At 7:00 pm, our selection is on the Florida Panthers over the Washington Capitals.  Two nights after the Panthers routed the Caps in Florida to even the series at a game apiece, the Caps returned the favor at home in Game 3.  Now Florida is faced with going down 3-1 against a very good road team if it plays another lackluster game like the one played here on Saturday afternoon.  The Caps went with Ilya Samsonov in goal for Game 3 and they will likely go back to the 25-year-old Russian again tonight.  Sammy -- as he is called in DC -- stopped 29 of 30 shots he faced on Saturday while his counterpart, veteran Sergei Bobrovsky, had an off night.  Look for Bobrovsky to bounce back strong here in Game 4 as the Panthers are 16-5 in their last 21 games immediately a game where their opponent scored five or more goals.  They're also 29-11 in their last 40 games after scoring two goals or fewer.  Despite the loss, Florida is 19-7 in its last 26 games as a road favorite while the Caps are 0-4 in their last four after allowing two goals or fewer in their previous.  Take the Panthers.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:30 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over the Dallas Stars.  Calgary was poised to take a commanding 2-0 lead in this series when it played Game 2 at home on Thursday night.  But the Stars somehow managed an upset win despite only registering 22 shots on goal.  Still, the Flames' defense has been superb in this series, allowing just 38 shots in the first two games.  This will be the 2nd meeting in Dallas this season between the clubs.  In the only previous meeting here at American Airlines Center this season, the Flames came away with a hard-fought 4-3 victory.  The Stars tend to let down after big wins recently as they are just 1-4 in their last five following a victory.  Meanwhile, the Flames are 10-4 in their last 14 after scoring two goals or less in their previous game.  And the favorite is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.  Take Calgary.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:30 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Tampa Bay Lightning.  After a resounding 5-0 shutout win on Monday, the Maple Leafs seemed poised to take a 2-0 series lead at home when they took the ice on Wednesday for Game 2.  After all, it was the same team that had so decisively taken Game 1.  But the Bolts summoned their great teams of the past and dominated play early and often in Game 2 and got out of Canada with a 5-3 victory.  Now the series shifts to Florida and although it might be easy to think that Tampa has the upper hand and will go up 2-1, there are some things to consider.  First and foremost is the fact that the Leafs are 3-1 in their last three meetings with the Lightning here in Tampa going back to January of 2019.  Second is the fact that although the Bolts finished the regular season strong, they did most of their damage against sub-par opponents who weren't playing for anything.  Going back to the beginning of March, Tampa is 3-10 in their last 13 regular season games vs. teams with a winning pct of 60% or better.  Take Toronto.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:00 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Carolina Hurricanes.  With all Eastern Conference teams having played their first two playoff games, the Hurricanes are the only one that has managed to win both of its home openers.  That puts them in a dominant position in this first round series but it certainly doesn't mean it's over.  If you're the Boston Bruins, this is no time to panic with two games coming up on home ice -- a home ice that was very good to them in the regular season.  Carolina's success in Games 1 and 2 didn't come without a price.  Already without #1 goalie Frederik Andersen heading into the playoffs (lower body injury), the 'Canes lost #2 Antti Raanta to an upper body injury in Game 2 after being hit by Boston's David Pastrnak.  The injury is not thought to be serious, and Raanta was at practice yesterday, however his status has yet to be determined for tonight's game.  If Raanta is unable to play, then 22-year-old rookie Pyotr Kochetkov will mind the net for the visitors.  Regardless of which goalie is between the pipes, we'll take the Bruins, as they are 9-3 in the last 12 meetings here in Boston.  Take the Bruins.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the St. Louis Blues.  The NHL Post-season opened on Monday night, and while the two Eastern Conference Game 1's went according to plan -- big wins for the favored home teams Hurricanes and Leafs -- the West was a different story on Monday.  Edmonton was upset at home by the Kings, while the Wild laid an egg at home against the Blues.  Minnesota has lost in the first round of the playoffs in five of the last six seasons (the sixth season they didn't participate in post-season play) but this is arguably the best team it's ever had.  With the series going to St. Louis for two games after tonight, this is pretty much a must-win for the Wild, who came into the first round having won seven of its last eight regular season games.  This is no time to panic as the Wild out-shot the Blues in Game 1, 37-31.  The Wild leaned on Marc-Andre Fleury Monday for his Stanley Cup experience, but they could easily make a change to Cam Talbot in Game 2 as the veteran goalie has a career 2.45 GAA and 92.3 save % in 32 post-season games.  Regardless of which netminder is between the pipes, we'll take the Wild, as they're 9-2 their last 11 off a shutout loss, and 27-8 their last 35 off a home defeat (including 8-0 this season off a home loss by 2+ goals). Take Minnesota.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie. 

At 7:30 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Tampa Bay Lightning.  We cashed the Maple Leafs in Game 1 of this series -- a 5-0 blowout -- as they were my highest-rated NHL play of the season-to-date.  Admittedly, the Lightning have been spectacular off a loss in the Playoffs. Indeed, Tampa goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy is 14-0 his last 14 games following a playoff defeat, with a 1.20 GAA, and a 95.2% SVS %.  Last season, the Lightning went 7-0 in the 2021 playoffs in games immediately following a loss en route to a second straight Stanley Cup.  But it's important to note that all seven of those rebound wins last season came at home, while tonight, the Lightning must do it in hostile territory.  And it's also important to note that in none of those games last season did he face a goal scorer as dynamic as the Leafs' Auston Matthews.  Matthews has already made his mark on this series, scoring twice in Game 1 and there will likely be many more to come from the regular season goals leader (60).  A hot goalie is key to a deep Stanley Cup run and Jack Campbell (who was maligned earlier this season) appears to be in peak form now, stopping all 24 Tampa shots in Game 1 while earning Star of the Game.  With the victory, the Leafs have now won five of the last seven meetings going back to February 2020.  And it was 7-0 this season off a shutout win.  Take Toronto in Game 2.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over the Dallas Stars.  The Flames just concluded their most successful season -- 111 total points -- since they won it all way back in 1989 (they finished that season with 117 points).  Perhaps that will serve as an omen for what is about to happen in this post-season.  After all, we're talking about a club that hasn't made it out of the first round in their last three trips to the playoffs (2017, 2019, 2020), so even getting past the Stars will be seen as a victory of sorts.  And as if they needed any more motivation, this is a huge revenge situation as it was the Stars who knocked Calgary out in six games in August of 2020.  Dallas had the home ice advantage in that series but now it's the Flames who will enjoy four games at home in this opening round.  The Flames took two of three games from the Stars this season, including each of the last two on February 1 and April 21.  Three of Dallas' last four victories were against the Kraken, Sharks, and Ducks and it is 2-4 in its last six vs. teams with winning records.  Take Calgary.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:30 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 2022 Eastern Conference playoffs feature the most compelling match-ups in recent memory. In one series you have the Presidents Trophy Winner (Panthers) vs. the greatest goal scorer of our generation (Alex Ovechkin). In another, you have a legend like Sidney Crosby vs. the team (Rangers) with the best goalie in the world right now. And let's not forget this game, which pits the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champs (Lightning) vs. the team (Maple Leafs) with perhaps the next great goal scorer, Auston Matthews (to whom Ovechkin will be passing the torch). Let's also not forget that Toronto has a huge chip on its shoulder this year after being eliminated in the first round in five straight seasons coming into these playoffs. But the Leafs are a lot more than just Matthews. RW Mitch Marner put up 97 points and LW Michael Bunting (who won't play in Game 1) is the favorite for Rookie of the Year. Toronto finished the season strong with 15 win over its last 19 games, including a 5-2 blowout of Boston on Friday. Toronto's 39-15 off a win by 3+ goals, and 11-1 its last 12 at home. Admittedly, the Leafs lost the previous meeting vs. Tampa (a game which Matthews and goalie Jack Campbell missed), but have won four of the last six meetings between these two going back to the start of 2020. Toronto is a solid 18-6 when playing with revenge from a loss in which it scored less than 2 goals (and 50-31 its last 81, overall, when playing with revenge). Take Toronto. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the Calgary Flames.  While Calgary is locked into the #2 spot in the Western Conference, behind Colorado, the Wild are battling the St Louis Blues for home ice advantage in the opening round.  Minnesota has been on fire over its last 22 games, as it's lost just twice in regulation, and is 17-2-3, overall.  We'll take the Wild, as they're 26-8 off a home loss, including 7-0 if they lost by 2+ goals in their previous game.  With Minny, indeed, off a 5-3 home loss to Arizona, we'll take the Wild to bounce back tonight.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the New York Rangers over the Carolina Hurricanes.  New York's road to the division championship is certainly a difficult one.  It would need to win tonight in regulation, and then follow that up with two more wins against Montreal and Washington to end its season.  And, while that is very possible, it's the 2nd part of the equation which is the most unlikely.  