At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over Anaheim.  The Ducks won both home games to open this series, but I look for them to stumble on the road, tonight.  Anaheim is a poor 5-15 on the road off a win, while Calgary is 16-3 at home off back to back road losses by 1 goal each.  The Flames are also 31-16 at home when the total was 5 goals or less.  Take Calgary.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Blackhawks over Nashville.  Chicago has been shutout in the first two playoff games, and is now on a six-game losing streak, dating back to the end of the regular season.  But there's no need to panic in the Windy City, yet, as I look for Chicago to take Game 3 on the road.  Chicago is 35-14 after not scoring 3+ goals in either of its two previous games (including 10-2 this year), while Nashville is an awful 1-10 after scoring more than three goals in a road victory, and 5-20 off a win by more than three goals.  Take Chicago.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Ottawa Senators.  The Bruins came extremely close to coming back home for games three and four with a 2-0 lead over their division rivals.  Boston took a 3-1 lead on Saturday with less than four minutes to go in the second period, but couldn't make it last as the home team notched two goals in a two-and-a-half minute span in the third period to tie it and send it to overtime, where the 'Nats would prevail on a goal by defenseman Dion Phaneuf.  But despite the disappointment they felt after game two, Boston still has to be pretty happy with their situation, coming home to a place where they won 23 games during the regular season.  With the 'Nats comeback win on Saturday, the home team is now 11-7 in the last 18 meetings of these two teams (regular season and post season).  The Bruins are 11-5 in their last 16 home games and 12-5 in their last 17 games playing on one day of rest.  The Senators are 1-5 in their last six road games vs. a team with a winning home record.  Take the Bruins.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the San Jose Sharks over the Edmonton Oilers.  The first playoff game for the Oilers in 11 years didn't go as planned for the team that used to dominate this league with players like Gretzky, Kurri, and Messier.  On Wednesday, the Oilers were looking good early on with a 2-0 lead here at Rogers Place.  But this team - as talented as it is - is a far cry from those mid-80s Oilers and so San Jose came back and won that game in overtime by a 3-2 final.  Fortunately for the home team, Edmonton came back and took game two and now the series shifts to San Jose where the home town fans have seen plenty of post-season games in the last decade (unlike the fans in Edmonton).  What the Oilers really needed to do was win both of the first two games because San Jose is very tough at home - both in the regular season and in the playoffs as they made it all the way to Cup Finals last year, going 7-2 here at SAP Center before meeting - and eventually succumbing to - the Penguins.  This year, the Sharks went 26-15 here in the regular season, which was one of the best home records in the Western Conference.  With Edmonton's win in game two, the home team is now 6-2 in the last eight playoff meetings between the Sharks and Oilers.  Take San Jose.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Not surprisingly, the defending Stanley Cup Champs took games one and two in Pittsburgh rather convincingly and now the series heads to Columbus for games three and four.  It no doubt sounds cliche to say that this is a must-win game for the Jackets, but that's exactly what it is, however there are at least a couple of reasons to like them tonight.  First, this has been perhaps the most home-friendly series of any in the first round of the playoffs, as the hosts have won each of the last six meetings between the Pens and Jackets, going back more than a year (March of 2016 was the last time the road team won).  Second, the Jackets are a bigger and more physical team, so look for them to force the play much more tonight and apply more pressure, especially in the Penguins zone.  The sold-out Columbus crowd will no doubt make it even more difficult for the visitors tonight.  They Jackets will be huge underdogs when they go back to Pittsburgh, but that doesn't mean they can't go back there with the series knotted up at 2-2.  The Pens are 1-5 in the last six trips to Columbus, and they're 27-38 on the road when the total was more than 5 goals.  Take the Blue Jackets.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the St. Louis Blues.  St. Louis stunned Minny in Games 1 + 2, but both games could have gone either way.  Indeed, Game 1 was actually dominated by the Wild, which outshot St. Louis, 52-26.  With their backs against the wall, we'll take the Wild to win Game 3 in St. Louis.  The Blues are a dismal 0-5 at home when leading in a Playoff series, while the Wild are 10-5 this season on the road vs. winning teams.  Take the Wild.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Blackhawks over the Nashville Predators.  The 'Hawks are the #1 seed in the Western Conference, but have dropped five straight games, dating back to the final week of the regular season.  Lately, the problem has been on the offensive end, as the Blackhawks have scored just two goals in their last three games, combined.  But Chicago is a solid 10-1 this season (and 35-13 the past three seasons) if they didn't score 3+ goals in either of their two previous games.  They're also 7-1 when trailing in a Playoff series.  Meanwhile, Nashville is a poor 4-13 off a road win.  Take the Blackhawks.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Ottawa Senators over the Boston Bruins.  Technically, it wasn't an upset - but it was a #3 seed beating a #2 - when the Bruins won game one of this first round series on Wednesday night in Ottawa by a 2-1 margin, getting the game-winner with less than three minutes left in regulation.  The fact that the Bruins were the favorite in game one (the only road team to be a favorite) makes sense when you consider that only three points separated these two teams at the end of the regular season.  And Ottawa didn't have any home ice advantage to speak of, logging almost identical home and road records (22-11-8 vs. 22-17-2) through its 82 games.  But it still felt like an upset, and now the Senators have their backs against the proverbial wall with game two looking an awful lot like a must-win situation back here at the Canadian Tire Centre.  There are a few reasons to think that Ottawa has a great chance to even the series this afternoon.  First, there's the obvious fact that Ottawa has done very well against Boston recently, winning six of the last seven (86%) meetings.  Second, the home team has been pretty dominant in this series, taking 11 of the last 18 meetings, despite the Bruins win in game one.  Finally, the Senators are 24-15 on a 2-game (or worse) losing streak.  Take Ottawa.  NHL High Roller. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the St. Louis Blues.  Which version of the Minnesota Wild will show up tonight for game two of this first round series?  Will it be the version that shot out to a 33-11 record in its first 44 games of the season or will it be the one that went 7-13 in the month of March and seemingly couldn't do much of anything right in the last month+ of the season?  The Wild was trending in the right direction, having won their last four games of the regular season but then they were upset in game one here on Wednesday by a 2-1 margin in overtime.  Now Minnesota has its back against the proverbial wall because if it loses game two, it will be exceedingly difficult to advance to the second round.  Needless to say, this is a must-win game for the Wild.  The good news is that despite the loss in game one, the Wild are still 27-12 in their last 39 games vs. teams from the Western Conference, and they're 18-6 at home when the total was 5 goals or less.  The home team is 4-2 in the last six meetings of the Wild and Blues, while the Blues are a dismal 1-6 when leading in a Playoff series.  Take Minnesota.  NHL HIGH ROLLER. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Blackhawks over the Nashville Predators.  Don't be fooled by the way the Chicago Blackhawks came into the post-season.  Sure, the Hawks lost their last four games of the regular season - and not necessarily to the cream of the NHL crop (Boston, Colorado, Anaheim, Los Angeles).  