor McDavid. The Blues are coming off a 4-3 win at Calgary in their previous game. Both teams recent results and this current money line sets up a very nice scenario for the home underdog.

Any money line home underdog of +100 to +150 (Oilers), coming off 3 or more road losses in a row, versus an opponent (Blues) coming off a road win, resulted in the home underdog going 25-10 (71.4%) since 1996. This exact betting angle has also gone a perfect 5-0 during the past three seasons. Play on the Edmonton Oilers for a 5* money line wager.

Both of these teams possess plenty of offensive firepower and we should see plenty of goals scored this evening. In their two meetings last season, both games went over the total with a combined 17 goals being scored. Dallas has scored 10 goals in their first three games this season, and Tampa Bay has lit the lamp 14 times in their first four. The Lightning is coming off a 3-1 loss at Detroit in their previous game. Tampa Bay has gone 13-3 over the total at home the past three seasons after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game. The Lightning have also gone 22-9 over the total during the last two seasons following a game in which there were a combined 4 goals or less scored. Play on this game to go over the total as a 5* wager.

Nashville has opened the season with an impressive 3-0 start. However, let’s not lose sight of the fact that those three wins have come over NHL weaklings Edmonton, Carolina, and New Jersey. Those three teams have combined to go 0-9 so far this season, and one of those clubs made the playoffs last season. The Islanders are just 1-2 to start the year, but their only two losses came at the hands of the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. They did bounce back with a dominant effort in their last game with a 4-2 win over a very good Winnipeg Jets club. They outshot the Jets in that win by a wide margin of 44 to 24. Play on the New York Islanders as a 5* money line wager.

Boston has started the season 0-3, and what’s even more alarming is the fact that all of those losses came on home ice. It’s not like they were competitive in any of those defeats, evidenced by being outscored by a cumulative margin of 16-7. Boston hasn’t started a season 0-4 since 1964, and seem destined to match that futility based on their performances thus far. One time Vezina Trophy winner Tuukka Rask has really struggled in goal for Boston. Rask can’t seem to stop a beach ball so far, posting a large 4.72 GAA and pathetic .846 save percentage in three starts. That’s not good news considering he’ll be facing a Colorado team which has scored 10 goals in their first two games. The Avalanche will be playing their third consecutive game on home ice, and had the luxury of 3 days off entering tonight. Colorado defeated Boston in both encounters against them last season. Play the Colorado Avalanche as a 5* money line selection.

San Jose has been impressive in their first two games of the season, winning 5-1 at Los Angeles in their opener, and shutting out Anaheim 2-0 at home. Former Kings backup goaltender Martin Jones has seized the opportunity with his new club (Sharks). He allowed a goal on the first shot he faced this season, and has since stopped 46 straight shots on goal, and hasn’t been scored on in the last 118:11 of action. Braden Holtby wasn’t sharp in the Capitals 5-3 opening night win over New Jersey, allowing 3 goals on only 24 shots. I love the money line value in this game. Play on the San Jose Sharks as a 10* Top Play money line underdog.

San Jose will be on a mission especially early on to prove missing the playoffs a season ago was a fluke. They got off to an impressive start during a 5-1 road win over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. Despite a disappointing 2014-2015 regular season campaign, San Jose still managed to go 4-1 against an Anaheim team that finished atop the Western Conference standings.

Any home team (San Jose) coming off a road win by 3 goals or more against a division opponent, resulted in that home team going 75-31 (70.8%) versus the money line during the past five seasons. Play on the San Jose Sharks as a 5* money line selection.

The Bruins were thoroughly embarrassed by Winnipeg in their home opener on Thursday during a 6-2 defeat. Meanwhile, Montreal was bailed out by Carey Price in a 3-1 win at Toronto during their season opener on Wednesday. They were outshot 37-30 in the win. Other than their star goaltender (Price), I’m not all that enamored with this Montreal club. Boston will display a bit more urgency than they displayed against Winnipeg. I also look for Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask to bounce back from a horrible start in the season opener. Play the Boston Bruins for a 5* money line selection.