New York would also need the Hurricanes to lose at home to New Jersey in their season finale.  So, the Rangers understand that even a win tonight won't probably change their playoff seeding.  But the team is still focused on playing well, and carrying that momentum into the post-season.  New York is 7-2 its last nine, and will be looking to avenge a 4-2 home loss to these Hurricanes two weeks ago.  New York is a solid 12-6 when playing with revenge from a loss earlier in the year, while Carolina is 1-6 off 4+ wins.  These two teams are the #1 and #2 teams in the league in goals allowed (Carolina 196, New York 197), though the Rangers gave up 3 goals in each of their two previous games.  But New York is 14-3 after allowing 3+ goals in back to back games.  We'll take New York at home tonight.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Dallas Stars over the Seattle Kraken.  If the Kraken want something to be positive about heading into the off-season having been eliminated from the playoffs a while ago, it might be their recent three-game win streak -- their first of the season.  The first two games of the streak were no big deal (the Senators and Devils), but in the third game, Seattle beat the Avalanche, holding the best offense in the West to just 27 shots.  But let's not kid ourselves, this is still a 26-50 team and all three of those wins were at home where they've played their best hockey.  They've had to go on the road now to play the Wild last night, and now the Stars in Texas.  Dallas is fighting for one of two Wild Card spots in the West and the Stars need to finish strong to have any chance of competing in the post-season.  The good news is that three of their final four games are against losing teams (Kraken, Coyotes, and Ducks) and the fourth is against Vegas who they're two points ahead of for that last spot.  Seattle is 2-6 in its last eight playing without rest.  Take Dallas.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over New York.  Both the Bruins and Rangers will be incentivized to win this afternoon, as each is jockeying for playoff positioning.  New York has its eyes on moving to the #1 seed in the Metropolitan division, while the Bruins would like to avoid finishing 8th in the conference (and thereby drawing Florida in the first round).  The Bruins come into this game off a 4-0 shutout loss to Pittsburgh.  We played on the Pens in that game, but will take the Bruins to bounce back here.  Boston is 21-8 this season off a loss, and 7-2 off a shutout defeat.  Meanwhile, the Rangers bested the Islanders, 6-3, on Thursday.  Unfortunately, New York is a wallet-busting 56-63 (but minus 19.6 net games on the moneyline) after scoring more than 5 goals in its previous game.  Take Boston.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the San Jose Sharks.  With just five games to go in the regular season, the Blues would seem to have their position as a top-three finisher in the Central Division solidified.  They can't catch the #1 Colorado Avalanche, but that doesn't mean these remaining games aren't important.  With the Stanley Cup Playoff format, the #2 and #3 seeds from each Division play each other in the first round and right now the Blues are tied with the Wild at 103 points (Minny has played one less game, however).  So finishing above Minnesota would mean home ice in that first round series, making tonight and the rest of their games very important.  The good news is that this series has been about as one-sided as any in the league lately.  The Blues have won each of the last four meetings with the Sharks and seven of the last eight here in San Jose.  Additionally, the Sharks are 0-7 in their last seven vs. Central Division teams, and 0-9 their last nine as an underdog.  St. Louis is 6-0 in its last six vs. teams with losing records and 4-0 in its last four road games.  And it's 9-1 its last 10 as a favorite.  Take the Blues.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Vegas Golden Knights over the Washington Capitals. The Caps head southwest after their big win in Colorado on Monday. Tonight will be a rematch of the 2018 Cup Finals on the Vegas Strip as the Knights go for the Season sweep (they shut out the Caps in DC back on January 24). The Knights have lost two straight and sit 5 points behind the Stars for the final Wild Card berth, with five games to play (though Dallas has 6 games left). If Vegas wins tonight and then beats the Sharks in the next game -- which it should -- then its next game is against Dallas, the team immediately in front of it. So, Vegas still has some hope left, though it probably has to go 5-0 to end the season for any chance at all. The Knights were upset on Monday by the Devils, 3-2, despite out-shooting New Jersey 44-28. Robin Lehner was in goal in that game and allowed three goals on just 28 shots so don't be surprised if Logan Thompson (2.55 GAA; .922 saves pct) is back in the crease tonight. Thompson's won five of his last six outings. Vegas is also 6-2 in its last eight home games and 5-2 in its last seven when playing on one day of rest. Finally, the home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings of these two. Take the Knights. As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the San Jose Sharks.  The red-hot Minnesota Wild were 12-3 in their last 15 games coming into Saturday's all-important match-up with the St. Louis Blues.  Unfortunately for them, the Blues prevailed in overtime, 6-5, thereby knocking them out of a tie for second place in the Central Division.  Minnesota hopes that setback is temporary as it regroups today to host the 29-45 Sharks at the Xcel Energy Center.  Unlike the Wild, San Jose isn't playing for anything as it looks ahead to what it hopes will be a productive off-season leading to a winning campaign in 2022-2023.  The Sharks have been particularly bad on the road, winning just five times in their last 24 games away from the Bay Area.  They are also 7-20 in their last 27 vs. teams from the Western Conference including 0-6 in their last six vs. Central clubs.  Meanwhile Minnesota is 4-0 in its last four vs. the Pacific Division and 65-29 in its last 94 vs. teams with a winning percentage of .400 or less.  Take the Wild.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  The Kings are locked in a tight battle with the Vegas Golden Knights for a playoff spot.  Los Angeles sits 1 point ahead of Vegas, but has also played 1 more game.  The good news for Los Angeles is that each of its last six games are against teams that are outside of the Playoff picture.  Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets are a poor 3-10 their last 13 against teams that would be in the Playoffs with their current point totals.  We played against Los Angeles in its last game, and were rewarded with a 9-3 blowout win by Colorado.  Off that horrible game, we'll switch gears and take the Kings tonight, as they're 24-15 (+14.2 net games on the moneyline) off blowout loss by 3+ goals.  And they're 22-9 this season vs. Eastern conference teams.  Take Los Angeles.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Florida Panthers over the Winnipeg Jets.  It's looking like the Panthers will earn the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the post-season but also still wants to make a push to overtake the Avalanche for the #1 NHL record.  In addition to having the best record in the Eastern Conference -- and the only team in there with over 50 victories -- the Panthers' +89 goal differential is also tops.  They've done it with a balanced attack, which is evident when you look at all the offensive leaders in the league and the only Florida name you see is Jonathan Huberdeau, who leads in assists (77) and is second in points (105).  The Panthers come into this home contest against the Jets having won eight games in a row, including a huge 7-6 OT win over the Maple Leafs that could serve as a Quarter-Finals preview.  They have been putting the puck on net with a frequency rarely seen, posting 40 shots or more in seven of those eight games, including 55 in their last one -- a 3-2 win over the Ducks.  The Jets are 1-4 in their last five games against teams with a winning record.  And they're also 9-19 (minus 6.65 net games on the moneyline) as an underdog, including 1-6 when the O/U was more than 6 goals.  Meanwhile Florida is 11-5 in the last 16 meetings of these two, and 14-1 its last 15 when priced as a favorite of -180 (or more).  Take the Panthers.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Avalanche over the Los Angeles Kings.  The Avs are on a major roll right now, with six straight wins.  And they'll have an advantage tonight against an unrested Kings team which played at Chicago last night.  Even worse for the Kings:  they're playing their 3rd game in four nights, and have to play without rest in a high-altitude city (Denver).  In contrast, Colorado is extremely well-rested, as it has been four days (April 9 vs Edmonton) since it has played.  The Avalanche are a terrific 22-2 at home off 3 (or more) wins.  And Colorado is 8-0 vs. the Kings since March 12, 2021, with the average win by 2.88 goals.  Take Colorado.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the St. Louis Blues.  The red-hot Bruins lost a tough one on Sunday afternoon in DC as the surging Capitals got the better of them in a tough, close-checking affair.  Despite now losing two of its last three, Boston needn't panic as it is still sitting in a very good position in the East with the #1 Wild Card spot looking secure and only one point behind the Lightning for a top-three finish in the Atlantic.  Most important, six of the Bruins last 10 games are here at home, beginning with this Monday night affair against a Blues squad that they haven't faced since October 2019.  The Blues come in having won their last five, however three of those victories were against the likes of the Islanders, Kraken, and Coyotes -- and all three at home.  They may be 42-30 overall, but on the road, the Blues are just a .500 team this season (17-17).  They are also just 3-8 in their last 11 games against teams from the East.  The Bruins come home after a week on the road, and they are 16-5 in their last 21 home games after a road trip of at least seven days.  Take Boston.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Washington Capitals.  The Pens come into this afternoon game having lost three games in a row for the sixth time this season.  In all but one of those previous five, Pittsburgh was able to snap its losing streak in its next contest.  They're hoping to do the same today against their biggest rival so they can solidify their third place lead over the Caps -- which right now stands at six points.  It's worth nothing that those three losses came against the Rangers and the Avalanche (twice) -- and two of the losses were on the road.  