At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Boston Bruins.  We're down to four teams in each Conference and perhaps no series is as compelling as this one.  These two are everyone's favorite playoff underachievers (now that the Caps have won it all) since 2011, the last time one of them took home the Stanley Cup (Boston).  Between them, the Bruins and Bolts have lost three Stanley Cup Finals in the last seven years and of course only one of these teams can get there this year.  It's the Lightning who come into this quarterfinal series off of a major high, having beaten the team that knocked them out in four straight in the first round in 2019 (Columbus).  Their mantra in this playoff run should be "No Stamkos, No problem" as the Bolts have been playing some of their best hockey of the season despite the continued loss of their Captain.  This could be the best match-up for them right now as the Bolts are 19-6 (+9 games on the moneyline) in their last 25 games vs. Division foes.  Take Tampa.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 12 noon, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  There are two takeaways from this -- so far -- lopsided playoff series that could be wrapped up by Tampa this afternoon.  The first is that revenge can be sweet as it was the Jackets who eliminated the heavily favored Bolts with a first round playoff sweep in 2019.  The second is that a team with depth, a strong defense, and a Vezina-caliber goalie can overcome the loss of its best player as Tampa has done in the post-season so far without C Steven Stamkos.  Since that first round shellacking, the Bolts have taken four of five meetings with the Jackets and look to make it five of six today while moving on to the next round.  It's not like the Jackets have been a push-over as these battles are close, but it seems that the more tight, low-scoring games the Bolts play, the more they benefit.  They are an super 44-15 in their last 59 after allowing one goal or less, while the Jackets are a horrid 24-35 (minus 13 games on the moneyline) when playing with double-revenge.  Take Tampa.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:00 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Jackets.  After a somewhat surprising comeback by the Blue Jackets in Game 2 of this series, the Lightning's stifling defense took over in Game 3.  Tampa smothered Columbus pretty much the entire game on Saturday, allowing just 17 shots to get through to their outstanding net-minder (only seven in the last 45 minutes) and the Bolts won the game 3-2 to take a 2-1 series lead.  Tampa has now out-shot Columbus by a whopping 159-102 over the course of the three games and if this continues then it will likely be lights out for the Jackets.  In addition to the suffocating defense of their opponent, the Jackets are continuing to be hampered by the loss of several key offensive players.  On the other side, with the depth the Lightning have, they haven't seemed to have missed star Steven Stamkos who has been out with a lower body injury.  A lot of teams will suffer letdowns off wins, or bounce back after losses, but not these two teams.  Tampa is 112-62 (+9 games on the moneyline) off a win, while the Jackets are a poor 18-23 this season off a loss, and just just 14-21 (-5 games on the money line) in its last 35 revenging a loss against an opponent.  Take Tampa.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:00 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia Flyers over the Montreal Canadiens.  Those who thought that the Canadiens' improbable run would end quickly in round one against the talented, top-seeded Flyers were in a for a bit of a shock on Friday.  The lowest seeded team, who beat the mighty Penguins in four games in the play-in round, shocked Philly with a 5-0 rout two nights ago.  Veteran goalie Carey Price was magnificent, stopping all 30 shots he faced while the Flyers pulled their #1, Carter Hart, after he allowed four goals and replaced him with veteran Brian Elliott.  If you're a Flyers fan there's no need to panic just yet.  Philly was simply flat on Friday and the Flyers have done a really good job recently at bouncing back after games like that.  Philly is 7-2 (+6 games on the moneyline) in its last nine after a blowout loss of at least five goals in the previous contest.  The Flyers are also 14-5 (+10 games on the moneyline) in their last 19 revenging a loss to an opponent.  Meanwhile, the Canadiens are a poor 6-11 this season (and 16-32 the past 3 seasons (-15 games on the moneyline)) when matched up against the league's best teams (which outscore their foes by 0.5 goals per game).  Take Philadelphia.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  You have to hand it to the Blue Jackets.  After a devastating 5 OT loss in Game one on Tuesday, you wouldn't blame them if they packed it in.  But Columbus sucked it up and came back in Game 2 on Thursday and beat the favored Bolts, 3-1.  Now it's up to Tampa to show that it can rebound in the same manner.  The Lightning once again had a huge shot advantage in game two, 37-22, but following his NHL record 85-save performance in Game 1, Columbus goalie Joonas Korpisalo was stellar once again.  Look for the Bolts to shake up their front lines in an effort to get back to the type of scoring they had during most of the regular season (first in the NHL at 3.47 GPG).  The banged-up Jackets will once again be without several key offensive players, including Brandon Dubinsky, Josh Anderson, and Cam Atkinson.  