These teams have seen four of the first five games in this series stay under the total, including each of the previous three. Since the beginning of the 2014-2015 NHL regular season campaign, they’ve gone 6-1 under the number in their seven overall encounters. All three games played between these clubs at the United Center in Chicago this season have gone under the total.

Tampa Bay has allowed two goals or less in five of their last six games. The Lightning has gone a dismal 1-for-12 on the power play in the first five games of this Stanley Cup Final. However, they’ve also been able to kill of 11-of-13 power man advantage opportunities by Chicago.

Chicago has now gone 24-8 under the total versus Eastern Conference opponents this season. The Blackhawks are also 17-7 under the total this year after winning each of their previous two games.

Any team (Chicago) coming off two straight one goal wins, versus an opponent which has seen a combined three goals or less scored in each of their previous two games, resulted in that team going 61-28 (68.5%) under the total since 1996.  Play on this game to go under the total for a 5* selection.

Despite the Lightning advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals, they’ve been only 6-6 on home ice during these playoffs. This will also be the 25th playoff game for Tampa Bay, and they’re assured of tying the NHL record set by Los Angeles who played in 26 postseason contests in 2014. Granted there’s a lot of stake right now for fatigue to be an excuse or a factor, but there’s also the reality of a human element which needs consideration in that regard.

This is a Blackhawks team which possesses a plethora of playoff and big game experience. After all, Chicago is currently playing in their third Stanley Cup Finals in six years, and has also been involved in five of the previous seven Western Conference Finals series. Experience hasn’t been a factor through the first four games but will certainly pay dividends for Chicago the longer this series goes.

I’m looking for Chicago to play their best game of these Stanley Cup Finals tonight. The Lightning’s uncertainty and instability in goal will catch up with them in Game 5. Play on Chicago +110 as a money line 10* Top Play selection.

Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals was won by Tampa Bay 3-2, and stayed under the total of 5.5. Chicago has gone 4-0 over the total in the playoffs following a game that went under. Tampa Bay has gone 8-2-1 over the total in this postseason following a game that stayed under.

Both of these teams possess a plethora of offensive firepower not only at the forward positions but from their defensemen as well. This isn’t one of those Stanley Cup Finals where either starting goaltender has been the major reason why their teams have advanced this far. As a matter of fact, each has shown signs of inconsistency throughout the playoffs, and both were either pulled from games or not given a start due to poor performance. Although Ben Bishop turned in a gutty and outstanding performance in Game 3 for Tampa Bay, there’s no doubt in my mind he’s far less than 100% healthy.

Whoever is in goal for Tampa Bay tonight won’t deter them from playing the style they’ve displayed during these playoffs when on the road. They’ve not only gone 7-3 in away games this postseason, they’re also 6-3-1 under the total, and allowed two goals or less in their last nine. As a matter of fact, during their four games at Madison Square Garden in the Eastern Conference Finals, they allowed only a combined four goals, and that included a pair of shutouts in Games 5 and 7. Considering they’re facing a high powered offensive team like Chicago, and the question marks surrounding their goaltending situation, I look for the Lightning to play a tight checking conservative style tonight on the road. Consequently, Play on this game to go under the total as a 5* selection.

The Lightning absolutely gave Game 1 away on Wednesday. They allowed Chicago to score twice in the final six minutes of the third period which enabled them to overcome a 1-0 deficit, and skate away with a 2-1 win. They have nobody to blame but themselves after opting to go into a defensive shell during the last two periods, rather than continuing to play their successful attacking style. On a positive note, Tampa Bay is 5-1 during these 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs following a loss. Tampa needs to reestablish their home ice dominance they displayed during the regular season. They were a NHL best 32-9 at home during that time, and inexplicably have gone 5-6 during the playoffs on home ice. I look for the Lightning to play with a high degree of urgency on Saturday, and earn a positive result. Play on Tampa Bay as a as a 10* Top Play money line selection.