But both the Rangers and Avs are stronger opponents than the Caps -- at least as far as the point totals are concerned.  The Caps do come in having won three of their last five, but they are just 1-4 in their last five games against teams with a winning record, and 17-20 (minus 10.1 net games on the moneyline) off a win in their previous game.  The Pens were shut out at Madison Square Garden, 3-0, in their last game but are 5-1 in their last six games immediately following a loss by more than two goals.  Take Pittsburgh.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the St. Louis Blues.  While some playoff-bound teams in the NHL seem to be wilting late in the season (e.g., Tampa Bay), others are doing just the opposite.  The Minnesota Wild are one of those teams that could be peaking at just the right time.  The Wild have lost just two of their last 11 games and one of those was a 4-3 OT defeat at the hands of a very good Penguins club (while the other was a 6-2 loss at Nashville on Tuesday).  It seems as though one of the shrewdest moves at the deadline was Minny's acquisition of Vezina Trophy-winning goalie Marc-Andre Fleury from Chicago (for a conditional first-round pick in 2022).  Fleury has been spectacular with his new club so far (3-1 in four games with a .930 saves pct and 2.30 GAA).  And having Fleury between the pipes gives the Wild a bit of a two-headed monster as Cam Talbot is also an All Star-caliber net-minder in his own right.  So, now Minnesota has the luxury of choosing between the two on almost any given night.  The Wild are a solid 13-5 in their last 18 games after scoring less than 3 goals in their previous contest.  And they're 15-5 off a blowout loss by more than 3 goals.  Take Minnesota.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over Colorado.  This is the 2nd of a home-and-home series between the two clubs.  Colorado won in Denver, 3-2, on Saturday.  We'll take the Penguins in this rematch, as they're 30-11 when playing with revenge, including 11-0 at home if they lost the previous meeting by a single goal.  And they're 46-22 (+7.4 net games on the moneyline) at home when the total was 6 (or more) goals.  The Pens are also 7-3 the last 10 meetings here, in Pittsburgh, vs. Colorado.  Take the Penguins.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over the Los Angeles Kings.  The top two teams in the Pacific Division face off tonight for the second time in less than a week.  The Kings just beat the Flames in Calgary on the last day of March (although it took a shootout to do it), so this is a revenge situation tonight.  The lead that the Flames had enjoyed over the Kings in the Pacific has been dwindling of late, thanks to a home-stand that didn't go as planned in Calgary.  In the just-concluded six straight games that the Flames enjoyed at home, they managed only two wins.  Maybe a trip south to the recently re-named Crypto.com Arena (it sounds so strange not calling it Staples Center) will reverse their fortunes.  The Kings are anything but healthy right now, with no fewer than eight regular skaters currently out with various ailments.  Los Angeles also hasn't exactly been tearing it up at home this season (18-18) -- and in their last nine here they are just 4-5.  Even worse:  the Kings are 1-5 in their last six games following a victory, while Calgary is 5-2 in its last seven road games.  Finally, the Flames are an awesome 42-25 (+11.2 net games on the moneyline) after giving up 4+ goals.  Take Calgary.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Vancouver Canucks over the Vegas Golden Knights.  Both of these teams are on the outside-looking-in when it comes to the Western conference playoff race.  But Vancouver is in the MUCH WORSE position, as it is 8 points behind Dallas, while Vegas sits just 1 points in back of the Stars.  So this game is critical for the Canucks' post-season hopes.  We'll take the homestanding Canucks, as they have had the last three days off, and are 12-3 when playing with 3 days (or more) of rest.  Additionally, the Golden Knights have won just two of their last nine road games.  Both of those wins (by scores of 3-0 and 5-2) were against Seattle in Vegas' two most recent games.  Unfortunately for Vegas, it's a poor 10-14 (minus 13.2 net games on the moneyline) off back to back blowout wins by 3+ goals.  Take Vancouver.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Washington Capitals over the Minnesota Wild.   Unlike the West, the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference of the NHL is pretty clear.  There is a 13-point gap between the Caps -- in the final Wild Card Spot -- and the next team (NYI).  Exactly where the Caps finish the season is still up for grabs, and they certainly would like to improve their position between now and the end of the month.  Washington has had almost a week to think about one of its worst losses of the season -- a 6-1 thrashing at the hands of the Hurricanes last Monday.  With the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament coming into Minneapolis, the Wild have had to leave town after a hugely successful nine-game home-stand (7-2).  They upset the Hurricanes in Raleigh last night, but are just 2-5 in their last seven games playing on zero days of rest.  The Wild are also 2-7 in their last nine trips to Washington.  On the flip side, the extended break should do the Caps good as they are 18-8 in their last 26 playing with three or more days of rest.  Take Washington.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the New Jersey Devils.  The Bruins were shellacked by Toronto, 6-4, on Tuesday, but were arguably the hottest team in the league for the month of March.  In fact, since February 19, Boston's NHL team has compiled a blistering 14-4 record.  But nobody knows better than the Bruins that having a great six week run a month before the playoffs could mean absolutely nothing, and that's why Boston wants to stay focused on playing at the same level into April.   And it's game like the one tonight where keeping that focus is ultra-critical.  Sure, the Devils are going nowhere this season and they would seem to be completely out-manned in this situation, but a caged dog can be awfully dangerous and the Bruins can ill-afford to have a let-down against a bad team, especially given how close the standings are (Boston is just three points ahead of the Capitals for the final Wild Card).  This is not a friendly place for the Devils as they are just 5-16 in their last 21 at TD Garden.  The Bruins are also 31-12 in the last 43 meetings of these two, while the favorite is 36-17 in the last 53.  Finally, the Bruins are a solid 7-1 this season after allowing 5+ goals (and 10-1 after allowing 3+ goals in back-to-back games).  Take Boston.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over Florida.  Petr Mrazek (finally) played a solid game in goal for Toronto when he stopped 20 shots en route to a 3-2 victory over New Jersey on Wednesday.  And, per his coach, Sheldon Keefe, he had an exceptional practice on Friday.  Mrazek has never been one to lack confidence -- even when things were going poorly this season -- and will be back between the pipes tonight in this critical division game vs. Florida.  I expect him to once again play very well.  We'll take the Leafs, as Toronto is 47-24 (+9.1 net games on the money line) vs. winning teams, and 15-3 at home vs. explosive offensive teams that score 2.85 (or more) goals per game.  Take the Maple Leafs.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over San Jose.  The Sharks acquired goalie Kaapo Kahkonen from the Minnesota Wild at the trade deadline, on Monday.  And Kahkonen will make his Sharks debut tonight.  But in his last five starts, the Wild were 0-5, and he gave up 19 goals in those five games.  The Oilers come into this game off a 5-3 loss to Dallas.  But the Oilers are 26-13 (+13.6 net games on the moneyline) after allowing more than four goals in their previous game.  And they're 59-42 (+8.9 net games) vs. division foes.  San Jose does play with revenge from a 3-0 shutout loss to the Oilers last monthy.  Unfortunately, the Sharks are 22-43 (minus 16.9 net games) when playing with revenge, and 39-57 (minus 13.3 net games) vs. division rivals.  Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (7 goals; 30 assists) has been upgraded to 'probable' to play tonight, after missing 11 games with a shoulder injury.  And his presence will especially be felt on special teams.  Take Edmonton.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Detroit Red Wings over the Philadelphia Flyers.  There was a whirlwind of activity as the NHL trade deadline came and went last night and few teams were as busy in the selling market as the Flyers.  The volume of players headed elsewhere was not the big news as one name in particular stood out when Philly sent F Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers (along with two other players).  Giroux had been with the Flyers since being drafted in 2008 -- a total of 14+ seasons (a record bested only by the great Bobby Clarke).  Even at age 34, Giroux was still one of the most productive players on the team, posting 42 points in 57 games.  So don't be surprised if a bad Flyers team is even worse the rest of the way.  The Red Wings come home tonight after a four-game road trip that didn't go so well (1-3) and that's key for this match-up as the hosts have been dominating this series (25-9 in the last 34 meetings).  The Flyers are a dismal 5-21 in their last 26 road games, including 0-12 their last 12.  And the favorite is 6-1 in the last seven meetings of these two.  Take the Red Wings.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the New York Rangers.  The Canes played a rough and tumble game here at home two nights ago against the red-hot Capitals and despite getting out-shot 40-20, seemed like they were in control most of the time.  In the end, they fell 4-3 in a shootout, but it wasn't for a lack of trying.  They'll try to bounce back this evening, and will be happy to see the New York Rangers, as Carolina's won each of the last four meetings, including this season's only prior match-up back on January 21, a 6-3 Canes victory.  Friday's loss to the Caps was Carolina's third in a row and that is a rare happening indeed.  What's even harder to find however is the last time this club lost four in a row (in fact you have to go back more than two years to see that occurrence -- February 25th through March 5 of 2020).  Carolina should be back to #1 Frederik Andersen in goal tonight (2.08 GAA; .928 save pct.).  The home team is 5-2 in the last seven meetings of these two, and Carolina's also 8-1 after back-to-back losses by a single goal.  Take the Hurricanes.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie. 