But they already had the Central Division crown sewn up (their third in the last eight seasons) and they definitely weren't too concerned about how impressive they looked in their last four contests.  The real games start now, and the Blackhawks couldn't have hand-picked a better first-round opponent than the Predators.  For one thing, Nashville is pretty banged up right now, with three of their top five centers (Mike Fisher, Vernon Fiddler, Calle Jarnrock) all out of action with various injuries.  Second, the Blackhawks have dominated this series lately, going 4-0 in the last four meetings going back to last fall.  Third, the time off may be one of the worst things for Nashville, as the Preds are 0-6 in their last six games when playing on three or more days of rest.  The Blackhawks are 9-1 in their last 10 games vs. teams from the Central Division.  Take Chicago.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Washington Capitals.  With their victory on Wednesday night over the Maple Leafs, the Washington Capitals have wrapped up yet another President's Trophy - their second in a row and third in the last eight seasons.  Now if only they can convert that best record in the NHL into something meaningful for a change.  But for tonight what this latest accolade means is that the Caps likely won't take chances with any of their front-line players, so look for a lot of ice time from some of the "second string" as it were in this second-to-last game of the regular season.  The Bruins, on the other hand, still have a lot to play for.  Specifically, although Boston has locked up a playoff spot, the team no doubt desperately would like to improve its standing and finish in second place in the Atlantic division, thereby ensuring at least one home-ice advantage series.  Caps #1 defenseman John Carlson could technically be recovered enough from his lower-body injury to play tonight, but don't bet on him logging much - if any - ice time in a game that is meaningless to his team.  Coach Barry Trotz will be as cautious as possible without looking like he's throwing the game this afternoon.  Take the Bruins.  NHL Game of the Week.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over Dallas.  the Preds have clinched a Playoff spot, but still are incentivized to win, as they would dearly love to avoid the Blackhawks in the first round.  Tonight, they'll take on the Stars, who defeated Arizona on Tuesday.  But Dallas has been great off losses, and horrid off wins.  This season, the Stars are have won just 7 of 32 games following a win, including 4 of 20 off a home win.  Take Nashville.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Winnipeg Jets.  The Jackets lost on Tuesday, while the Penguins and Capitals won, so a Division Title is now out of the question for Columbus.  The Capitals wrapped up the Metropolitan Division title for the second straight season last night, and so the battle now will be for second place between the Penguins and Jackets.  So these last three games are extremely important to those two teams because home ice in their first-round series is at stake.  And for the team which loses that series, there would be massive disappointment, as it would mean that a top-4 NHL team was eliminated in the first round.  The Pens just beat Columbus on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh to take a three-point lead with three games left to play.  So you can imagine how badly the Jackets want to win their remaining games, beginning with tonight's contest against the Jets.  The Jets have been eliminated from the NHL Playoffs, so all they can do now is play the role of spoiler, which is exactly what they did on Tuesday, upsetting the Blues, 5-2.  But Columbus poses a much tougher task for them tonight as the Jackets are 17-10 against teams from the West.  The Jets are also just 5-16 in their last 21 games vs. teams from the Metropolitan Division, and 0-8 after not giving up 3+ goals in either of their two previous games.  Take Columbus.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Dallas Stars over Arizona.  The Coyotes come into this game off back to back upset wins, at home vs. Washington (6-3) and on the road at Los Angeles (2-1).  But they've lost both meetings to Dallas this season.  And Arizona has not been good in a revenge role, as it's 13-52 its last 65 on the road when playing with revenge.  Moreover, Dallas is 18-3 at home off a road defeat, while Arizona is 1-10 off a road win.  Take Dallas.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.   

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the New York Islanders.  We're into the final week of the NHL regular season, and several teams are still vying for post-season spots. Those that haven't quite punched their ticket to the playoffs yet are trying to make a final push and those that already have a post-season spot locked up are perhaps trying to improve their standing.  Such is the case with both of the teams playing in this game.  The Isles are trying to keep their playoff hopes - as slim as they are - alive with a victory tonight while the Predators are trying to improve by moving up one spot in the Western Conference Wild Card standings.  The Islanders have a much bigger hill to climb, as two of their four remaining games are against teams with winning records (beginning tonight with the Preds).  And three of those remaining games are on the road, where they have a 16-22 record.  Injuries have plagued New York all season, and no doubt the Isles will look back at that as one of the main reasons they were not successful in 2016-2017.  Things look much better in Music City these days and a victory tonight would assure the Predators of at least a .500 record for the third straight season.  The Isles are just 1-7 in the last eight trips to Nashville.  Take the Predators.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Ottawa Senators over the Detroit Red Wings.  These two teams played last night in the Motor City, and the Red Wings came away with a 5-4 win in a shootout.  Notwithstanding last night's win, Detroit's still a poor 8-20 vs. division rivals, and 11-22 after allowing more than three goals in its previous game.  Meanwhile, Ottawa is 18-7 after allowing 4+ goals in back-to-back games, and 16-7 off 3+ losses.  Take Ottawa.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the New York Rangers over the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Rangers have locked up a post-season berth for the seventh straight season and 11th out of the last 12 going back to the canceled season of 2004-2005.  And this year's version just might be the best Wild Card team the league has ever seen.  A victory tonight over the Flyers would put the Rangers at 100 points making it three straight seasons that they've put up triple digits.  And perhaps the Rangers' biggest strength as a Wild-Card club is the fact that they feature the best road record in the entire league at 27-12.  The Rangers have lost five of their last six heading into tonight, but three of those losses were in overtime or shoot-out and the last three were against the Pens, Sharks, and Ducks - all Playoff teams.  New York could definitely use a win tonight, because its remaining games are against the Caps, Senators, and Penguins to finish off the regular season.  But the good news is that the Rangers have had the Flyers number recently as they are 5-1 in the last six meetings.  The Flyers are 6-13 in their last 19 vs. teams from the Metropolitan Division and 7-19 in their last 26 road games.  Take the Rangers.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Buffalo Sabres over the New York Islanders.  Another NHL Season, another losing campaign for the Buffalo Sabres.  After finishing at .500 or better for three straight years between 2008 and 2011 (and making the playoffs in two of those three), the Sabres are guaranteed to have their sixth straight losing season when they finish up in one week.  But despite a very disappointing six months, there is still one positive achievement that is within the grasp of Buffalo's NHL club.  If they can win two of their final three home games, the Sabres will at least finish 2016-2017 with a winning record here at KeyBank Center.  And their best chance of the three remaining home games is this afternoon against an Islanders team that quite frankly hasn't done much better this season.  The Isles are 36-41, including just 15-22 on the road.  New York is still alive for a Wild Card berth, but if they're going to make it, the Isles are going to have to get there without major pieces of their offense.  