These teams met twice during the regular season, and both games went under the total. Ben Bishop started both of those games for Tampa Bay and had an excellent .970 save percentage during those outings.  Tampa Bay has gone under the number in the opening games of each of their 2015 playoff rounds. Chicago has gone 20-7 under the total this season versus non-conference opponents.

Any team (Chicago) that allows an average of 2.55 goals or less per game, and has scored four goals or more in each of their previous four games, resulted in that team going 104-58 (64.2%) under the total since 1996. Play on this game to go under the total.

These teams received an extra day of rest between Games 6 and 7. In my professional opinion that will help Chicago more than Anaheim. Due to injuries to their defense, Chicago has been forced to use their top two pairings more than they would’ve like to in this series. The huge forwards of Anaheim have pounded the Chicago defense at every feasible opportunity in an attempt to wear them down. In that regard, the extra day will certainly benefit the Blackhawks defense heading into this win or go home Game 7 on Saturday.

I look for Chicago to continue in exposing Anaheim goaltender Frederik Andersen who’s been extremely shaky during the past three games. In those outings, Andersen has posted an awful .856 save percentage, and allowed 13 goals. This is a Chicago team which has been to three of the last six Western Conference Finals, and has hosted the Stanley Cup in two of the previous five years. There’s a plethora of big game experience on their roster, and that will pay dividends tonight. Play on Chicago on the money line as a 5* selection.

After being so good in the first two rounds of the playoffs, Ben Bishop has encountered some shaky moments in the Eastern Conference Finals. He was pulled from Game 6 after allowing five goals on just 26 shots during a 7-3 Tampa Bay loss. He’s now allowed 15 goals in the last four games, and compiled a poor .856 save percentage during that time.

Henrik Lundquist endured two nightmarish types of starts in Games 2 and 3 of this conference final. During those outings he allowed six goals in each game, and had a miserable .819 save percentage. Since that time he’s been magnificent during Games 4 through 6, posting a stellar 2.00 GAA, and an excellent .940 save percentage.

The Game 6 win by the Rangers made them 9-1 when facing elimination during the last two playoff years. Given the choice between these two goaltenders for a win or take all Game 7, I would opt for Henrik Lundquist each and every time. Especially considering how solid Lundquist has been in recent games, and Bishop being somewhat the polar opposite. It’s been a series of expecting the unexpected thus far, but Lundquist’s playoff and big game experience compared to that of Bishop will ultimately be the deciding factor on Friday. I’m going with “The Blue Shirts” at home. Play the Rangers in the money line as a 10* Top Play selection.

Tonight will mark the first time during the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs where Chicago is facing elimination. The good news is that they’re 6-1 at the United Center during this postseason. The Blackhawks have been disciplined during the first five games of the series, allowing just eleven man advantage opportunities by Anaheim, and only surrendering one goal while being shorthanded. An area of major concern for the Ducks heading into tonight’s Game 6 is the erratic play of goaltender Frederik Andersen during the previous two games. Andersen allowed 9 goals on 68 shots for a terrible .868 save percentage in Games 4 and 5.

The core group of players for Chicago has remained intact that have been to four of the previous six Western Conference Finals, and have won two of the last five Stanley Cups. Although depth of its defensive corps has been diminished by injuries, and the Ducks continue to pound their blue line players at every opportunity, I look for Chicago to come up with a monumental effort tonight. Play on Chicago as a 5* money line selection.

The Rangers will now be facing elimination for the fourth time in these 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The good news is they’ve gone 3-0 in

The Rangers will now be facing elimination for the fourth time in these 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The good news is they’ve gone 3-0 in that scenario, overcoming a 3-1 series deficit against Washington during the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They’re also an outstanding 8-1 in elimination games during the last two playoff seasons.

Staying with the theme of unpredictability in this series, I like the Rangers to force a deciding Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. They have a plethora of experience during elimination games the last two playoff years, and have been extremely successful in those situations. The Rangers were the best road team in the NHL this season, and are 32-16 in that role heading into Game 6. Play the New York Rangers as a money line underdog as a 5* selection.

that scenario, overcoming a 3-1 series deficit against Washington during the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They’re also an outstanding 8-1 in elimination games during the last two playoff seasons.