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Washington Capitals.  The Hurricanes return home tonight after back-to-back losses on the road to Pittsburgh (4-2) and Toronto (3-2).  The good news for Carolina is that it's won seven straight at home, and is 23-6 in front of its home faithful this season.  Carolina will be playing this game with revenge from shutout loss at Washington earlier this month.  And the Hurricanes are 7-0 this season when playing with revenge from a defeat in which it scored less than 2 goals.  Washington will be playing back to back road games after walloping Columbus, 7-2, last night.  And that was Washington's 3rd straight win, as it also knocked off Vancouver and the Islanders by identical 4-3 scores.  But the Caps are 1-4 their last five when playing without rest, 6-12 off a road win, and 3-9 after scoring more than 3 goals in back to back games.  Take Carolina.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over Toronto.  The Maple Leafs will be without their best player, and the NHL's leading goal-scorer (45 goals), Auston Matthews.  This will be Matthew's 2nd (and final) game he must serve due to his suspension following a cross-check vs. Buffalo.  His loss will be deeply felt by Toronto, and especially because it will be facing one of the league's three best teams tonight.  The Maple Leafs have not been playing very good hockey of late.  They've won just three of their past seven games, and NONE of those teams would be in the Playoffs if the season ended today.  The Hurricanes, meanwhile, have won nine of 12, including wins over Pittsburgh (twice), Colorado, and Edmonton.  And while it's true that Carolina lost its previous meeting vs. Toronto, it's 9-4 this season when playing with revenge.  Tonight, the Maple Leafs will once again turn to rookie goaltender, Erik Kallgren, who made 35 saves in his debut Tuesday night.  But he is still unproven at this level, so we'll go against Kallgren and the short-handed Leafs tonight.  Take the Hurricanes.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the Boston Bruins.  The Bruins had to play a game in nearby Chicago last night so they come to Minneapolis to play a much better Wild team on very short rest.  That means back-up goalie Jeremy Swayman will be in net tonight after Linus Ullmark got the start on Tuesday.  The Bruins' last back-to-back game -- just their second since January 13 -- was on March 1 and it was also on the road.  In that one, they lost to the Ducks in Anaheim, 4-3, a night after beating the Kings in Los Angeles.  The Wild look to rebound tonight after losing their last two to the Blue Jackets on the road and Predators at home.  They've only lost eight times at Xcel Energy Center this season -- only once in OT.  They've been an offensive machine here this season, ranking second in the NHL and first in the West -- even better than the Avs -- in home scoring average at 4.16 GPG.  The other good news is that the Wild are 100% healthy right now.  The Wild are 37-14 in their last 51 home games and 8-3 in their last 11 playing on two days of rest.  Take Minnesota.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Florida Panthers over San Jose.  The Sharks' Zach Sawchenko won his first game in his young career when the Sharks defeated the Kings, 4-3, on Thursday.  San Jose turned to goalie Adin Hill in Saturday's 5-0 shutout win, but Sawchenko will be back between the pipes tonight to face a Panthers team looking to bounce back from a 3-2 loss to Los Angeles on Sunday.  That was the 3rd straight game Florida gave up more than 2 goals, and they're 21-3 (+16.5 net games on the moneyline) after allowing more than 2 goals in three straight games.  Additionally, the Panthers are 26-14 (+10.4 net games) on the road off a loss.  Finally, the Sharks are 20-35 (minus 13.9 net games) after scoring 4+ goals.  Take Florida.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Avalanche over the Calgary Flames.  The Avs have played four of their last five games on the road and perhaps not surprisingly, they're 1-3 in those four as a visiting team.  Colorado has done by far its best work at Ball Arena this season where it has the best home record in the Western Conference at 23-3-3.  It's back here tonight to face a very good Flames club that has won 16 of 19.  The Avs come in off a loss in Raleigh, NC which was notable because the Hurricanes won 2-0, shutting out the Avalanche for the first time all season.  This is a revenge situation for the home team as the Flames edged the Avs in OT here, 4-3, just eight days ago (and the Avs are 45-23 in revenge games).  In addition to scoring better than four goals per game at home, the Avs' defense has also stepped it up here, allowing just 2.59 GA, which is the fourth best home number in the Conference.  As good as the Flames have been lately, this is not an ideal situation for them as they are 1-5 in their last six games as a road underdog.  And they had to play last night in Detroit, so #1 goalie Jacob Markstrom will sit in favor of back-up Daniel Vladar.  Calgary is 2-4 in Vladar's last six starts, and he's given up 25 goals in those six games.  Finally, Colorado is 43-8 in its last 51 home contests.  Take the Avs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Vegas Golden Knights over Columbus.  The Knights' offense has been largely on hiatus over its last nine games, as it has scored more than 2 goals just twice (both wins).  Unfortunately, it has scored 2 or less goals seven times, and has won just once (March 4 vs. Anaheim).  The good news for this evening's game is that Columbus almost always gives up 3+ goals.  It's true that it only allowed 2 goals on Friday, when it defeated the Wild, 3-2.  But it had allowed 3+ goals in its 12 games prior to that, and has allowed 3 or more goals in 18 of its last 20.  Given that the Knights are 30-9 this season when they score 3+ goals, that bodes very well for them here.  As does the fact that Vegas is 8-1 on the road off back to back losses, and 37-12 after allowing more than 2 goals in back to back games.  Take the Golden Knights.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over San Jose.  The Kings will look to avenge their 4-3 overtime loss to the Sharks on Thursday.  Los Angeles did get off to a great start in that game, and led by a 3-1 margin in the 2nd period before collapsing.  That defeat snapped the Kings' 3-game win streak.  Still, Los Angeles has won 10 of its last 14, while San Jose has dropped 15 of 20.  And the Sharks are 19-35 after a game in which they scored 4+ goals.  Take the Kings.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Avalanche over Carolina.  Colorado comes into this match-up off a 5-3 upset loss at New Jersey, and it's dropped three of four, overall.  We'll look for the Avalanche to bounce back tonight, as they're 25-11 off a road loss, and 13-7 after losing three of their previous four games.  And they're 39-18 (+12.5 net games on the moneyline) after allowing more than 3 goals.  It's true that the Hurricanes are dominant this season at home, with a 21-6 record.  But this will be their first time all season as a home dog.  And when they have been favored at home this season by less than -120, they've gone 0-2.  Take Colorado.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Detroit Red Wings over the Arizona Coyotes.  Detroit has dropped five of seven.  But its five losses were to the league's elite teams:  Minnesota, Colorado, Toronto, Tampa Bay and Florida.  Its other two games -- both wins -- were also against excellent clubs (Carolina, NY Rangers).  So, this will be the Red Wings' first game in 3 1/2 weeks against a losing club.  The Red Wings have been installed as a home favorite.  And they're 13-3 this season when PK'em or favored.  Even better:  the Red Wings are 32-12 at home off back to back division losses, and 30-13 at home off a loss by more than 3 goals.  Take the Red Wings.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Avalanche over the New York Islanders.  Since the Colorado Avalanche lost to the Blue Jackets in a home-and-home series on November 3 and 6, they hadn't dropped back to back contests -- that is, until this month.  The best team in the league just lost its last two against the Flames (in OT) and -- of all teams -- Coyotes.  It will now travel east to play its first game in the new UBS Arena on Long Island.  The Islanders played a successful game here on Saturday night, upsetting the Blues, 2-1.  Back-to-back home wins have been rare for the Isles since they moved into their new home at the end of November.  And having to face the best offense in the NHL won't make their task any easier.  Colorado's 3.67 goals-scored per road game is the highest such number in the West and third-highest in the league.  The Isles have done okay here at home in general (11-11-4) but not when they're the underdog (1-8 in their last nine).  They are also 0-7 in their last seven games immediately following a victory.  Take the Avalanche.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie. 

At 4:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over Dallas.  After an 11-2 stretch, the Wild have dropped seven of nine, including a 5-4 loss at Buffalo on Friday.  We'll look for the Wild to bounce back at home this afternoon, as they're hosting a Dallas team off three straight wins over Buffalo (4-2), Los Angeles (4-3) and Winnipeg (4-3).  But the Stars are a poor 7-16 on the road off a win, and 20-37 on the road off back to back wins by 1 goal.  Meanwhile, the Wild are 19-5 after allowing more than 3 goals in back to back games.  Take Minnesota.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  February was good to the Kings, who went 6-2 in the month which put them right in the mix for the Pacific Division title.  At one point between February 18 and 26, L.A. won five in a row.  March hasn't started out quite as well for the Kings, who will try to bounce back from a 4-3 loss to the Stars in their last game on Wednesday.  They travel to Columbus for the first time since December of 2019 when the Jackets prevailed, 3-2 in overtime.  Despite that loss, the Kings have done very well vs. Columbus, taking 19 of the last 28 meetings.  The momentum that Columbus has had lately has been somewhat stalled by a myriad of recent injuries.  Overall, the Jackets have no fewer than seven regular players out with various ailments, including two of their goaltenders (Korpisalo and Tarasov).  These cross-country match-ups have not been good for Columbus who is 0-4 in its last four vs. teams from the Pacific.  The favorite is 22-7 in the last 29 meetings of these two.  Take the Kings.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie. 