Tampa is 19-3 (+14 games on the moneyline) in its last 22 after scoring 1 goal or less in its previous game, and 59-25 (+20 games on the moneyline) off a loss.  Take the Lightning.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:00 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  In an historic Game 1 on Tuesday, the Lightning out-lasted the Blue Jackets when Brayden Point scored at 10:27 of the fifth OT period.  That Game 1 result certainly satisfied us, as we had a big play on Tampa in Game 1 (and also have it as our Preseason Futures wager this season at 7-1 odds).   Several NHL records were set in that one, including most shots on goal (151) and most saves by a goalie in a game (85 by the Jackets' Korpisalo).  And although the fourth-longest game in NHL history doesn't necessarily spell doom for the Jackets, it certainly lets some air out of their balloon heading into this afternoon's Game 1.  It's a great boost for Tampa today knowing that the only thing that kept Columbus in the game that long was the play of its goalie as the Bolts out-shot the Jackets by a whopping 25 when all was said and done.  While Korpisalo's superhuman efforts will be remembered, it's also important to point out that Tampa's Vezina Trophy finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy bought time for Point and Co. with 61 saves of his own.  Tampa is 23-12 in its last 35 after winning its previous game in overtime.  Take the Lightning.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  The Jackets played the only five-game series in the play-in round, outlasting Toronto with a 3-0 win on Sunday.  Meanwhile, the Bolts (who were our preseason pick at 7-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup) lost their final match in the qualifying round to the Flyers (who were also 2-0 coming in) on Saturday 4-1.  However you could argue that the loss puts Tampa in a much better position now, having to meet Columbus -- the only team coming in with only one day of rest -- compared to the red-hot Canadiens who ran through top-seeded Pittsburgh in four games (Philly gets Montreal now).  There is also a nice revenge factor at work for the Bolts as they have a chance to get back at the team that eliminated them in the first round of the 2019 playoffs in a four-game sweep.  Not including that dreadful playoff series, Tampa has dominated its meetings with Columbus recently, winning each of the last seven going back to October 2017.  The Bolts are also 24-7 (+14 games on the money line) in the last 31 after a blowout loss by three or more goals.  Take Tampa.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:00 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over Columbus.  There were eight first round, best-of-five playoff series in the 2020 NHL playoffs and this is the only one to go five games thanks to a crazy Game 4 in which the Maple Leafs prevailed on Friday night.  Down 3-0 with less than four minutes to go in the final period, the Leafs staged a furious comeback that took it into overtime.  They then prevailed in the extra stanza on an Auston Matthews power play goal.  It was just the 3rd time in NHL Playoffs history that a team came back to win after being down three goals with under four minutes to play.  Of course, it's also worth noting that, in Game 3, it was Columbus which came back from a three-goal deficit to win.  Thus, both teams will want to make sure they don't squander a lead tonight.  The Blue Jackets have now lost 14 of their last 19 games.  Even worse, Columbus' best defenseman, Zach Werenski, has been downgraded to 'doubtful' with an upper body injury.  That doesn't bode well for John Tortorella's men.  Nor does the fact that they are averaging just 1.78 expected goals per game in the series when playing at full strength.  I look for Toronto to close out Columbus tonight with a decisive win.  Take the Maple Leafs.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over Columbus.   The Maple Leafs haven't won a playoff series since 2004.  And, unless they win the next two games vs. Columbus, their playoff drought will continue.  At the very least, I expect the Maple Leafs to force a decisive Game 5.  Tonight, they'll look to bounce back from a 4-3 defeat in Game 3 -- a game in which they led 3-0 midway through the second period.  Unfortunately, they have up three 3rd period goals, and that was "all she wrote."  The Leafs are now 2-5 their last seven games.  But Toronto's a super 40-21 if it's lost at least 4 of its previous 6 games.  Take the Maple Leafs.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 4:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Montreal Canadiens.  With their backs against the wall, the Pens might turn to Tristan Jarry in goal against Montreal tonight.  While you certainly can't blame Matt Murray entirely for the difficult position the Pens find themselves in -- one loss away from elimination -- and you can't blame coach Mike Sullivan for using him in Game 3 after his performance before that, don't be surprised if there is a change today.  Jarry was better in the regular season and, at this point, the Pens can't afford to lose.  The good news for them is that their two losses have been very close.  And with a couple of different bounces, they would be the ones with the 2-1 lead.  The Habs are 8-17 (-12 games on the money line) after scoring more than 3 goals in their previous game, while Pittsburgh is 20-13 when playing with revenge from an upset loss.  Take the Pens.