Their best player, C John Tavares, has a hamstring injury and is probably done for the rest of the season, while #1 RW Ryan Strome has a broken wrist and D Travis Hamonic is out indefinitely with a broken hand.  The Isles are 2-5 in their last seven games following a win.  Take the Sabres.   As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 2:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Minnesota Wild.  After a first half that was perhaps the best in team history, the mood around the Minnesota Wild Clubhouse has perhaps gone from elation to despair over the past several weeks.  At the end of February, the Wild was in first place in the Central Division with a record of 41-20.  But the month of March has seen a total collapse as Minny has gone 4-12 over the past 31 days and has all but surrendered any chance of a Division Crown to the Blackhawks.  The Wild won its last game, beating the Senators by an easy 5-1 margin on Thursday.  But that game was at home where the Wild has done most of its best work.  This afternoon, Minny is back on the road, and that's not been a good situation as the Wild is just 1-7 in its last eight games away from Minneapolis.  The Preds look like they have a Wild Card spot locked up, but they'd no doubt like to finish the season on a high note heading into the playoffs.  That hasn't happened over the past two games as Nashville fell to the Bruins and Maple Leafs.  But the Preds are a different team when they play teams from their own conference lately as they are 5-0 in their last five games against teams from the West.  The Preds are also 7-1 in their last eight home games vs. teams with a winning road record.  Take Nashville.  NHL Game of the Week.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The Predators and Leafs are having parallel seasons right now.  Both of these teams are trying to hang on to a slim third-place standing in their respective divisions (the Atlantic for Toronto and the Central for Nashville) with very little of chance of catching the top two clubs.  And that's bad news for them as both the Leafs and Predators have struggled their way to almost identical poor losing road records this season.  But for tonight at least, it's not a problem for the Preds, as they play their 39th game at Bridgestone arena where they are 23-8-7 on the season.  The other problem for the Maple Leafs tonight is that they're pretty banged up right now, having to play tonight without five of their regular wingers.  The Preds come in off of a tough loss in Boston, but they are 4-0 in their last four here at home while the Leafs are 0-4 in their last four vs. teams from the Western Conference. Take Nashville.  NHL Roadkill Winner. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Detroit Red Wings.  Here is a game where you simply have to ignore recent trends between these two teams.  Sure the road team is 4-1 in the last five meetings.  And yes the Red Wings have won each of the last four times they've visited Raleigh.   But most of those games we're talking about in those cases happened in 2015 and earlier.  And as we all know by now - this is a different Red Wings team.  Not only different from the one Detroit put on the ice last season, but you could argue it's different from any team that Detroit has had in almost 30 years.  That's because - as almost everyone knows by now - the 2016-2017 version of the Red Wings will be the first one that doesn't head to the post-season since the 1990 squad.  Because last night's game here - won by the Red Wings, 4-3 in overtime - was a make-up for a December 19 game that was postponed due to poor ice conditions, tonight we will see an extremely rare back-to-back non-playoff situation between two teams in the same arena.  Eddie Lack was taken off the ice on a stretcher in the final play of Monday's game, so we will see Cam Ward in goal for the 'Canes tonight and look for them to play with a bit more purpose after the way last night ended.  Even with their win last night, the Wings are just 6-13 in their last 19 road games.  Take Carolina.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Winnipeg Jets over the Vancouver Canucks.  As the season winds down, no team is likely more happy to see it end than the Vancouver Canucks.  It's been a painful second half for the team from British Columbia as currently the Canucks count no fewer than 10 players who are either questionable, out indefinitely, or on injured reserve due to some sort of ailment.  And virtually no position is spared in the carnage either as one goalie, two centers, three right wings, three left wings, and one defenseman are nursing some sort of injury currently.  As ugly as it right now for the Canucks, they somehow managed to beat the Wild on Saturday in a huge upset, 4-2.  Notwithstanding that win, the Canucks have a putrid 13-25 road record this season.  Additionally, the Canucks are 1-5 in the last six meetings and 1-4 in the last five here in Winnipeg.  And the home team is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings.  Take the Jets.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Montreal Canadiens over the Ottawa Senators.  The races between the Caps and Penguins in the Metropolitan, and Blackhawks and Wild in the Central may have received more attention this season, but the battle for top honors in the Atlantic Division is as compelling as any in the NHL.  In a league that many still associate with Canadian teams, these two are the only clubs north of the border that are vying against each other for a Division crown.  On top of that, these two teams are within 150 miles of each other and within a single point in the standings.  Ottawa comes in off of two huge wins over Eastern foes (the Penguins and Bruins) however before that the 'Nats had lost four in a row, including two straight to this Montreal club.  The Habs have always been a very tough team in their home arena and this season is no different as Montreal has held its opponents to just 2.14 goals per game at the Bell Centre.  The fact that Montreal lost its last game to the Hurricanes by a 4-1 margin may not be a bad thing tonight as the Canadiens are 7-0 in their last seven games following a home loss of three or more goals. The home team has done very well in this series lately as the host is 4-2 in the last six meetings between the Canadiens and Senators.  Take the Habs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the Winnipeg Jets.  If the Los Angeles Kings want to get to their seventh post-season in the last eight years, then they're going to have really pick it up over the final 10 games.  The Kings are just 4-7 in their last 11 games, including 0-4 in their last four on the road.  Perhaps the best news is that six of the final 10 are here at home where Los Angeles is 20-15 so far, beginning with tonight's affair against the Jets.  And Winnipeg is almost the exact opposite on the road this season, going 15-21 in its games away from MTS Centre.  The Jets, meanwhile, come into tonight on a rare 3-game winning streak, but four-in-a-row would seem like a pretty tall order considering they've yet to do that this season.  The home team is 14-5 in the last 19 meetings between these two.  Take the Kings.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Florida Panthers over the Arizona Coyotes.  After an unlikely victory in Tampa against a team - the Lightning - that is still in the hunt for a playoff spot, the Arizona Coyotes will try to complete their sweep of the Sunshine State by beating the Panthers tonight.  Although the Panthers are not vying for a post-season berth (they haven't been officially eliminated yet, but are hanging on by a very thin thread), they probably pose more of a threat to the Coyotes than did the Lightning.  For one thing, unlike the Bolts, who are completely decimated by injuries right now, the Panthers are very healthy.  Secondly, although one of their few injuries is veteran goalie Roberto Luongo, back-up James Reimer finally can go into games the rest of the season knowing that he is definitely the Panthers #1 netminder at this point.  That knowledge should give him the confidence he needs to finish the season strong.  And finally, the hosts have dominated this series lately, as the home team has gone 6-0 in the last six meetings of the Coyotes and Panthers.  Take Florida.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the San Jose Sharks.  