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over Vegas.  The Golden Knights shut down San Jose on Tuesday, as they held the Sharks to just one goal on 17 shots.  But Vegas is a dismal 27-28 (but minus 15.7 games on the moneyline) after surrendering less than two goals in their previous game.  And they're also 0-3 at home this season after allowing 20 or less shots on goal in their previous game.  Take Boston tonight.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the New York Rangers over the St. Louis Blues.  The Rangers come into this east-west match-up having lost on back-to-back days to the Penguins and Canucks.  In the second game -- a 5-2 defeat here at home -- New York had to use its back-up goalie, Alexandar Georgiev.  Their regular net-minder, Igor Shesterkin, will be back in goal tonight with a fresh pair of legs.  The 26-year-old Russian is the favorite to win this season's Vezina Trophy for top goaltender in the league.  In 34 games played, Shesterkin has a 25-6-3 record with a 1.95 GAA and a league-leading .941 saves pct.  The two days of rest that the Rangers have had since that stinging defeat here to Vancouver could really help them out tonight as they are 9-3 in their last 12 games when playing on two or more day off.  New York is also 5-0 in its last five games following a loss by three or more goals.  Take the Rangers.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Oilers and Hurricanes clashed on Sunday and the game was as expected -- close until the very end.  The 'Canes came out of it with a hard-fought 2-1 victory in Raleigh despite being limited to under 30 shots on goal.  No doubt, the Oilers are looking forward to this trip up north as they will get to visit Philadelphia (tonight), Chicago (Wednesday) and then Montreal.  For the Flyers, they had one of their biggest victories of the season when they beat the Capitals here on Saturday afternoon, 2-1.  But despite that success, let's not forget we're still talking about a team that is just 16-36 overall and 9-18 here at home.  Even an injured Edmonton club (they are currently without eight regular skaters) should be able to get by the Flyers tonight in the first meeting of these two here in over three years.  The Flyers are 3-14 in their last 17 when their opponent allows two goals or less in their previous game.  Take Edmonton.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the New Jersey Devils over Vancouver.  This is a tough spot for the Canucks, who had to play the Rangers yesterday, while the Devils are well-rested following two off days on Saturday and Sunday.  Thatcher Demko will sit tonight for Vancouver, who will instead turn to veteran Jaroslav Halak.  Unfortunately, the Canucks have dropped seven of the nine games started by Halak, and they're 3-15 their last 18 when playing the 2nd of back to back games.  Even worse:  yesterday, the Canucks tallied 5 goals in a 5-2 win over the Rangers.  But they're 7-20 after winning a game on the road while scoring more than 3 goals.  Take New Jersey.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Minnesota Wild.  With their overtime loss to the Blue Jackets on Tuesday, the Maple Leafs are in the midst of just their second three-game losing streak of the season.  Things don't get any easier for them tonight as they face the Minnesota Wild who have almost an identical record to that of Toronto.  At least the Leafs are back home tonight, where they've lost only six times all season.  This is a revenge situation for Toronto as in the only previous meeting of these two this season, the Wild came out on top in a shootout at home back on December 4.  Despite its success lately, the Wild is just 2-5 in its last seven as a road underdog while the Leafs are 23-9 in their last 32 as a home favorite.  Take Toronto.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  Just because the Maple Leafs have one of the best records in the East, don't assume they will sit quietly coming up to the trade deadline.  This is a team with plenty of high-end talent but one that needs depth at pretty much every position. They'd like to add a defenseman to ease the burden on their young blue line.  And #1 net-minder Jack Campbell has looked a bit more human lately, so maybe Toronto would like some insurance in goal as well.  When Campbell got his third start in five days on Saturday, that shakiness was apparent as he allowed five goals on 33 shots in Toronto's loss to St. Louis.  The Leafs will step down-in-class tonight against a Blue Jackets team whose last four victories have come against the Blackhawks, Canadiens, and Sabres (twice).  So the fact that Columbus is a hot team lately is more than a little misleading.  The Leafs are 5-0 in their last five against the Metropolitan and 15-3 in their last 18 vs. teams from the East.  Take Toronto.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Ottawa Senators.  The Bruins' trip to the Big Apple did not go as planned, as they lost to both the Rangers and Islanders by a combined score of 6-2.  They are hoping a trip up north of the border will get them back on track.  But the Bruins won't be taking their hosts lightly as the Senators have won four of their last seven, including victories over the Caps (4-1) and Hurricanes (4-3).  Let's not forget, however, that this is still a team that is 18-29 overall and just 9-15 here at home. The Sens are also a group with a ton of injuries right now, including #1 Center Josh Norris (shoulder), #1 RW Drake Batherson (ankle), #1 D-man Thomas Chabot (upper body), and #1 Goalie Matt Murray (undisclosed).  The Bruins are 13-3 in the last 16 meetings with the Senators including a 2-0 shutout right here at Canadian Tire Center just one week ago.  In fact, the Bruins are 7-1 in the last eight meetings in Ottawa.  Boston lost its last game 4-1 and it is 7-1 in its last eight immediately following a loss by three or more goals.  Take the Bruins.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Nashville Predators.  The Hurricanes come into tonight's game off of back-to-back stinging 3-2 defeats.  Those two one-goal losses came against two very good teams in the Wild and Panthers (the latter in OT), so the 'Canes will be stepping down-in-class tonight to face the struggling Predators, who visit Raleigh for the first time this season.  In fact, the last time Nashville was here was in last year's post-season when the Predators lost to the 'Canes in the first round, 4 games to 2.  The Preds come into tonight having lost three straight -- the last two of which were at home but they've had their struggles on the road this season as well.  And Carolina -- in particular -- is not a place that has been kind to the Preds as they have won just three times in their last 16 trips here going all the way back to the 2012 season.  The home team is 11-2 in the last 13 meetings of these two teams, while the favorite is 11-4 in the last 15.  And Carolina is also 7-1 off back to back 1-goal losses.  Take the Hurricanes.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.  

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over Pittsburgh.  The Leafs were my preseason choice to win the Stanley Cup this season (at 7-1 odds), so we'll be playing on them a lot the rest of the way.  Tonight, they'll host a Penguins team off 4 straight wins.  And also a team which defeated Toronto not once, but twice earlier this season.  But that sets up our play, as Toronto is 17-2 when playing with revenge from a home loss.  Even better:  the Leafs blew out Seattle, 6-2, on the road in its last game.  And the Leafs are 28-8 off a road win by 2+ goals, including a perfect 9-0 this season.  Take Toronto.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Florida Panthers.  In what could be an early preview of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Panthers will head north to face the Hurricanes for the third time this season.  The last meeting was here in Raleigh and the Panthers prevailed in OT, 4-3.  With that victory, Florida has now won the last three meetings with Carolina going back to last April.  But the Panthers come into this meeting with some key injuries, whereas the 'Canes are 100% healthy currently.  The Panthers have been like a firing squad at home this season, averaging a League-best 4.76 goals per game in South Florida.  But on the road, that number drops all the way down to 3.29 -- not bad, but certainly not on par with what they've been doing at home.  Meanwhile, the 'Canes are one of the stingiest hosts this season, allowing just 2.24 goals per game at PNC Arena (while posting 3.62 GPG here).  The Panthers are 6-14 in the last 20 meetings with the 'Canes overall and 15-37-2 in the last 54 meetings in Carolina.  Take the Hurricanes.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the New York Islanders over the Buffalo Sabres.  In November, the Sabres shipped their only bona-fide superstar in center Jack Eichel off to the bright lights of the Vegas Strip.  But just because they don't have Eichel anymore, doesn't mean they don't have some other valuable assets to move for picks and prospects as the trade deadline nears.  The Sabres are going nowhere this season so look for more of their players to be sent away before the end of March.  They were fortunate to play the Canadiens in their last game and took advantage of one of the only teams that is worse than they are, coming away with a 5-3 victory on Super Bowl Sunday.  The Islanders have lost their last two and five of their last seven, so they will no doubt welcome the class relief tonight against their cross-State rivals.  In addition to being bad, the Sabres are also very injured at the current time with no fewer than eight regulars out of action due to some sort of ailment.  The Isles are 20-8 in the last 28 meetings of these two teams.  Take New York.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Seattle Kraken.  