At 2:35 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over Arizona.  This has been a back-and-forth series, with Arizona up 2-games-to-1 going into this afternoon's tilt.  We'll take the Predators as they're 146-92 (+54 games on the moneyline) when playing with revenge from a defeat in which they didn't score 2+ goals.  Nashville's also 47-28 (+10 games on the moneyline) its last 75 when playing with revenge from a loss earlier in the season.  Meanwhile, Arizona's a wallet-busting 43-60 (minus 17 games on the moneyline) off a win.  Take the Predators.

At 2:35 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the Vancouver Canucks.  After firing on all cylinders in game one of this series and shutting out the Canucks 3-0, the Wild stumbled a bit in game two, falling 4-3.  The Wild dominated most of the third period, out-shooting the Canucks 16-8 in that final stanza and staged a furious rally that just fell short.  If Minnesota can continue where in left off in game two, it should be able to take an important 2-1 lead in this series after today.  The goalies haven't been confirmed for this match-up, but it's always possible that the Wild could turn to Devan Dubnyk after going with Alex Stalock in each of the first two. Eager to get his #1 net-minding job back after losing it this past winter when his wife had a medical emergency and he missed time, Dubnyk would be ready to go if called upon.  And It wouldn't hurt to turn to a veteran goalie who has something to prove -- with a bit of a chip on his shoulder -- come playoffs.  But regardless if it's Stalock or Dubnyk, we're taking Minnesota.  The Canucks are 14-26 (-9 games on the money line) off a one-goal win, while the Wild are 51-38 after giving up more than three goals.  And the Wild have controlled the play in this series this year, by out-shooting Vancouver in four of the five meetings.  The Wild should once again control play in the 5 x 5 action, and produce more scoring opportunities.  If they get better goal-tending play from Stalock (or Dubnyk) than they did on Tuesday, then they should win.  Take Minnesota.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 4:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Tampa Bay Lightning.  While eight teams in each conference battle for a chance to advance in the playoffs as seeds 5 through 12, the top four teams in the East and West are playing a round robin tournament against each other to determine the final playoff seeding (with regular season overtime and shootout rules).  The Bruins won the Presidents Trophy and are considered the top team although that really doesn't matter in this format.  They were rusty in their first game, falling to the Flyers, 4-1 on Sunday.  Another zero-point effort tonight would almost make their third and final game meaningless, so the Bruins need to come out firing.  The Lightning beat the Caps in their first game but needed a shutout to do it as Washington out-played Tampa in the final two periods.  The Bolts were without their best player, C Steven Stamkos (lower body).  The oft-injured leader won't play tonight either.  Boston is 24-9 (+12 games on the money line) after scoring one goal or less in its previous game.  Take the Bruins.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 4:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  This series figures to be close as the Leafs and Jackets are the #8 and #9 seeds respectively in the Eastern Conference play-in round.  So perhaps it wasn't too surprising when Columbus scored a mild upset in game one on Sunday.  What was more surprising perhaps was the fact that the Leafs were held scoreless, something that happened just once during the regular season.  Game one was a defensive struggle for the first two periods before the Jackets broke the tie just a minute into period #3 and then sealed the deal with an empty net goal in the final minute.  Look for the Leafs to come out more aggressively and take it to the Jackets with an offense that was third best in the league in terms of scoring during the regular season (3.39 GPG).  The Maple Leafs are 26-11 (+13 games on the money line) in their last 37 games revenging a loss to an opponent in which they scored one goal or less.  Take Toronto.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie. 