Bruce Boudreau must be wondering what he needs to do to keep a team from imploding in the Spring.  The Minnesota Wild Coach began his NHL Coaching career with the Capitals and despite finishing first first in the division in four out of five seasons, his team never made it to a Stanley Cup Final.  Then Boudreau went out west and claimed four division titles out of five seasons with the Ducks, but still never made it to the big dance.  Now he's in Minneapolis and as Yogi Berra said, it's "Deja vu all over again" as the Wild looked on their way to a Division Crown before getting mired in a slump that has seen them go 4-9-2 in their last 15 games, including losing the last five and falling behind Chicago by seven points.  But it's interesting to note that the Wild has played six of their last eight games on the road and the home games during that time were one-goal losses to the Rangers and Blues.  Minny comes back home tonight to face a Sharks team that has to travel to Tampa after playing in Dallas last night, and the Wild should get an extra confidence boost knowing that the last time they played San Jose was just a little over two weeks ago right here at home and they took that one by a 3-1 margin.  In fact, the Sharks are just 2-8 in their last 10 trips in Minneapolis.  Take the Wild.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia Flyers over the Carolina Hurricanes.  The Flyers and Hurricanes are watching their playoff hopes fade quickly as both of these teams continue to tread water and simply can't find any consistency as far as stringing victories together.  The 'Canes have won two in a row coming in tonight, however both of those victories have come at home where Carolina is amazingly 20-14.  That's where the good news for the 'Canes seems to end.  They are simply pathetic on the road this season, and at 9-25 away from Raleigh, the 'Canes are essentially tied for the worst road record in the entire league with the lowly Avalanche.  And Philadelphia has not been a good place for them - even before this season - as Carolina is 0-3 in its last three trips here going back to November of 2015.  Similarly, the Flyers have almost as lopsided a home-road ledger as the Hurricanes, but they get to play this one in front of their own fans and the Wells Fargo Center has not been an easy place for most teams this season - even ones that are much better than Carolina.  The home team is 5-1 in the last six meetings and incredibly the 'Canes are 2-9 in their last 11 vs. a team with a losing record.  Take Philly.  NHL Roadkill Winner. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over New Jersey.  Yesterday, we played on the Devils, and got the $$$ when they blew out Philly, 6-2, snapping their 10-game losing streak.  But the fact remains that the Devils are a bad team, and playing out the string at this point in the season.  Tonight, they have the tall task of going into Pittsburgh to face a Penguins team which should be in an ornery mood off back to back losses.  Pittsburgh is 17-4 after allowing more than 3 goals in its previous game, and also 7-1 off back to back losses.  The Pens have won all three meetings vs. the Devils this season and New Jersey is a poor 3-18 this season when playing with same-season revenge (and 26-57 the past 3 seasons (minus 25 games on the moneyline)).  Take Pittsburgh.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the New Jersey Devils over the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Devils are in the midst of a losing streak that has reached a historic - for them - level.  Their current 10-game win-less streak is the longest such string of games since 2013 when New Jersey went 0-6-4 from March 25 to April 15.  And the last time the Devils went win-less in 11 straight was the 1990-91 season, when they went 0-7-4 from Dec. 27 to Jan. 22.  But take a closer look at their current run of futility and you will notice that the Devils' four home games during this streak were against the Blue Jackets, Canadiens, Rangers, and Senators - all teams with winning records.  The last time the Devils faced a team with a losing record here at home was almost a month ago - February 18 against the Islanders - and they were victorious in that one.  Not only do the Flyers have a losing record overall, but they're just 12-21 on the road this season, and their huge win at home last night over the Penguins means they could be in for a letdown this evening in New Jersey.  The Flyers are 2-6 in the last eight meetings with the Devils and they are 5-16 in their last 21 road games.  Finally, New Jersey's 69-33 at home off a road trip of 3 or more games.  Take the Devils.  NHL Roadkill Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the Arizona Coyotes.  The only thing keeping the Coyotes out of the cellar of the NHL is the Colorado Avalanche.  If not for the Avs, Arizona's 25-43 record with 58 points would be easily the worst in the league.  And not only are the Coyotes bad right now, but they're also injured, with no fewer than five regulars out of action indefinitely.  The Coyotes are just 11-40 in their last 51 road games while the Kings are 46-22 in their last 68 home games vs. teams with a road winning % of less than .400.  The Kings are also 5-1 in their last six overall vs clubs with a winning % below .400.  Take Los Angeles.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 12:35 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Blackhawks over the Minnesota Wild.  There are several competitive races coming down to the wire in the NHL, but none more competitive - or compelling - than the one between the Blackhawks and Wild in the Central Division.  Perennial favorites Chicago will try to win its third Division Title in the last eight seasons, while Minnesota is trying to capture just its second since the franchise started (first since realignment and creation of the Central Division).  The Wild bounced back in their last game after a rare two-game losing streak, crushing the Panthers in South Florida by a 7-4 tally.  But they take a big step up in class this afternoon, facing a dangerous rival in the 'Hawks who have lost two straight of their own coming into this matinee.  Chicago has only lost three straight on two occasions this season and Minnesota wasn't involved in either of those and the Blackhawks have won the last two meetings against Minnie, both of which were in Minneapolis.  Even with the two-game losing streak, the 'Hawks are still 12-3 in their last 15 games.  Playing against their own division might be just what the doctor ordered for Chicago as the 'Hawks are 6-0 in their last six games vs. teams from the Central.  Take the Blackhawks.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Washington Capitals over Los Angeles.  The Caps come into tonight's game on a rare two-game losing streak.  Washington's only lost three games in a row once this season, and it's 6-1 off back to back losses this season (and 21-10 the past three seasons).  The Caps are also 31-12 off back to back games where they didn't score 3+  in either game, and 18-6 on the road off a road loss.  And, notwithstanding the defeats in its last two games, Washington is still the best team in hockey, with 95 points, and a +71 goal margin.  In contrast, Los Angeles has a -2 goal margin on the season.  Take Washington.  NHL ROAD WARRIOR.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Winnipeg Jets over the Calgary Flames.  The Jets have only had one winning season in the last 10 years (2014-2015) and it doesn't look like they'll have one this year either.  But Winnipeg has a young roster of players (average age of 26.4) and the Jets seem to be trending in the right direction lately.  They come into this game off of two losses by a combined score of 10-6, which would not appear to bode well for them on the surface.  But after facing last season's Stanley Cup Finalists in those two contests (the Sharks and Penguins), the Jets get some serious class relief tonight against the Flames.  Sure the Flames are on a bit of a roll, having won eight straight coming into this match-up, but only one of those victories - Thursday's shutout win over the Canadiens - was against a team with a winning record.  And this series has been dominated by the home team lately as the hosts have won each of the last seven meetings going back more than two years (February 2015).  The Flames are 3-8-1 in the last 12 trips to Winnipeg.  Take the Jets.  NHL GAME OF THE WEEK.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie. 