Not surprisingly, one of these teams will be staying home after the regular season while the other will be preparing to make a deep playoff run.  While the Kraken's inaugural season has not been a complete disaster, the new team from Seattle is still several key pieces away from being in the position that Toronto occupies today.  The Leafs will almost certainly be buyers at the upcoming trade deadline, looking most likely for some help on the blue line as well as perhaps an able back-up for their All-Star goalie Jack Campbell, as Petr Mrazek has been pretty shaky lately.  Campbell will get the start tonight in the first-ever match-up of these two clubs.  In addition to being one of the most talented teams in the league, the Maple Leafs are also the healthiest right now, with no injuries to report and that's a huge advantage as we head into the final two months of the season.  The Kraken are 0-4 in their last four games following a win, and 1-7 in their last eight as a home underdog.  Take the Leafs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Chicago Blackhawks.  Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has had a very distinguished career with three Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh and a trip to a fourth final in his first season in Vegas.  Fleury found himself traded last summer to Chicago and although his best years are clearly behind him, the 37-year-old could find himself with another Cup Contender in a month.  Fleury is the main trade chip for Chicago at the upcoming deadline and his chances of remaining in the Windy City are about the same as the Hawks winning the Cup this Spring.  Chicago's NHL team has plenty of problems -- with Fleury not being one of them.  Short on talent and long on injuries right now, the Hawks have lost seven of their last nine games coming into St. Louis where they are 0-4 in their last four tries going back to October 2018.  The Blues are having another outstanding season and are 17-6-2 in 25 games here at Enterprise Center.  Chicago, meanwhile, is an awful 3-15 off a win by 2+ goals.  Finally, the Favorite is 5-1 in the last six meetings of these two, and the home team is 8-2 in the last 10.  Take St. Louis.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the New York Islanders over Vancouver.  The Canucks blew out Arizona, 5-1, last night, and will welcome the Isles to British Columbia on Wednesday.  The Islanders have had the last six days off, so they'll be well-rested.  And, to the extent that the Canucks are 3-14 their last 17 (and 8-22 their last 30) when playing without rest, that's a key factor.  Even better:  Vancouver's 1-5 this season after scoring more than 4 goals, and 3-7 as a home underdog.  Take New York.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Washington Capitals.  The Caps put a major hurt on former Goalie Braden Holtby in their last game on Friday when they visited Dallas.  DC crushed the Stars -- and Holtby who was pulled after two periods -- by 5-0 but that kind of performance doesn't usually portend good things in their next game.  In fact, the Caps are 0-4 in their last four games following a victory as well as 0-7 in their last seven after allowing two goals or less in their previous game.  Pittsburgh got off to a slow start this season, but it was due to injuries and illness.  Since they've gotten heathy -- about two months ago -- the Pens have been one of the hottest teams in the league.  They come into this -- their third meeting of the season against DC -- on a three-game losing streak.  But all three losses have been by one goal with two of them coming in OT and shootout.  Those three were also against Western teams and the Pens are 7-1 in their last eight vs. the Eastern Conference, and 5-0 in their last five vs. foes from the Metro.  Take Pittsburgh.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the New York Rangers over the Seattle Kraken.  The Rangers suffered a brutal 3-2 loss to Minnesota on Friday when they scored the tying goal with less than 2 seconds left in the game, only to see the goal disallowed on review, due to goalie interference.  We'll take New York this afternoon to bounce back as it's 8-0 this season vs. poor teams with a scoring margin worse than -0.65 gpg.  And New York is also 9-1 after giving up 3+ goals in back to back games.  Take the Rangers.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over the Vancouver Canucks.  In their last three victories going back to January 18, the Calgary Flames have outscored their opponents (the Blue Jackets, Blues, and Panthers) by a combined tally of 18-2.  Pretty impressive.  The problem is that sandwiched in between those are two losses by a combined 10-4.  Which begs the question, 'which version of the Flames will show up tonight at home against the Canucks?'  The good news is that Calgary has dominated this series lately, taking eight of the last 11 meetings overall and four of the last five here at the Scotiabank Saddledome.  The Flames have been pretty stingy this season when playing at home, allowing an average of just 2.36 goals against in 14 games played here.  The Canucks' biggest problem continues to be health with at least 11 regular skaters currently out of action due to either illness or injury.  They won their last game over the Jets, 5-1, but the they are just 2-6 in their last eight after scoring five or more goals in their previous contest.  Take the Flames.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St Louis Blues over Calgary.  We had a huge play on the Flames when these teams met north of the border three days ago, and were rewarded with a 7-1 Calgary blowout.  But we'll switch gears and take St. Louis in the rematch, as the Blues are 7-1 this season when playing with revenge from a loss in which it surrendered more than three goals.  And the Blues are 11-3 at home this season when the O/U line was 6+ goals, while Calgary is 25-32 (minus 8.6 games on the moneyline on the road when the O/U line was 6+ goals.  Take the Blues to avenge their 7-1 loss.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Washington Capitals over the San Jose Sharks.  In a rematch of the 2018 Cup Finals, the Capitals lost to the Golden Knights on Monday night at home, 1-0.  It was another tough loss for a team that has now lost seven of ten games in the New Year and fallen out of the top three spots in the Metropolitan Division.  But there should be no reason to panic in DC.  The Caps out-played and out-shot a very good Knights team and now they will face a Sharks club that they have dominated in recent play.  The Caps are healthy for the most part, although they would surely welcome back F TJ Oshie who has been on and off the ice lately with a nagging upper body injury (Oshie will not play tonight).  The Sharks on the other hand currently have seven regular skaters out with either injuries or illness.  And the Caps have a way of bouncing back immediately after a poor offensive performance.  They are 13-6 in their last 19 after netting one goal or less in their previous game, and 11-1 at home off a home defeat.  And they are also 4-0 in the last four meetings going back to February 2019.  Take the Capitals.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Vegas Golden Knights.  Last season's Hurricanes team was arguably the best one since this club won it all back in 2006.  The 2021 'Canes won 36 of 56 games and picked up at least one point in 71.4 % of their outings -- the highest number in franchise history.  This season's club is even better so far, getting points in 73.7 % of its games and is on track to have over 100 points for the first time since that Stanley Cup year.  The Knights come into Raleigh after shutting out the Caps 24 hours ago in DC, 1-0.  Like Carolina, Vegas is a team that is very good this season, but is also very injured right now.  No fewer than seven players are out with various injuries and Captain Mark Stone has landed on the COVID-19 protocol list with no timetable for a return. The 'Canes defense and goaltending have been ultra-tough at home, averaging just 2.33 GA per game.  Couple that with their 3.78 GPG here, and you can see why they're having so much success.  Carolina is 5-1 in its last six games vs. Pacific Division teams, while Vegas is 2-6 off a road shutout win.  Take the 'Canes.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over the St. Louis Blues.  The Flames had a big win here at home two games ago, beating the Panthers, 5-1.  Their next outing didn't go so well as they lost to the Oilers in Edmonton, 5-3 despite outshooting their hosts by a whopping 47-30.  The Blues played last night and beat a bad Canucks team, 3-1.  This despite the fact that they allowed 39 shots and registered just 17 of their own.  The Blues used red-hot second-year goalie Ville Husso in their win last night -- his third straight game for the team -- so they will go with Jordan Binnington tonight.  It wasn't that long ago that Binnington was the darling in the crease for this team, but the 28-year-old has fallen off a bit lately.  Binnington is 11-8-3 with a rather pedestrian 3.05 GAA in his 22 games with St. Louis this season.  The Blues won in Vancouver last night, but the road has been difficult for them lately as they are just 3-8 in their last 11 road contests and 2-6 in their last eight as a road dog.  The favorite is also 36-15 in the last 51 meetings of these two.  Take the Flames.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over New Jersey.  After back to back losses to two of the league's premier teams (Tampa Bay, Colorado), the Kings will no doubt be happy to step down in class, and see the Devils opposite them in the rink this evening.  These two teams last met earlier this season in Los Angeles, and the Kings won, 3-2.  That match-up featured the Kings' #2 goalie, Cal Petersen, vs. the Devils' #1 netminder, Mackenzie Blackwood.  But Jonathan Quick will be between the pipes tonight, and the Kings will have a scheduling advantage given that New Jersey had to play Saturday vs. Carolina, while the Kings have been off since Thursday.  