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over the Chicago Blackhawks.  It's hard to imagine many positive take-aways from a Game 1 lopsided loss to a 12 seed when you are the heavy favorite.  But Edmonton actually has some things to build on as it prepares for Game 2 after a 6-4 defeat on Saturday.  First, there's the fact that, from the second period on, the Oilers out-scored Chicago 3-2.  The problem, of course, was the four first period goals they surrendered.  If they can prevent another early meltdown they should be fine.  Second is the fact that after veteran goalie Mike Smith was pulled following a dismal performance (five goals in 23 shots), back-up Mikko Koskinen stepped in and saved 18 of 19 the rest of the way.  It hasn't been announced but don't be surprised if the 31-year-old Koskinen gets the call tonight off of that superb effort which was too little too late for Edmonton.  The Oilers are 11-4 (+8 games on the money line) in their last 15 after allowing five or more goals in their previous game, and 15-6 off a loss by 2+ goals.  Take the Oilers.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over New Jersey.  The Pens have hit the skids, with eight losses in their last 10 games.  And it couldn't have come at a worse time, as the Pens have fallen into 3rd place in the Metropolitan Division, behind the red-hot Flyers, who have won nine straight.  Tonight, the Pens will attempt to get back into the win column, and will be most happy to see a 28-28-12 Devils squad which has been reduced to the role of a spoiler.  Pittsburgh is a solid 58-37 after allowing more than 3 goals, and also 7-3 this season after scoring 2 or less goals in back to back games.  Meanwhile, the Devils are a wallet-busting 2-8 this season off back to back wins, and 18-28 (minus 9 games on the money line) their last 46 in this role.  Take Pittsburgh.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the Anaheim Ducks.  There are less than 15 games left in the season, so every game is critical for the Wild, who sit 1 point behind the Canucks, Predators and Jets in the race for a playoff spot.  Anaheim, on the other hand, won't be a playoff participant this season, so it must content itself to play the role of a spoiler.  So, Minnesota should have more urgency tonight, given the post-season implications.  And the Wild have also dominated the Ducks here, in Anaheim, with four wins in the last five meetings.  We'll look for that trend to continue on Sunday night, with Minnesota looking to bounce back off its 7-3 loss at Los Angeles last night.  The Wild are 30-17 (+10 games on the money line) after a loss by 3+ goals, while the Ducks are an awful 8-19 (minus 11 games on the money line) off a win (and 1-6 off back to back wins).  Take Minnesota.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Los Angeles Kings.  The Kings have won three games in a row, and two of those have come against two of the hotter teams in the League.  Last Wednesday, Los Angeles beat the Penguins, 2-1 and then two games later they followed that up with a dominant 4-1 victory against the Knights in Las Vegas.  But the Maple Leafs could pose a more difficult challenge to L.A. tonight as they are 9-4-1 vs. Pacific Division teams this season (and 16-9-2 vs. teams from the West), while the Kings are just 4-22 in their last 26 games vs. teams from the Atlantic Division, and 1-8 off a road win.  Toronto's loss to the Sharks in San Jose in its last game did snap a three-game winning streak.  But the Leafs are 36-21 (+10 games on the money line) off a road loss.  Take the Maple Leafs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie. 

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over Montreal.  The Lightning were my preseason choice (at 7-1 odds) to win this year's Stanley Cup.  They got off to a slow start, but came on strong from late-December to mid-February where they won 23 of 26 games.  Since then, they've stumbled to a 1-5 record, so they'll look to get back on track tonight.  The good news is that Montreal is the opponent, and the Canadiens have lost all three games this season to Tampa, and also the last five here at Amalie Arena.  And Montreal's been poor when playing with double-revenge, as it's 25-52 its last 77.  Meanwhile, Tampa's a spectacular 39-9 (+20 games on the money line) vs. Atlantic division rivals, 5-1 this season after not scoring 2+ goals in their previous game, and 56-24 (+18 games on the money line) off a loss.  Take the Lightning.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the Florida Panthers over the Chicago Blackhawks.  It's leap day today and that's perhaps appropriate for the Panthers right now who have taken a leap of faith by trading one of their core players to a rival team for a package of young talent.  In an effort to revitalize their playoff hopes, the Panthers moved 26-year-old Vincent Trocheck to the Hurricanes at the deadline for forwards Erik Haula and Lucas Wallmark with Carolina prospects Eetu Luostarinen and Chase Priskie also coming to Florida in the deal.  