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over the Pittsburgh Penguins.  When these two teams met for the first - and most recent - time this season back in November, we didn't yet know that Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid would be the two best players in the league come March.  But here we are with less than 20 games to go in the season, and these two Superstar Centers are in all likelihood going to battle to the wire for the league's MVP Award.  That makes tonight's final meeting of the season between the Pens and Oilers (unless they meet in the Cup Final) all that more intriguing.  Pittsburgh comes in having won three in a row, but lest you think that means they should be strong favorites tonight on the road, consider that the three teams they've bested on this streak (Buffalo, Tampa Bay, Winnipeg) have a combined record of 87-113.  The two games before that, Pittsburgh had to play on road against teams with winning records (the same scenario as tonight) and the Penguins were beaten in both of those by the Blackhawks and Stars.  So while this is still a very talented group of hockey players, they aren't without their weaknesses.  And right now, the biggest problem with the Pens is their inability to win games away from the Steel City as the defending Cup Champs are 14-17 on the road this season (they went 22-19 as a visitor last season).  The Oilers are 9-3 in their last 12 home games vs. teams with a losing road record.  Take Edmonton.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Florida Panthers over New York.  The Rangers are in a solid position to make the Playoffs, as they're currently first in the Wild Card race, with 86 points.  Florida, meanwhile, is in a precarious position, as it is two points behind the Islanders, who sit in the 2nd Wild Card position.  Thus, the Panthers need to accumulate a lot of points over their remaining 18 games if they are to skate in the post-season.  Overall, Florida's lost its last two games, including a 2-1 loss here, at home, on Saturday vs. Dallas.  I love the Panthers to rebound with a win tonight, as they're 33-21 (+12 games on the moneyline) the last three years off a home loss, including 11-5 this season.  Florida's also 9-5 this season after not registering more than 1 goal in its previous game.  Take the Panthers.  Perfect 10 Club Play.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Arizona Coyotes.  These two teams met in Raleigh two nights ago, and the Canes were upset by the Coyote, 4-2.  Still, Carolina has dominated this series, of late, as it had won five straight games before that.  Even here, in Arizona, the Hurricanes have been superior, as they're 5-0 the last five.  Arizona has been dreadful off a road win this season (1-7), so that doesn't bode well for it tonight.  Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are a solid 18-12 (+10 games on the moneyline) off a home loss by more than a goal.  Take Carolina.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Chicago Blackhawks.  It seems like we've grown accustomed to the Blackhawks making deep runs in the playoffs every year.  But if they are going to do it again this Spring, it's likely going to be without several key roster components.  Among the Chicago players currently sidelined with injuries are #2 Center Artem Anisimov (lower body), #4 and #5 Defensemen Niklas Hjalmarsson (upper body) and Johnny Oduya (ankle) as well as back-up goaltender Scott Darling.  The Predators may be in third place in the Central Division, but they're a full 12 points behind the Blackhawks and would love nothing more than to send a message to their rivals in the last six weeks of the regular season.  The Preds lost a tough one in their last game, 2-1 to the Canadiens, but Montreal is arguably the toughest place for visitors in the NHL and prior to that Nashville had won four straight, including a huge 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals.  That big win was here at the Bridgestone Arena and the Preds will be happy to be back home tonight where they are 19-14 on the season (vs. just 13-18 on the road).  The home team is also 11-3 in the last 14 meetings between the Hawks and Preds (including a 5-2 victory by Chicago in the Windy City in January).  Finally, the Preds are 11-1 at home when playing with revenge from a blowout loss by 3+ goals.  Take Nashville.  NHL Game of the Month.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Tampa Bay Lightning.  The Lightning sent a strong message at the trade deadline and that message may not be one that their fans are going to like the rest of this season, but it could be one that they love in the coming years.   In dealing veterans Ben Bishop, Brian Boyle, and Valtteri Filppula, the Bolts may have signaled the end of their 2017 playoff hopes (what hopes were left), but they also shed some major salaries and cleared valuable cap space.  Of course it does mean that games like tonight - against the defending Stanley Cup Champions - could be ugly, but with a strong core group of young talent (Steven Stamkos is still just 27 years old), the Lightning can build a potential powerhouse for the very near future.  The Pens are ultra-dangerous tonight because they come into this home game off of two straight road losses at Dallas and Chicago, and they're going to want to make a statement tonight, not to mention keep pace with the Blue Jackets and keep the Rangers off their heels.  The last loss was particularly ugly for Pittsburgh as the Pens were soundly beaten by the Hawks, 4-1 despite out-shooting them 37-29.  But they are 13-3 in their last 16 when losing by three or more goals in their previous game, so that's potentially more bad news for Tampa tonight.  The Bolts are 0-4 in the last four meetings.  Take Pittsburgh.  NHL High Roller.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Buffalo Sabres over the Arizona Coyotes.  Losing streaks are certainly nothing new to the Buffalo Sabres and they come into this game tonight on one of those streaks that has currently reached four games.  They lost two of those four to good teams (Chicago and Nashville) and two of them to bad teams (Colorado and tonight's opponent - Arizona).  The loss to the Coyotes happened just four days ago in the desert, so that makes tonight's game a revenge situation for Buffalo here at home.  They played much better in their last contest - a 5-4 overtime loss to the Predators - and a similar effort tonight should secure a victory over a club (Arizona) that has just 51 points on the season (12 less than the Sabres) and that is just 3-11 in its last 14 road games.  On top of that, the Coyotes recently traded two of their best veteran players - C Martin Hanzal and D Michael Stone - to two contending teams for prospects prior to the trade deadline.  This certainly won't improve things for them down the stretch.  Buffalo on the other hand, couldn't pull the trigger on any deadline deals, which may not bode well for the future of the franchise, but certainly helps its chances in this season's remaining games - especially match-ups like this.  The Coyotes are 3-10 in the last 13 meetings with the Sabres.  Take Buffalo.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Columbus Blue Jackets over Minnesota.  The Wild are off back-to-back wins, notwithstanding very shaky goaltending.  Minnesota gave up 4 goals to the Kings, and then surrendered 5 goals to the Jets, but escaped each game with a narrow 1-goal victory.  Tonight, Minnesota will visit Columbus, which lost a 1-0 game to the Canadiens, in Montreal, on Tuesday.  But Columbus is 15-6 off a loss this season, and 7-1 after not scoring 2+ goals in its previous game.  And Minnesota is a poor 7-12 after giving up more than 3 goals in back-to-back games.  Take the Blue Jackets.  NHL Roadkill Winner. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Winnipeg Jets over Minnesota.  The Wild are having a fantastic season.  