Staying with the theme of unpredictability in this series, I like the Rangers to force a deciding Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. They have a plethora of experience during elimination games the last two playoff years, and have been extremely successful in those situations. The Rangers were the best road team in the NHL this season, and are 32-16 in that role heading into Game 6. Play the New York Rangers as a money line underdog as a 5* selection.

Although Anaheim doesn’t tack a backseat to anyone in the NHL this season, I do like the big game experience on this Chicago roster in this pivotal game of the series. Chicago will refrain from trying to match the physicality of the Ducks tonight and get back to playing their game.

Go against any home team that’s -100 to -150 on the money line, playing in the second half of the season, averages 2.85 or more goals per game, and is coming off a game in which both teams scored four goals or more. By fading the home team in that exact situation, you would’ve gone 78-44 (63.9%) since 1996. Considering this betting angle supports a money line underdog, that winning percentage of 63.9% is even more impressive, and most definitely provides us with a superb wagering value. Play on Chicago on the money line as a 5* selection.

The New York Rangers have gone a terrific 6-for-13 (46.2%) on the power play during the previous three games. It’s by no coincidence, they’ve scored twelve goals overall during that time. “The Blue Shirts” have lit the lamp five times in each of the previous two games.

The Rangers all world goaltender Henrik Lundquist was absolutely terrible in Games 2 and 3 of this series. During those games, he allowed a combined twelve goals, and had a horrible .818 save percentage. His performance in Game 3 was especially costly during a Rangers 6-5 loss. That defeat was culminated by a very soft overtime goal allowed by Lundquist, and one that he’d in all likelihood stop 99 of 100 times. However, with the Rangers backed up against the wall in Game 4, Lundquist turned in one of his vintage performances that have been so prevalent throughout his career. He stopped 38 of 39 Tampa Bay shots on goal.

One of the main reasons why the Tampa Bay Lightning has reached this stage of the playoffs has been due to the superb play of Ben Bishop in goal. Unfortunately, the 6’8 backstop has been exposed in the last two games of this series, and it’s certainly a cause for concern. In those two contests, Bishop has allowed ten goals on just 52 shots, and compiled a pathetic .808 save percentage in doing so.

Just when it seemed like Tampa Bay had seized control of this series by winning two games in a row, they fell flat on their face in Game 4 at home. The Rangers regained the momentum, and took back home ice advantage with a convincing win on Friday. Playing in front of what promises to be a raucous home crowd at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, don’t expect the Rangers to squander a golden opportunity to once again take the series lead. Play the Rangers on the money line as a 10* Top Play selection.

Counting the regular season, this will be the seventh meeting of the year between these clubs. They’ve gone 4-0-2 under the total in the first six. Since the start of the 2012-2013 NHL campaign, the games between these clubs are 8-2-2 under the total, and that includes 5-1 under at the United Center in Chicago. Corey Crawford has been stellar in goal for Chicago during his previous four starts, compiling a very good .934 save percentage. The Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen has been nothing short of spectacular in his last four starts. During that time he’s posted a stellar .949 save percentage. I look for both goaltenders continuing to be sharp, and a tight checking low scoring contest once again taking place. Play on this game to go under the total as a 5* selection.

The Rangers have gone an encouraging 4-for-9 on the power play during the previous two games, and have been the best road team in the NHL this season with a 31-16 record. I look for Henrik Lundquist to bounce back with one of his vintage performances which has made him one of the premier goaltenders in the world. The Rangers have been embarrassed by their last two performances, and especially in regard to its defensive play. There’s just too much character on the Rangers roster to expect anything less than a superb effort on Friday. I’m siding with the road underdog for one of my NHL picks. Play on the Rangers as a 10* Top Play money line underdog.

Chicago seized home ice advantage in this series as a result of their Game 2 win. That’s certainly significant since they’ve gone a perfect 5-0 at home during these playoffs, and are a combined 13-2 in home postseason games since 2014. The Blackhawks will be facing an opponent (Anaheim) tonight that possesses a stellar .645 winning percentage. Chicago is a terrific 21-6 against the money line at home since the start of last season, versus opponents with a winning percentage of .600 to .750.