Something else that might energize the Panthers is a visit from the Blackhawks as Florida has won the last two meetings of these two team going back to December of 2018.  The 'Hawks had a big upset in their last game, beating the Lightning on Thursday, by a 5-2 final score.  But that may not bode well tonight for Chicago who is 0-4 in its last four games immediately following a win.  Although the Panthers are basically a .500 team (33-25-6), they do by far their best work vs. inferior competition, going 8-2 in their last 10 vs. teams with a losing record.  Florida is also 20-11 (+9 games on the money line) in its last 31 after allowing four goals or more in its previous game.  Finally, the Hawks are 18-28 (-10 games on the money line) in their last 46 games off of a road victory.  Take the Panthers.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Anaheim Ducks.  No team re-tooled itself over the past week more than the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Pens added some significant talent to their offense, including forwards Jason Zucker (Minn), Riley Barber (Mon), Phil Varone (Mon), Patrick Marleau (SJ), Conor Sheary (Buf) and Evan Rodrigues (Buf).  That's a total of six forwards heading to Pittsburgh to play for a club which was already loaded on the front lines.  But it seems as though the pieces of the puzzle may still be figuring things out as the Pens have lost four games in a row coming into tonight -- the first time that's happened all season.  A meeting with the Ducks in Anaheim may be just what the doctor ordered for the Pens as they have taken nine of the last 13 meetings, and four of the last six here at the Honda Center.  That re-tooled Penguin offense should have a field day with four of Anaheim's defensive regulars either questionable or out with injuries tonight.  The Ducks won their last game, in overtime, but that may not bode well for tonight as they are 4-18 their last 22 off a win, and 0-7 off an overtime victory.  They're also 6-14 in their last 20 vs. teams from the East and 1-12 in their last 13 home games that had an over/under line of 6+ goals.  Finally, the Pens are 9-1 off back to back road losses.  Take the Penguins.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over Columbus.  The Wild have played well in their first four games for new coach Dean Evason, notwithstanding their 2-2 record.  Indeed, they've out-shot their four opponents, 139-107, and out-hit their foes 83-73.  If Minnesota continues its energetic play, the wins will certainly follow.  Columbus, on the other hand, surely feels snakebit right now.  The Blue Jackets snapped their 8-game losing streak last night with an overtime win against Ottawa.  Unfortunately, the Jackets suffered injuries to both forward Riley Nash and goalie Elvis Merzlikins.  And they now have 11 regulars in street clothes.  We'll take the homestanding Wild, as they're 39-20 (+19 games on the money line) after allowing more than two goals in back-to-back games.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Dallas Stars over Chicago.  The Blackhawks upset Nashville, 2-1, on Friday, while Dallas was upset here at home, 5-1, by the Blues.  That loss snapped a 6-game streak by Dallas in which it earned at least a point in each game (5-0-1).  But I love Dallas to bounce back this afternoon, as it's 66-32 off a home loss by more than 2 goals, and 14-2 its last 16 home games after allowing more than 4 goals in its previous game.  Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are a miserable 9-20 (minus 11 games on the money line) off a division win.  Take Dallas.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Dallas Stars over Arizona.  The Stars have recorded at least a point in each of their five previous games (4-0-1), and I look for them to continue their solid play tonight, at home, where they're 17-11 on the season.  The Coyotes did just win back-to-back home games over Washington (3-1) and the Islanders (2-1).  But that doesn't bode well for the visiting team, as Arizona's an awful 23-56 after not giving up more than 2 goals in each of its two previous games.  Even worse, the Coyotes' last win in Dallas was more than eight years ago.  Dating back to 2012, they've dropped 12 straight road games here to the Stars!  Take Dallas.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over Nashville.  The Blues are on a rare 3-game losing streak after dropping a 6-5 decision to the Golden Knights on Thursday.  Tonight, they'll welcome Nashville to Enterprise Center, and will seek to avenge two losses to the Predators earlier this season.  We'll play on the defending champs, as St. Louis has gone 8-1 its last nine off three straight losses.  And it's also 23-11 when playing with double-revenge.  Take the Blues this afternoon.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Dallas Stars over the Minnesota Wild.  It seems like only yesterday that Devan Dubnyk was the goalie that could do no wrong between the pipes for the Minnesota Wild.  