Earlier this year, they put a 12-game unbeaten streak together, and their 86 points ranks 2nd in the league behind Washington.  But Minnesota's one negative situation this season has been when playing without rest, as it's won just 4 of its 9 games in that situation.  Going back further finds the Wild's record when playing without rest at 89-126 (minus 24 games on the moneyline).  Winnipeg, in contrast, hasn't played in a week.  It's also five points out of the Playoff picture, so it will be desperate for a victory tonight.  The Jets catch a break tonight as they won't have to face Devan Dubnyk, who is 33-14 this season, and has stopped 93.8% of his shots on the road.  Instead, Darcy Kuemper will be in net, and his 7-6 record pales in comparison, as does his road saves percentage (90.2%).  Take the Jets.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over Ottawa.  The Lightning had won five of seven games before getting upset at home by the Flames on Thursday.  Now, with just 22 games left, Tampa Bay needs to string together some wins to get back into the Playoff picture.  And tonight's game vs. the Senators offers a great opportunity to do just that.  Tampa will have the benefit of this being its first game in four days, so it will be very well-rested.  Meanwhile, Ottawa had to play at Florida yesterday, and this will also be its third game in the past four days.  Ottawa is a money-burning 21-29 (minus 11 games on the moneyline) when playing its third road game in four days, while Tampa is a super 72-44 off a loss, including 32-15 (+15 games on the moneyline) off a home loss.  Take the Lightning.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 5:05 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over Nashville.  Both of these teams played the high-flying Washington Capitals in their last game, with different results.  Edmonton lost a tough, defensive matchup, and fell 2-1 to the Caps on the road, while Nashville blew out an unrested Washington team here at Bridgestone Arena, 5-2.  But today, it will be the Predators, who will be unrested.  And Nashville's been dismal off big wins.  To wit:  it's 1-9 after winning by 3+ goals in its previous game.  It's also a poor 12-18 off back to back wins, and 11-30 off a home win in which it scored more than 3 goals.  Take Edmonton as the small underdog today.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie. 

At 5:05 pm, our selection is on the Columbus Blue Jackets over the New York Islanders.  The Islanders come into this game on a three-game win streak - their fifth of the season.  But two of those three victories were against the Red Wings and Devils - two of the three worst teams in the East.  And although they've pulled off the victory hat-trick five times, winning four straight has eluded them so far in 2016-2017.  And it won't be easy this time as the Isles face a Blue Jackets team that is in the hunt for its first ever Division Title.  But being in the Metropolitan Division, that Division Crown still seems like a huge mountain to climb. But at 37-21, the Jackets' 79 points already ties them with the mark they had for all of last season and a post-season appearance - the third in franchise history - seems like a foregone conclusion at this point.  It's been a mostly lost season for the Islanders, who have been wracked with injuries the past few months.  Their star, John Tavares has been healthy, but they have been without the services of both winger Cal Clutterbuck (lower body) and defenseman Travis Hamonic (knee) for a good portion of 2017.  Finally, the Isles are a poor 2-10 in their last 12 road games vs. teams with a home winning % of greater than .600.  And the home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings in this series.  Take Columbus.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the New York Rangers over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The Metropolitan Division is by far the most competitive - and talented - division in hockey.  The top four teams of that Division are separated by just seven points as of this writing, and the fourth-place club - the Rangers - would be a first place club in two of the other three Divisions in the NHL.  And the goal differential of those four teams is +69 (Caps), +41 (Pens), +44 (Jackets), and +43 (Rangers), which would be the top four in the league were it not for the Minnesota Wild's +60.  The Rangers were on quite a roll to start February, winning their first six games of the month, including a huge 3-2 victory over the Jackets.  But then they lost two of their next three games, with another big win over the Caps sandwiched in between the losses.  On Tuesday they lost a very tough one to the Canadiens, 3-2 in a shootout so they will look to rebound tonight in Toronto against a team they have dominated recently.  Toronto comes in on a two-game winning streak, but the Leafs have allowed 15 goals in their last four games and that doesn't bode well tonight against the NHL's second-highest scoring team.  The Rangers are 5-1 in the last six meetings and 8-2 in the last 10 meetings in Toronto.  Take New York.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Florida Panthers.  Some teams fire their long-time head coach when things start going south, only to find that the alternative isn't any better.  That hasn't been the case with the St. Louis Blues, who released Ken Hitchcock - their Skipper since 2011 - and replaced him with former Wild Head Coach Mike Yeo.  The fact that Yeo is quite a bit younger - and inexperienced - than the man he replaced hasn't seemed to matter, as the Blues have gone 7-2 in Yeo's first nine games as Bench Boss.  What's even more impressive about the Blues' recent success is that they've done it without two of their biggest offensive stars.  Center Peter Stastny hasn't played since February 9 as he nurses a lower body injury on I-R, and F/C Robby Fabbri tore his ACL on February 4 and will miss the remainder of the regular season (at least).  St. Louis lost a tough one on Saturday, falling in Buffalo by a 3-2 tally despite out-shooting the Sabres by 39-28.  Meanwhile, Florida is wrapping up one of its most successful road trips in recent memory, having won four straight in Nashville, San Jose, Anaheim, and L.A.  That streak will likely end tonight, as Florida is 45-85 following a road win by 1 goal.  Moreover, this has been one of the most lopsided match-ups of the last decade, with the Panthers having beaten the Blues on just one occasion since October of 2009 (1-7).  Finally, the Blues' loss snapped a six-game winning streak in which they out-scored the opposition by 20-6.  And St. Louis is 43-26 off a loss.  Take St. Louis.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia Flyers over the Vancouver Canucks.  The Flyers' 3-game road trip got off to the worst of possible starts when they dropped Games 1 and 2 (at Calgary and at Edmonton).  Thus, Philly needs a win tonight to not return home empty-handed.  I think they'll get it.  The Flyers will be the much more well-rested club tonight, as it's had the last two nights off, while the Canucks skated on Saturday night (and had to go to overtime, no less).  And the Flyers, notwithstanding their two losses, controlled the action in their last two games, as they outshot the Flames and Oilers by 11 shots each.  Philly has won 17 of the past 26 meetings, including eight of the last 11 in Vancouver.  Take the Flyers.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over Colorado.  The Avalanche snapped their five-game losing streak with a 2-1 win at Carolina, on Friday.  But I look for the Avs to return to their losing ways tonight vs. a Tampa club which looks to bounce back from a tough overtime loss last night.  Colorado is an awful 1-7 after not giving up 2+ goals in its previous game.  And it's also 3-12 off a win this season, including 1-7 off a road win.  Yesterday, the Lightning had backup Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pipes, but #1 netminder Ben Bishop will be back on the ice tonight.  Take Tampa Bay.