Los Angeles is 2-0 this as a road favorite, while the Devils are 3-5 as a home underdog.  And New Jersey's also a poor 35-57 when playing with revenge, and a wallet-breaking 4-12 when playing without rest.  Take the Kings tonight.  Good luck, as always....Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the New York Islanders.  The Isles won at home again last night, pushing them over the .500 mark overall and marking their seventh victory at the new UBS Arena.  But last night's success was pretty much a free square as the Coyotes were in Long Island for the only time this season.  The Isles must have been confident, because with another game tonight against a much tougher opponent, they sat their #1 goalie and instead played back-up Ilya Sorokin.  The funny thing is, although he's listed second on the depth chart, the 26-year-old Russian has more starts (22), a better won-lost ledger, and superior overall numbers than #1 net-minder, 33-year-old Semyon Varlamov, who will get the start tonight against the Maple Leafs.  Toronto has had two days off since its disappointing loss to the Rangers in Manhattan.  The Leafs are 7-3 in the last 10 meetings with the Islanders going back to February of 2017.  New York is 1-7 in its last eight games against teams with a winning percentage above .600.  Take the Maple Leafs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Dallas Stars over the Buffalo Sabres.  Dallas will be looking to snap a 3-game slide tonight, after a 5-3 home loss to Montreal on Tuesday.  We'll take Dallas on the road, as it's 101-78 (+19 games on the moneyline) off 3+ losses.  And it's 113-75 (+29.2 games on the moneyline) off a home loss by 2+ goals.  Meanwhile, the Sabres won on the road, 3-1, against Ottawa, on Tuesday.  Unfortunately, Buffalo is a woeful 20-35 off a win.  Even worse:  this will be the Sabres' 3rd game in four nights, and 6th game in 10 nights.  And Buffalo's 11-31 when playing at least 6 games over a 10-day stretch.  Take Dallas.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the New Jersey Devils over the Arizona Coyotes.  If the Coyotes could play the Canadiens every night, they might be able to manage a .500 record.  Arizona took its 8-24-4 record into Monday's game with the Habs and came away with a 5-2 victory.  That's the good news for the visitors coming into this game.  The bad news is that on only one other occasion this season when the Coyotes got the W did they manage to come back and win the next time out (against seven defeats).  Tonight they travel to the Meadowlands where the Coyotes have not had much success lately.  A healthy Arizona club would likely still be an underdog tonight, but the current roster is anything but healthy right now.  There are at least four skaters and one goalie (Scott Wedgewood) out on COVID protocol and another five skaters and one goalie (Carter Hutton) out with various injuries.  The Coyotes are 8-20 in their last 28 games vs. Eastern Conference opponents as well as 3-9 in the last 12 meetings with the Devils and 1-5 in the last six here at Prudential Center.  Take New Jersey.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Vancouver Canucks.  Like some other teams from up north, the Canucks have had a slew of home games postponed due to COVID and the Canadian attendance restrictions.  In fact, Vancouver hasn't played a home game in over a month as its last time hosting was on December 14.  Tonight will be the Canucks ninth straight road contest, and they've actually done okay away from home, going 4-4.  They broke a three game losing streak on Sunday afternoon when they caught a flat Caps team coming off a road game 24 hours earlier.  But now it's the Preds who come in off a three game swoon, having lost to the Sabres, Bruins, and Blues -- the latter being last night.  With the quick turnaround and regular goalie Juuse Saros having played on Monday, Nashville will turn to capable back-up David Rittich tonight.  Rittich has only lost once in regulation coming in and all six of his games so far have been on the road.  The Canucks are 2-5 in the last seven meetings in Nashville.  Take the Predators.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Vegas Golden Knights over the Pittsburgh Penguins.  When the Penguins beat the Flyers on January 6 by a lopsided 6-2 score, it marked their 10th win in a row.  No doubt they had no problem going out on the road for an extended period knowing they were flying high at that point.  But the trip out west hasn't gone according to plan for Sidney Crosby and Co.  The Pens lost in Dallas to start things off then beat the Ducks in Anaheim, but followed that up with a clunker in L.A., losing to the Kings 6-2.  They barely won their last game in San Jose as the over-matched Sharks took them OT before falling.  Pittsburgh has gotten a bunch of players back from injury and illness, but back-up goalie Casey DeSmith has been placed on COVID protocol and the way Tristan Jarry has been playing in January, the Pens probably wish they had DeSmith ready to go if needed.  The favorite is 5-1 in the last six meetings of these two and the Knights are 50-24 in their last 74 games at home when priced at -101 (or higher) and 4-0 in their last four vs. Metropolitan teams.  Take Vegas.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the St. Louis Blues.  This is the fourth game of a five-game home-stand for the Blues and it's been very successful so far.  The Blues have won all three here at the Enterprise Center, limiting their opponent to just a single goal in each of those three.  That could be more difficult tonight against a Maple Leafs club that's averaging better than 3.3 goals per game this season.  The Leafs have recently gotten several key players back from COVID protocol, including LW Pierre Engvall and RW Mitch Marner.  St. Louis however is still struggling to keep its players on the ice with no fewer than six skaters out on COVID protocol as of this writing.  This series has been friendly to the visitors recently as the road team is 4-1 in the last five meetings of the Blues and Leafs.  The Leafs have had an extra day off and that's a situation that's been advantageous for them as Toronto is 36-16 in its last 52 when playing on two days of rest.  Finally, the Leafs are also 21-5 in their last 26 games as a favorite.  Take Toronto.  As always good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Anaheim Ducks.  The Pens' 10-game win streak was snapped on Saturday, in a 3-2 loss to Dallas.  Tonight, they'll travel to Anaheim to face a Ducks team which they defeated in Pittsburgh, 1-0, earlier this season.  Anaheim is a poor 21-43 when playing with revenge from a loss earlier in the season, while Pittsburgh is 82-46 off a road loss.  Take the Penguins to bounce back tonight.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the Detroit Red Wings.  The Kings are enjoying a seven-game homestand, which, in the middle of a pandemic is perhaps more important than it normally is for a professional sports team.  L.A. has split the first four games and they have two very tough teams visiting next week to wrap up the series in the Rangers and Penguins.  Which makes tonight's contest against the 16-18 Red Wings -- who are only 4-10-1 on the road -- all that more important.  One of the few teams that hasn't had major parts of its roster decimated lately by illness, Detroit really hasn't taken advantage of its good fortune in the health department.  The Wings went the entire month of December without a road victory (their last one was on November 30) and Staples Center, er, Crypto.com Arena, hasn't been very friendly to them recently either.  The Wings have lost five of their six games in L.A. with their last victory here coming more than five years ago.  The favorite is 30-11 in the last 41 meetings of the Red Wings and Kings.  Take Los Angeles.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Vegas Golden Knights over the New York Rangers.  Goalie Robin Lehner has been upgraded to 'probable,' which is all we need to pull the trigger on the Golden Knights in this game.  The Knights have started this 8-game home stand with a 1-2 mark, but they've been without their #1 goalie, Lehner, for each of those games. In Tuesday's 3-2 loss to Nashville, third-string goalie Logan Thompson was between the pipes for the first time this season, and let in three goals on 26 shots.  And in the game prior to that, second-string goalie, Laurent Brossoit, allowed 5 goals on 37 shots, in a 5-4 loss to the Jets.  The good news for tonight's game is that the Knights have won each of Lehner's last six starts.  And they're also 12-2 after back to back losses by a single goal.  Take Vegas.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  The Lightning come into tonight's game in perhaps the biggest funk of the season so far.  The Bolts are 0-3 in their last three games, having been out-scored by a total of 17-6 by the Panthers and Rangers.  But the good news is that Tampa recently got the game's best goalie back on the ice as Andrei Vasilevskiy played on Sunday for the first time in two weeks.  He took the loss against the Rangers, but that rust he exhibited was to be expected and we will likely see a much sharper netminder for the visitors tonight.  Even with the poor performance on Sunday, Vasilevskiy still has a 2.21 GAA and .921 saves pct to go with his league-leading 17 victories.  And at this point, the rest of the Bolts' roster is near 100% healthy coming in so that combined with the fact that they're playing the Blue Jackets are good indications that they could break out of their funk in this game.  The Bolts are 4-1 in the last five meetings with the Jackets and 5-2 in the last seven here in Columbus.  And they're 5-0 off a shutout loss, and 29-10 after losing by 2+ goals in their previous game.  Take Tampa.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.  