Any home team (Chicago) that’s -100 to -150 on the money line, and allows 2.55 or less goals per game, and is coming off an overtime win in their previous contest, resulted in that home team going 55-18 (75.3%) since the start of the 2012-2013 season. Play on Chicago on the money line as a 10* Top Play money line selection.

Counting the regular season, these teams have seen four of their five meetings go over the total. Even though the final score indicated a lopsided game, there was plenty of end to end exciting action in Game 2, and I look for that type of play to continue in Game 3. Both of these clubs possess plenty of overall speed, and each of their power play units are starting to heat up. The teams combined to score five power play goals on Monday. I’ll have a strong lean toward this game being a high scoring affair when making my NHL picks.

Any road team with a total of 5.0 or less, playing with same season revenge stemming from a home loss by four goals or more, and they have a winning percentage of better than .500, resulted in that road team going 51-22 (69.9%) over the total since 1996. Play on this game to go over the total as a 10* Top Play selection.

The Chicago Blackhawks are in need of a bounce back performance tonight after a less than impressive showing in Game 1. Despite that loss, the Blackhawks are a stellar 33-16 this season versus opponents with a winning percentage of better than .500. The good news for Chicago is that they’ve gone 3-0 in the last 3, and 8-4 during their previous twelve games following a loss.

Chicago had their five game winning streak halted in the opening game of this series. Tonight will be just their third game in the last fourteen days. These facts combine to set up a very successful money line betting system.

Any money line road underdog of +100 to +150 that’s won four or five of their previous six games, and is playing in their third game or less during the last ten days, resulted in that road underdog going 37-19 (66.1%) since the start of the since the start of the 2011-2012 NHL campaign. Play on the Chicago Blackhawks as a money line underdog as a 10* Top Play selection.

Since the 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Game 2 of the Eastern and Western Conference Finals has gone 24-9-5 over the total, including 6-2 over since 2011.

The New York Rangers have gone under the total in each of their previous 2-games, and both of those contests ended in identical 2-1 scores. The Rangers are averaging 2.9 goals per game this season, and Tampa Bay is averaging 3.1 goals per contest. When combining those two results, and both teams goal scoring production, it qualifies for a totals betting angle that’s sustained the test of time.

Any home team (Rangers) with a total of 5.0 or less, coming off two or more games in a row that stayed under the total, and both team are averaging 2.9 or more goals per game on the season, resulted in the home team going 53-22 (70.7%) over the total since 1996. Play on this game to go over the total as a 10* Top Play selection.

The Anaheim Ducks have gone 8-1 thus far in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. That includes a perfect 5-0 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, and they outscored the opposition by a wide cumulative margin of 18-6. As a matter of fact, the only loss sustained in the playoffs came at Calgary 4-3 in overtime. That was a game in which the Flames tied the score with just 0:24 to play in regulation time before adding the winner in overtime.

One aspect of this matchup that the Ducks can potentially expose the Blackhawks is on the power play. The Ducks are 9-for-29 (31%) with the man advantage during these playoffs. They will be facing an opponent (Chicago) which has allowed opponents to convert on 27.3% (9-for-33) of their power play chances during the postseason. Although I’m not a huge fan of Anaheim goaltender Frederik Andersen in goal, Cory Crawford hasn’t exactly been lights out for Chicago during the postseason, and actually was pulled in favor of Scott Darling in their opening round 4-2 series win over Nashville. Anaheim is 14-1 against the money line this season at home when the total is 5.0 or less.

Any money line favorite (Anaheim) that’s coming off a win versus a divisional opponent (Calgary), versus a team that’s coming off two or more road wins in a row, resulted in the favorite going 42-8 (84%) since the start of the 2011-2012 NHL campaign. The money line average on the favorite in those 50-games was -148.1. Play on the Anaheim Ducks on the money line as a 10* Top Play selection.