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Blackhawks over the Buffalo Sabres.  It was a night of upsets in the NHL on Saturday as several strong favorites fell to their underdog opponents.  The Blackhawks were not spared as they put in a lackluster performance in losing to the Oilers at home.  You could say that Chicago was due for a letdown after winning five straight (all on the road) by a combined score of 23-12.  That letdown came against the same team the Hawks had just beaten (Edmonton) as despite out-shooting the Oilers by a 39-22 margin, Chicago fell 3-1 at United Center.  They head back out on the road this evening to face a Sabres team that posted a huge win last night, beating the Blues 3-2 right here at the KeyBank Center.  That victory was made even more remarkable when you consider the plethora of injuries that Buffalo has on its roster right now.  The Sabres are basically down to two Centers right now as Zemgus Girgensons, Johan Larsson, and Derek Grant are all out with various ailments.  This has been one of the most one-sided series in hockey in recent years as the Blackhawks are 11-1 in the last 12 meetings and 4-0 in the last four here in Buffalo.  The Hawks are also 45-17 in their last 62 games vs. teams with a losing record.  Take Chicago.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Ottawa Senators.  The Senators come into this game having won three of their last four games.  But those three victories were against the Stars, Islanders (both at home) and the Devils (on the road).  None of those three teams has a winning record, and the combined ledger for the trio is a miserable 72-100.  Other than those three less-than-impressive victories, the Senators are 1-5 in six games going back to January 26, with losses against the Flames, Blues, Panthers, and lowly Sabres on two occasions.  The Maple Leafs got some good news recently when they were informed by doctors that 19-year-old rookie phenom RW Mitch Marner's upper body ailment is "non-serious."  Marner - who has 48 points in 56 games - probably won't suit up for tonight's game, but that likely won't matter if the Leafs can return to their form of two games ago when they scored seven goals on 41 shots against the Islanders here at the Air Canada Centre.  Look for #1 goalie Frederik Andersen to be back in net tonight after he was given a day off in the Leafs last game - a 5-2 loss in Columbus to the Blue Jackets.  The Senators are 1-4 in their last five games following a win while the Maple Leafs are 6-0 in their last six when playing on two days rest.  Take Toronto.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Calgary Flames' back-up goaltender Chad Johnson beat the defending Stanley Cup Champion Penguins a week ago in Pittsburgh, stopping 31 of 33 shots in the process.  Johnson was then rewarded with a second consecutive start on Monday in a home game which he should have felt very confident about winning after beating the Pens on the road.  But as good as Johnson was in Pittsburgh, that's how bad he was Monday against a bad Coyotes team and by the time he was replaced by number one Brian Elliott, the damage had been done aS Johnson allowed four goals in just 23 shots.  Elliott should be back in net for this start against a very disappointing Flyers club that is 27-29 overall and just 10-16 on the road so far.  It would appear that head coach Dave Hakstol's days are numbered, especially if it becomes increasingly clear that the Flyers probably won't make the playoffs for the third time in the past five seasons.  This is a team with a proud history, but recent history has not been kind to them as the Flyers haven't advanced past the first round of the post-season in five years.  The home team is 4-0 in the last four meetings and the Flyers are 2-10 in their last 12 road games and 0-4 in their last four vs. teams with a losing record.  Take the Flames.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over Arizona.  The Coyotes had to play last night (a 5-0 road win vs. Calgary), while Edmonton was resting.  And that extra rest should serve the Oilers well tonight.  These two clubs met last month, and the Oilers won, 3-1.  That bodes well for Edmonton, as Arizona is an awful 17-58 when playing with revenge from a loss by 2+ goals, including 4-18 this year.  Take the Oilers.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the New York Islanders.  It's Valentine's Day, but there's been very little love towards either one of the two teams meeting at the Air Canada Centre tonight from the rest of the league.  The Isles and Leafs have virtually identical records, and that's not good for either one of these young clubs as they sit at 25-29 with less than 30 games to go.  But at least the Maple Leafs are within striking distance of the top three spots in the much softer Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.  Both the 2016-2017 versions of the Isles and Leafs have to be considered disappointments so far as some were expecting big things from these two young and talented rosters.  The two are very similar when it comes to goal-scoring as well, with each hovering right around three tallies per game on average.  And while their goal defense is virtually identical this season (2.87 GA per game), the big difference is how those defenses fare at home (Toronto) and on the road (New York).  The Leafs have allowed an average of 2.73 goals-per-game here at home, while the Isles have allowed over three per game (3.05) when playing away from Brooklyn.  That could very well be the difference tonight as it was in the last meeting of these two here almost a year ago (a 4-3 win for Toronto).  The Isles are just 7-17 in their last 24 road games while the Leafs are 5-0 in their last five when playing on two days rest.  Toronto's also 10-3 at home off back-to-back home games. Take Toronto.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Vancouver Canucks.  It's not so strange to see the Penguins struggle early in the season, but it is a bit unusual to see them lose to inferior teams in February and March.  But that's what's happened over the past week as the Pens dropped two of their last three games to pretty bad Western Conference Teams (Arizona and Calgary), with a road victory over the Colorado Avalanche sandwiched in between.  They'll play their fourth under-achieving, Western team tonight as they face the Canucks for the first time in over a year.  Clearly, the Pens have missed the services of Evgeni Malkin, who has been out since January 24 with a lower body injury.  Malkin is close to a return, but probably won't play tonight.  That likely won't matter as the Pens have enough firepower to out-score the Canucks - who have given up over three goals per game on the road the season (3.04).  The Pens are 22-6 at home this season, with only three of those losses coming in regulation.  Also, the Canucks are 2-6 in the last eight meetings.  And the Penguins are 57-21 in their last 78 home games vs. teams with a road winning % of less than .400. Take Pittsburgh.