As recently as last season, the five-time All Star was still putting up stellar numbers, with a 2.54 GAA and .913 saves pct in a league-leading 67 games.  But something has gone amiss this season with the now-33-year-old net-minder (a 9-15 record with a 3.40 GAA in 25 games) and a new star has emerged in goal.  32-year-old journeyman and St. Paul native Alex Stalock is the flavor of the month it seems and Stalock was stellar again last night as the Wild beat the Canucks, stopping 24 of 26 shots.  But the fact that he played last night means that Minnesota must turn again to the shaky Dubnyk tonight in a very tough match-up in Dallas.  The Stars have been very solid here at home and they'll look to continue their dominance over the Wild, having taken five of the last seven meetings.  And this has been a very host-friendly series lately, with the home team taking each of the last four meetings (with Dallas being victorious in the last three played here at AA Center).  Finally, the Wild have significantly underperformed on back-to-back nights, having gone 3-13 in their last 16 games playing without rest.  Take the Stars.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over Chicago.  The Wild were crushed, 6-1, at home by Boston.  But we'll take the Wild to bounce back tonight.  And, for technical support, consider that the Wild are 46-35 (+14 games on the money line) off a loss by more than 3 goals (including 4-1 this season), and 10-5 after allowing 6+ goals.  Take Minnesota.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Carolina Hurricanes.  The Defending Stanley Cup Champions have hit a bit of a mid-season skid.  But as bad as their current slump is -- they've lost five out of their last six overall -- if you ask the Blues they would probably tell you that they'd rather go through this in late January/early February than in March.  So, it's not a time to panic for a team which still has the best record in the Western Conference.  And, if there's a match-up that could begin a turnaround for the home team tonight, it just might be a visit from the Hurricanes.  St. Louis is 4-1 in the last five meetings with Carolina, and are 5-2 in the last seven meetings in the Gateway City.  The Hurricanes squeaked out a home win in their last game, 4-3 in a shootout, but they are 0-4 in their last four games away from Raleigh.  Finally, the Blues are 30-19 (+6 games on the money line) in their last 49 off back-to-back losses.  Take the Blues.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Avalanche over the Buffalo Sabres.  What started as a very promising season for the Sabres in the first month, has gone downhill quickly after that.  And it's gotten even worse, lately.  The main reason for this continued slide is very easy to put into words: mounting injuries.  The Sabres looked for sure like they had found their goalie for the foreseeable future in 26-year-old Swede Linus Ullmark, who was having a breakout campaign in his fifth NHL season.  Then last Tuesday, Ullmark went down awkwardly in Buffalo's game against Ottawa having sustained a lower-body injury that will likely keep him out for three-to-four weeks.  But their net-minder is just the tip of the ailment iceberg for the Sabres.  Buffalo has at least seven other regulars who will miss tonight's game due to injury or illness and at least three of them are on defense.  That's not a good thing against one of the most potent offenses in the league.  Even worse:  the Sabres are off a home win over Columbus, but are an awful 14-32 (-13 games on the money line) in their last 46 games after a home victory.  Take the Avalanche.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the San Jose Sharks over the Anaheim Ducks.  If the Ducks are going to make a run at the post-season in the second half -- and avoid their second straight losing season after making the playoffs in six straight -- they're going to have to find a way to win on the road.  Anaheim is basically a .500 team at home (11-12) but away from Honda Center, the Ducks are awful.  Their 15 losses in regulation tie them for worst in that category in the Western Conference (Minnesota).  The Sharks are in a similar situation, but actually have a winning record at home while taking just eight of 25 on the road.  Tonight's game is in the Sharks' home arena and that's a good thing for them when it comes to this series lately.  The hosts have dominated, taking each of the last four meetings going back to the Fall of 2018.  And overall, the Ducks are just 5-13 in the last 18 meetings here at the SAP Center and 3-9 in the last 12 meetings overall.  The Ducks do come into this game off back to back road wins.  They beat a good Hurricanes team, 2-1, in OT in their most recent game, but are just 2-7 in their last nine after not giving up 3+ goals in their previous game.  And the Ducks are also 3-13 in their last 16 games following a win.  Take San Jose.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Columbus Blue Jackets.  This is a huge revenge game for Carolina, which has lost both prior meetings to the Jackets this season.  