The Lightning went through a somewhat demanding opening series versus the Red Wings that went a full seven games. Their second round series versus Montreal didn’t seem to present the same challenges they were faced with against Detroit. For starters, Tampa Bay had to overcome a 3-2 series deficit versus the Red Wings. Against Montreal, they quickly jumped out to a 3-0 series lead, and were never seriously threatened despite losing both Games 4 and 5. In Game 6 at home they were totally dominant in putting the Canadiens out of their misery.

The Rangers took an opposite path in their first two playoff series. From a superficial standpoint, they easily handled the Penguins in five games in the Eastern Quarterfinals. However, all five games in that series were decided by a narrow one goal margin.

The next series versus Washington was extremely difficult both physically and mentally. They were forced to go a full seven games, each of the seven contests was decided by one goal, and the physical nature in which both clubs played was grueling to say the least. In addition, the Rangers were forced to rally from a 3-1 series deficit versus the Capitals, two of their final three wins came via overtime, and that included an emotional Game 7 at home which was decided in the first extra session. Play on Tampa Bay as a money line underdog for a 5* selection.

The New York Rangers have now gone 7-1 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs the last two seasons when facing elimination. Their lone loss in that sequence was in Game 5 at Los Angeles during the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals. Henrik Lundquist, he was brilliant in Game 6, stopping 42 of 45 Washington shots on goal. He’s once again proven why he’s one of the best goaltenders in the entire world. With all due respect to Braden Holtby who’s been magnificent thus far in the 2015 NHL Playoffs for Washington, but if given the choice, I would opt for Henrik Lundquist seven days a week, and 365-days a year during a Game 7 scenario.

The Capitals Alexander Ovechkin has guaranteed a Game 7 win tonight. However, it must be noted that the Capitals have gone 4-12 in playoff games in which they were facing elimination with Ovechkin in the lineup. In addition, the Washington Capitals have lost all four playoff series in franchise history during which they held a 3-1 lead. Play on the New York Rangers on the money line as a 10* Top Play selection.

Tampa Bay was the highest scoring team in the NHL during the regular season, and this low of a total certainly lends some value in going over the number. As a matter of fact, the Lightning has gone over the total in 18 of 24-games this season when there’s a combined four goals or less scored in their previous game. Those 24-games have averaged a combined 6.1 goals scored per contest. A 2-2 tie at the end of regulation certainly wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility in this Game 6. I also look for the Lightning to be very aggressive offensively this evening, playing to win, instead of playing not to lose, like they’ve been during the previous three games of the series. Play on this game to go over the total as a 10* Top Play selection.

The Rangers were able to stave off elimination in Game 5 by tying it up at 1-1 with 1:40 to play in regulation time, and then ultimately winning in overtime. I fully expect the President’s Trophy winner to carry that momentum directly into Game 6 on the road. Playing on the road isn’t something the Rangers have been fearful of by any stretch of the imagination. They were the best road team in the NHL this season. They head into Sunday’s game with a 30-15 money line record during away games, and that includes 27-9 in the last thirty-six. Washington may regret squandering a golden opportunity to close out the Rangers in Game 5 when it’s all said and done. Play on the Rangers on the money line as a 10* Top Play selection.

After being a brick wall in the first three games of this series, Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop proved to be a mere mortal in Game 4. Bishop was pulled from the game early in the second period after allowing three goals on just fourteen shots. Bishop has gone 18-10-2 over the total on the road this season, and compiled an average .910 save percentage in those outings.

The Lightning power play is converting on a stellar 27.3% of their man advantage opportunities during its previous five games. In their nine meetings versus Montreal this season, Tampa Bay is averaging a robust 3.7 goals per game. The Lightning has gone over the total in seven of eight this season, following a loss by three or more, and there were a combined average of 6.7 goals per game scored.

The good news for the Montreal Canadiens is that they have one of the premier goaltenders on the planet with Carey Price. The bad news, Price has posted a less than impressive .882 save percentage in this series, and that’s a far cry from his season average of .932. In his nine starts overall against Tampa Bay during the 2014-2015 NHL campaign Price has been very beatable, evidenced by his below standard .897 save percentage in those outings.