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over Dallas.  While the Stars tend to go on streaks (more losing than winning), the Preds more often go back and forth between success and failure almost on a daily basis.  The Stars broke one of those losing streaks on Saturday when they beat the Hurricanes at home in a dominating fashion, 5-2.  But now they have to go on the road for the next three, and here is the real rub:  Dallas is almost the worst road team in the entire league.  Only the Coyotes six road wins are lower than that of the Stars (seven in 26 games).  That doesn't bode well for tonight as they travel to Nashville to face a club that's was on one of those alternating won-lost streaks for eight straight games before losing to the Panthers on Saturday, which made it two defeats in a row.  Another problem for the Stars has been the unavailability of C Jason Spezza, who's been out with an upper body injury.  Spezza will rejoin the team today, but there's no guarantee that he'll play (and certainly no guarantee that he'll be effective if he does).  The home team is 42-19-1 in the last 62 meetings of these two and the Stars are 0-5 in their last five vs. teams from the West.  Take the Preds.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over Colorado.  The Pens lost at home to Calgary on Tuesday, which snapped their 3-game win streak.  But I look for Pittsburgh to bounce back tonight, as it is 41-19 its last 60 (+14 games on the moneyline) off a loss, while Colorado is a poor 1-9 after scoring more than 3 goals in back to back games.  Take the Penguins.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Montreal Canadiens over Arizona.  Montreal's on a 4-game losing streak, so it will surely be happy to pay a visit to the Coyotes tonight.  These two teams met earlier this season, and Montreal blew out Arizona, 5-2.  The Coyotes are a miserable 0-16 this season when playing with revenge from a defeat earlier in the season in which they gave up more than 3 goals!  Meanwhile, Montreal is a solid 39-25 off 4+ losses.  Take the Canadiens to snap their losing streak tonight.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia Flyers over the New York Islanders.  Both of these teams have been off since Monday and they couldn't have had more different games - or outcomes - in their previous contests.  The Islanders played perhaps their most exciting game of the season, falling behind the Maple Leafs by a 5-4 margin with just two minutes to go in the game before scoring the equalizer just 30 seconds later to send it to overtime.  Then the Isles sealed it in the overtime to the delight of the sellout crowd in Brooklyn.  The Flyers, meanwhile, displayed one of the most lackluster performances of the season, falling to the Blues by a 2-0 margin here at home.  If there was a bright spot in that loss, it is probably that Philly only allowed St. Louis 16 shots on goal the entire game.  Despite their struggles this season, the Flyers defense at home has been solid, allowing an average of just 2.64 goals per game here at the Wells Fargo Center.  The Isles, meanwhile, have allowed more shots on goal per game on the road this season (35.0 average) than any other team in the league.  The Islanders are 12-39 in the last 51 meetings.  Take the Flyers.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the NY Islanders over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Toronto's finishing up a 6-game road trip, while the Islanders are playing at home for their second consecutive game.  And the Leafs are a poor 20-36 off back to back road games (and 3-8 off 4+ road games).  Meanwhile, the Islanders are off back to back 5-4 defeats.  But they're a solid 39-26 off two games where they gave up 3+ goals, and they're also 28-19 off back to back losses.  Take New York.  NHL High Roller. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Detroit Red Wings over the NY Islanders.  Mired in last place in the Eastern Conference (and 28th of 30 teams, overall), the Red Wings' streak of 25 consecutive playoff appearances will likely end this season.  They're currently on a 5-game losing streak, but only two of those five defeats were in regulation.  I like them tonight to get back into the win column.  Detroit's 67% the past 3 seasons off back to back home losses, and also 63% off 4+ losses.  Meanwhile, the Islanders are a poor 40-75 off 3+ wins (including 0-3 this season).  Take Detroit.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia Flyers over the Montreal Canadiens.  Although they are comfortably ahead in the Atlantic Division with 67 points (the second place team has 58) and they seem almost certain to make the playoffs, the Canadiens will need to find a way to string consecutive victories together if they're to go deep in the post-season.  After winning games in bunches through the first month of the season, the Canadiens have only been able to win back-to-back contests four times since Thanksgiving, and only once during that time did they win three in a row.  They will try again tonight as the Habs won their last game on Tuesday against a pretty bad Buffalo squad, by an easy 5-2 score.  But they have to go on the road in Philadelphia to do that, and that could make the task that much harder as the home team has won each of the last seven meetings between these two, and 22 of the last 25.  Take the Flyers.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Washington Capitals over the Boston Bruins.  The Caps went into the All-Star Break with the best record in the NHL and with 72 points in the ultra-tough Metropolitan Division.  Washington featured one of the strongest offenses in the league (160 goals) and the largest goal differential (+54).  So how did they come out of the break?  The Caps proceeded to throw in a clunker last night against the Islanders - a team they usually dominate without too much trouble.  That game was on the road in New York and tonight the Caps will return to Verizon Center, where they are 19-5-1 as they seek to become the second team in the league to win 20 games at home (Pittsburgh).  This could be the beginning of a successful stretch for the Caps, who will play five of their next six games here in DC.  The Bruins meanwhile come into tonight having won their last three games (two before the break, and a victory over the Lightning on Tuesday) and this team hasn't won four in a row since November of 2015.  The Bruins are 0-7 in the last seven meetings and 0-4 in the last four visits to Washington.  They're also 3-13 in their last 16 games on zero days' rest.  Take the Capitals.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St Louis Blues over Winnipeg.  These two teams met just 10 days ago in Winnipeg, and the Jets won 5-3, even though they were outshot, 37-29.  But Phoenix Copley was in goal that night (his first-ever NHL start).  Tonight, the Blues will return to Jake Allen between the pipes.  The Blues have dropped both meetings to the Jets this season.  But the good news is that St Louis is 29-15 when playing with double revenge.  Take St. Louis.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Nashville Predators.  The Defending Stanley Cup Champions stumbled into the All-Star break with back-to-back losses against the Blues (here at home) and Bruins (on the road).  The 3-0 loss to St. Louis last Tuesday was the first home shutout suffered by the Pens since last March.  The Pens likely will relish the break more than their opponents tonight as the Predators are 0-4 in their last four games off of three or more days of rest.  Also, the break may have been just what the doctor ordered as the Pens will see the return of Kris Letang (out since January 14 with a knee injury).  Of course Evgeni Malkin won't be ready to come back from his injury tonight, but there's plenty of firepower left on this team to take care of things as Pittsburgh continues its pursuit of the Caps and Blue Jackets in the ultra-tough Metropolitan Division.  The Predators are 2-7 in the last nine meetings with the Pens.  Take Pittsburgh.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Flyers are off three wins, and have given up less than two goals in each of their last two games.  But they're a poor 36-57 off back to back games where they allowed fewer than 2 goals.  They've also won just 17 of 62 road games where the total was 5.5 goals.  Take Carolina.