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over the New York Rangers.  The Oilers come into today's game off of three consecutive road losses while the Rangers come in off of a home-and-home sweep of the defending Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning.  But Edmonton has had a day off while the Rangers are on a quick turnaround after yesterday's matinee here at the Garden.  With regular #1 goalie Igor Shesterkin having played in three straight for the home team, the Rangers will likely go with back-up Alexandar Georgiev tonight between the pipes.  On the surface, that doesn't seem like a problem, but you have to consider that the 25-year-old Bulgarian has just come off of COVID protocol and is pretty cold coming in, not having played since December 17.  The Rangers will also be without their points-leader as LW Artemi Panarin has been placed on COVID protocol and will miss an undetermined amount of time.  This is a great opportunity for the Oilers to get back on track this season as they are 5-0 in the last five meetings with the Rangers, and 20-9 off a loss.  Take Edmonton.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 12:35 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the New York Rangers.  This is the back-end of a home-and-home series between the Rangers and Lightning.  Round one was on Friday and the Rangers were successful in Florida in a very close game which required a shootout.  Now the two teams have traveled north to Manhattan for this afternoon matinee and critical re-match between two teams with almost identical winning records and it seems likely the Rangers will be slight favorites today.  The good news for the Bolts is that they generally do very well in these situations -- i.e., the second half of a back-to-back series.  Just a month ago, the Lightning lost the first game of a home-and-home series to the Blues by exactly the same score and came back in the second game two days later to get a big win, 4-2.  Despite the Friday loss, the Bolts are 6-2 in the last eight meetings with the Rangers overall and 4-1 in the last five here in Madison Square Garden.  And they're a spectacular 25-5 when playing with revenge from a loss earlier in the season.  Meanwhile, New York has won just six of its last 20 home games following a road victory.  Take Tampa.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the St. Louis Blues.  The 2022 version of the NHL Winter Classic will feature the two teams that were supposed to play last year.  The 2021 game was postponed due to COVID concerns that ironically still seem to be prevalent in the hockey headlines a year later.  The good news is that both of these clubs appear to be relatively healthy compared to others in the league so tonight's games should feature most of the regular players on both sides of the ice.  The unfortunate part -- perhaps more for the fans in attendance -- is that the weather will not be cooperating as sub-zero temperatures are forecast.  This will be the Wild's first game in 12 days as the League's schedule halted temporarily over the Christmas holiday.  The Wild had lost four straight before the pause after winning eight in a row between November 24 and December 9.  Minny is no doubt looking forward to getting back to action with a healthy roster albeit in less than ideal conditions.  The home team is 6-2 in the last eight meetings of these two clubs.  Take the Wild.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the Vancouver Canucks.  No team was likely to be as upset at the temporary halt in the NHL schedule as the Vancouver Canucks.  That's because heading into last night's game against the Ducks (an overtime win), the Canucks had won eight of their last nine games, including their last six in a row from December 6 to December 16 when the games were halted.  The Kings made their return to action on Tuesday night and unfortunately they had to play the division-leading Vegas Golden Knights.  Los Angeles equaled Vegas in shot attempts (27), but was outscored, 6-3.  Still, prior to Tuesday's loss, the Kings had won two of their last three and those were against the Capitals and Panthers.  Los Angeles got yesterday off coming into this game, while the Canucks did not.  And Vancouver is 15-37 in its last 52 games when playing with zero days of rest.  The home team has also won four of the last five meetings.  Take the Kings.  As always, good luck....Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Washington Capitals over Nashville.  Both of these teams haven't played for 10+ days, as the NHL paused its schedule due to COVID-19.  The Caps did lose their last game -- also here at home -- but are a super 6-0 this season off a home loss, and 24-9 their last 33 off a defeat at home.  And Washington is 9-4 when playing with 3+ days of rest, while the Predators are 4-8 with 3+ days of rest.  We'll take the homestanding Capitals tonight.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the Dallas Stars.  Minnesota enters this game on a season-long 3-game losing streak.  Immediately before this stretch, the Wild had won eight straight games.  I look for Minny to bounce back tonight, as it's 20-8 its last 28 off back to back losses; and 20-7 off a home loss.  These two teams also met earlier this season, with the Wild topping the Stars in a 7-2 blowout.  Unfortunately for Dallas, it's 26-37 (minus 16.6 net games on the moneyline) when playing with revenge from a loss by more than 3 goals.  Finally, this will be Dallas' 3rd game in four nights, while the Wild have been idle over the last three days.  And the Stars are a poor 6-18 when playing their 3rd game in 4 days.  Take Minnesota.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Winnipeg Jets over the St. Louis Blues.  The Blues come into today's game with a 17-8-5 record that has them currently tied for second place in the Central Division, just one point behind the Minnesota Wild.  But despite the success, St. Louis' hockey team is still struggling mightily when it goes on the road this season.  In 14 games away from Enterprise Center, the Blues are 6-5-3 but even more concerning is the fact that they are 1-6 in their last seven on the road heading into this afternoon's match-up.  This is a very good team when healthy, but the Blues are anything but that as they go into Winnipeg for the second time this season.  St. Louis currently has no fewer than 10 regular players out of action with either an illness or injury, including six forwards who won't be suiting up (Schenn, Thomas, Kyrou, Neal, Perron, Sundqvist).  The Jets are 9-6-1 at the Canada Life Centre and they have taken two of the last three overall against the Blues.  Take Winnipeg.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the New York Islanders over the Detroit Red Wings.  Detroit has dropped three straight games -- all in blowout fashion -- as it lost to Nasville (5-2), St Louis (6-2) and Colorado (7-3).  Some teams react well off losses, but not Detroit.  It's 20-53 off back to back losses (and 16-36 off 3+ losses), including 4-16 off back to back losses by 2+ goals.  And it's 11-41 (minus 22.1 net games on the moneyline) off a blowout loss by more than 2 goals.  New York comes into tonight off a big win over New Jersey (which was our Division Game of the Month), and it's 35-24 (+7.2 net games) off a division win.  Take the Islanders.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Los Angeles Kings.  The Lightning had a five game win streak going into their last contest on Saturday.  It was a win streak that included victories over the Maple Leafs, Bruins, and Blues.  And the strange thing wasn't that their streak came to an end last weekend -- all good things end, if even temporarily.  What was strange was that is was the Ottawa Senators who did the deed -- and they did by way of a 4-0 shutout despite the fact that the Bolts' defense limited the Sens to only 22 shots.  Normal #1 goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy -- considered by some to be the best in the world -- took a seat on Saturday as back-up Brian Elliott got the call between the pipes.  As he sometimes does, Elliott threw in a clunker (three goals allowed in those 22 shots).  Back home tonight to face the Kings, the Bolts will certainly bring their go-to netminder back on the ice as they attempt to keep pace with the Leafs and Panthers.  They are 8-0 in the last eight meetings with the Kings overall and 5-0 in the last five here at home.  And they're 4-0 off a shutout loss, and 24-4 after scoring less than 2 goals in their previous game.  Take Tampa.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Florida Panthers over the Ottawa Senators.  The Panthers have lost just once at home this season (vs. Seattle, on Nov. 27), and will look to improve to 15-1 at home tonight vs. the Senators.  Ottawa shut out the Lightning, 4-0, in its previous game.  Unfortunately, the Senators are just 3-17 off a win by more than 2 goals.  Take Florida.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Vegas Golden Knights over the Minnesota Wild.  Heading into their game last night in Los Angeles, the Wild was on quite a roll, having won eight straight games going back to November 24.  During the win streak, Minnesota has out-scored its opponents by 37-16, so it's not a stretch to say that the Wild is the hottest team in the league right now.  Along the way, the Wild has beaten some very good teams including the Maple Leafs, Lightning, and Oilers.  But during this win streak, the Wild has always had at least one day of rest and that will not be the case tonight in Vegas against the Knights.  In five previous cases this season similar to tonight in which it was playing on zero days of rest, Minnesota has gone 2-3.  One of those was here in Vegas on November 11 when the Wild lost to the Knights, 3-2.  The Knights on the other hand are 12-2 in their last 14 when playing exactly two days after their prior game, and they're also 5-2 in the last seven meetings with the Wild.  Take Vegas.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over the Boston Bruins.  The Bruins have had an up-and-down season, but have generally followed the form where they have played better off losses and poorly off wins.  Indeed, this season, Boston is 8-2 off a loss, but 4-8 off a win.  On Thursday, Boston upset the Oilers, 3-2, which was also the first time Boston won in an underdog role this season (in five tries).  We'll go against the underdog Bruins tonight, as they're off a win, and will also have to face a Flames club which is 28-15 vs. the Eastern Conference.  Take Calgary.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over the Carolina Hurricanes.  After dropping 3 in a row (and five of six), the Hurricanes have won three straight coming into this game at Rogers Place.  Unfortunately, the 'Canes are a woeful 38-67 on the road off 3+ wins.  Even worse, the Oilers will be looking to bounce back off their 3-2 loss on Thursday to Boston -- a loss made even more frustrating since the Oilers outshot the Bruins, 43-30, in that game.  But Edmonton is a solid 41-27 (+11 net games on the moneyline) off a loss.  Take Edmonton.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the New York Islanders over the New Jersey Devils.  The Islanders have tried seven times, but despite coming close, they have yet to win a game in their new home venue.  Perhaps tonight will be the night that the Isles will finally break through at the beautiful UBS Arena.  It would certainly seem fitting, as the Devils are a team that the Isles have dominated at home recently, taking 13 of the last 16 meetings in New York going back to March of 2014.  The Devils played last night and used #1 net-minder Mackenzie Blackwood and so with the injury to second-string Jonathan Bernier (IR - hip), the visitors will go with the 21-year-old rookie goalie who was just called up from the Minors -- Akira Schmid -- to make his NHL debut.  This will be a revenge game for the Isles, as the Devils shut them out in their only other meeting this season back on November 11 despite New York out-shooting New Jersey by 42-34.  New Jersey is 1-5 in its last six games as a road underdog.  Take the Islanders.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Chicago Blackhawks.  The Leafs were my choice to win this year's Stanley Cup (at 7-1 odds), and are in a tight battle with Florida and Tampa Bay for the #1 spot in the Atlantic Division.  Tonight, goalie Petr Mrazek will make his return to the ice after being sidelined in late October.  He'll face a Blackhawks team coming off a 2-0 shutout win over Montreal.  Unfortunately for the Hawks, they're 0-6 their last 6 off a shutout win.  Take Toronto.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over Carolina.  Calgary dropped its last two games -- both on the road -- but is back home tonight to face a Hurricanes team off back-to-back wins.  The Flames' previous game was particularly irksome to head coach Darryl Sutter.  Calgary gave up four goals in the final 30 minutes of the game, so Sutter expressed much displeasure afterwards, and said his team has "got to be better."  I expect his message will be received loud and clear, and that his team will come out strong tonight.  Calgary is 28-14 its last 42 vs. foes from the Eastern Conference, and 33-20 after allowing more than 3 goals in its previous game.  Meanwhile, Carolina is a poor 50-72 off back to back wins by 2+ goals.  Take the Flames.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.