Montreal had gone seven straight games of scoring two goals or less before lighting the lamp six times on Thursday. It certainly seemed like no fluke since the Canadiens were able apply relentless offensive pressure for the entire game.

The Tampa Bay Lightning having a combined winning percentage this season of .613 in the regular season and playoffs. They also sustained a 6-2 home loss to Montreal in Game 4 of this series.

Any road team (Tampa Bay) with a total of 5.0, playing with same season revenge stemming from a road loss by four goals or more, and has a better than .500 winning percentage on the season, resulted in the road team going 51-21 (70.8%) over the total since1996. Play on this game to go over the total as a 5* selection.

The Anaheim Ducks are averaging a robust 4.0 goals per game in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They also went over the total in four of their last five games, and averaged an even better 4.4 goals per outing. The Ducks have seen six of their eight meetings with the Flames go over the total this season, and that includes each of the four played at Calgary.

The Flames have encountered some real concerns in goal during recent games. Jonas Hiller has been removed from the equation and replaced by backup Karri Ramo. Arguably that change hasn’t provided a significant difference although it’s still a small sample size. Calgary has gone over the total in three of their last four games, and allowed 4.0 goals per outing during that span. Play on this game to go over the total as a 10* Top Play selection.

The Canadiens have been a bit unlucky in at least not winning either or both Game 1 and 3. They lost the series opener in double overtime, and then last night had their hearts ripped right out of their chests in an absolute gut wrenching loss. The good news about playing on back-to-back nights, they have no choice other than to possess a short memory. I’ll certainly be in the vast minority by favoring Montreal’s chances of staying alive with a win tonight. The Canadiens dominated the Lightning for 39 of 40 minutes in the second and third periods of last night’s game. They’re a proud team and franchise that won’t concede in any sort of easy fashion. Play Montreal on the money line for a 5* selection.

Any novice handicapper can read the same information that I have, and would be led to believe that going under the total is a mortal lock. All you need to do is look at the early betting trends to see that bettors have been undeterred by the books lowering the total to 4.5 for Game 3, yet they continue to pound the under by an overwhelming margin. My personal experience has shown me that when it pertains to sports betting, if it looks that easy, more times than not it isn’t. I’m going to fade the public on this total when making my NHL picks for Wednesday. Play on the Rangers and Capitals to go over the total of 4.5 as a 5* selection.

Before you throw dirt over the grave of the Montreal Canadiens, a few things need to be considered. The Canadiens have gone a rock solid 26-18 on the road this season, and that includes 2-1 in their quarterfinal series win over the Ottawa Senators. This will be just Montreal’s third game in the last ten days. The Habs have gone a perfect 9-0 this season when playing their third game or less in the last ten days. The final point to be made involves Carey Price. The star goaltender allowed six goals in the Game 2 home loss, and that was the first time all season long in which he allowed more than five goals in a game. I fully expect to see Price turn in one of his lights out clutch performances in Game 3 with his team’s back up against the wall.

Montreal is coming off losses in each of their previous two games versus their Atlantic Divisional rivals, and they’ll be entering Game 3 of this series playing on exactly two days of rest.

Any money line road underdog of +100 to +200 playing with two days of rest, coming off two losses in a row, and both those defeats came at the hands of an opponent from within their own division, resulted in that road underdog going 42-23 (64.6%) since 1996. The average money line for those sixty-five road underdogs was +136.9. Play on Montreal on the money line as a 5* selection.

The New York Rangers are the best road team in the NHL this season. Heading into Monday’s game, they’ve gone a terrific 30-13 against the money line in away games. The Rangers are even more profitable on the road if the total is 5.0 or less, going 20-6 against the money line in that exact situation.

The Rangers have gone 4-0-1 under the total in their previous five games. “The Blue Shirts” are averaging exactly 3.0 goals per game on the season. Those two statistical facts, and the game being played later in the season, creates a very profitable money line betting system which has passed the test of time..

Any road team that’s -100 to -150 on the money line in the second half of the season, coming off four or more games in a row that went under the total, and they’re averaging 3.0 or more goals per game, resulted in the road team going 48-18 (72.7%) since 1996. Play the Rangers on the money line as a 5* selection.

Let’s not get carried away by the Lightning being 6-0 versus the Canadiens this season. Granted it’s certainly a factor that can’t be ignored, but I also believe it’s an overrated aspect pertaining to handicapping this contest.

Montreal had a 44-35 edge in shots on goal during Game 1. The Canadiens were also a bit unlucky in the first twelve minutes of that contest when they hit the post twice. Montreal will display a high degree of urgency and desperation on Sunday in order to even the series before heading out on the road. I would take Carey Price over Ben Bishop in goal 7 days a week and 365 days a year.

Play against any money line road underdog (Tampa Bay) in the second half of the season, coming off two straight games in which they allowed one goal or less, and they possess a +0.3 or more goal per game differential on the year. When fading that money line road underdog in this exact situation, you would’ve been 97-36 (72.9%) since 1996. Play on the Montreal Canadiens as a 10* Top Play selection.

Tampa Bay dominated Montreal in their five meetings during the 2014-2015 regular season campaign. The Lightning won all five games and outscored the Canadiens by a wide margin of 21-8. They also held a huge territorial edge in those five encounters by having a cumulative 191-125 shots on goal advantage.

Tampa Bay is coming off a 2-0 home win over Detroit in Game 7 of their opening round series. Montreal is coming off a 2-0 win at Ottawa which closed out their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series. The combination of these two results sets up a rare, but extremely profitable betting system, and it certainly has aced the test of time.

Any money line road underdog (Tampa Bay) of +100 to +150, coming off a home win in which they shutout their opponent, and is facing a team (Montreal) coming off a road win by two goals or more, resulted in that road underdog going 21-6 (77.8%) since 1996. Play Tampa Bay on the money line as a 10* Top Play selection.

The Washington Capitals went under the total in five of the seven games versus the Islanders during their prior playoff series. They held the high scoring Islanders to just one goal in three of the final four games of the series. On a negative note, Washington scored two goals or less in five of their seven 2015 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

The New York Rangers held Pittsburgh to only one goal in each of their final three games of their quarterfinal series. As a matter of fact, the Penguins scored just eight goals combined in five games, and were held to 25 shots on goal or less in four of the five. “The Blue Shirts” have seen four of their five played during this postseason go under the total.

Including the playoffs, the New York Rangers are averaging 3.0 goals per game this season. They’re also coming off two straight wins with each coming by one goal. The combination of this data falls into a very profitable betting system on the total, and that’s the direction I’m going when making my NHL picks for Thursday.

Any home team that averages 3.0 or more goals per game, and is coming off a pair of one goal wins, resulted in that home team going under the total in 96 of those 142-games (67.6%) since 1996. Play on this game to go under the total as a 5* selection.

The only thing that has seemed to be predictable in this series has been the unpredictable nature of the outcomes. The road teams have gone 4-2 following a 5-2 Tampa Bay win in Game 6 at Detroit, and neither team has been able to string together two wins in a row. The old adage in sports is “anything can happen in a Game 7 of a playoff series”, and Detroit will undoubtedly carry that mind set into this win or go home scenario.

The Detroit Red Wings possess a core group of veteran players that have a vast amount of playoff experience in comparison to their opponent. That factor will pay huge dividends in a Game 7 setting. Despite a shaky outing in Game 2 of the series when he was pulled early, I’m of the opinion that Peter Mrazek of Detroit has outplayed Ben Bishop of Tampa Bay. I picked Detroit to upset the Lightning before the start of the playoffs, and I’m not going to veer of course in that regard. Play on the Detroit Red Wings as a 5* money line underdog.

This Islander team has shown a lot of grit all season long, and I expect nothing less than a superb performance from them on Monday. I picked the Islanders to win this series in seven games prior to the start of the playoffs, and I’m sticking to my guns in that regard. Play on the New York Islanders as a 10* Top Play money line selection.