But we'll take the Hurricanes to avenge those defeats, as they come into this game off a rare shutout loss, 2-0, to the Capitals on Monday.  But Carolina is a perfect 3-0 this season off a shutout defeat.  Coincidentally, the Blue Jackets come into this game off back-to-back shutout wins.  Unfortunately, Columbus is a poor 3-7 this season after allowing less than 3 goals in each of their two previous games.   Take Carolina.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Winnipeg Jets over Vancouver.  Winnipeg was blanked, 1-0, at home on Sunday by Nashville.  And that was the Jets' 2nd shutout loss this season.  The first time was back on November 12, when the Avalanche defeated Winnipeg, 4-0.  Winnipeg bounced back nicely in its next game, as it won at Florida, 4-3, as a +150 underdog.  And that's been par for the course for the Jets, as they're an awesome 8-0 (+9 games on the money line) the past 3 seasons after a shutout loss, and also 7-1 this season after scoring less than 2 goals in their previous game.  Even better:  Vancouver will be playing its 3rd game in 4 nights, and it's a poor 17-26 in that scheduling situation.  Take Winnipeg.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the NY Islanders over Minnesota.  The Wild exploded for six goals at Colorado, on Friday, as they won their second straight game.  This evening, they're back home, and will welcome the Islanders to Xcel Energy Center.  The Isles lost, 5-2, at Chicago on Friday.  And that was their 3rd straight loss, overall, as they succumbed, 3-2, on Monday to Columbus, and 6-5 to Anaheim two days before that.  I look for New York to rebound this evening, as it's a super 19-4 after not scoring 3+ goals in either of its two previous games.  Even better:  the Wild are a dreadful 7-21 (minus 20 games on the money line) off a win over a division rival.  And Minny's also 25-41 (minus 23 games on the money line) after scoring 3+ goals in back to back games.  Take the Islanders.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Washington Capitals.  We played on Washington last night at New Jersey, but will switch gears and go against Alex Ovechkin & Co. tonight.  This will be the 3rd time in 23 days that these two teams have faced off.  And perhaps the 3rd time will be the charm for the Lightning tonight, as they'll seek to avenge losses in those two prior games.  Tampa blew a 3-1 lead in its game two nights ago, and fell in overtime to the Dallas Stars.  But if there was a silver lining in that defeat, it's that Tampa played extremely well, and out-shot the Stars 48-20.  Perhaps Tampa is starting to turn the corner, as it's 5-3-1 its last nine games, and was out-shot in just two of those nine games (compared to being out-shot in 13 of its first 24 games).  I look for the Lightning's solid play to continue tonight, and it will have an advantage by being rested, while the Caps had to play last night.  Also, Tampa is a super 53-21 its last 73 after allowing more than three goals in its previous game.  Take the Lightning.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over the Montreal Canadiens.  This will be Calgary's fourth home game in a row, and its final one before heading out on a three-game road trip.  After a loss to the Penguins on Tuesday, the Flames are 1-2 on this home-stand, so a victory tonight would even up that four-game record.  Tonight, it's the Canadiens who come into town for the first meeting between these two in over a year (November 15, 2018).  And although the Habs have won the last three in row, they've all been close affairs (3-2 finals in each).  It's a banged-up Canadiens squad which will be visiting Scotiabank Saddledome this evening to take on an almost completely healthy Calgary club.  Montreal bounced back from an embarrassing loss to the lowly Red Wings on Saturday to beat the Canucks on Tuesday despite being out-shot 39-30.  They could have trouble scoring on a Flames defense that is a half-goal stingier at home than it is on the road this season (2.71 GA vs. 3.21).  The Flames are 8-4 in their last 12 (+4 games on the money line) after allowing more than three goals in their previous game.  Meanwhile, the Canadiens are 22-31 in their last 53 (-9 games on the money line) after a victory by two or more goals.  Take Calgary.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Avalanche over Philadelphia.  The Flyers will start goalie Carter Hart tonight.  And he's been awful on the road this season, with a 2-4-1 record, 3.78 GAA, and .849 Saves %.  Even worse:  Travis Konecny, the Flyers' leading scorer (28 points; 11 goals), sustained a concussion on Saturday night, and will be sidelined.  To replace Konecny on the top line, coach Alain Vigneault decided to elevate Tyler Pitlick from the 4th line, which will give the Avs a big advantage when their top line is on the ice.  Colorado, of course, has its own injuries, and hopes to start Philipp Grubauer, who is banged-up, tonight.  Grubauer did practice on Tuesday, and will be re-evaluated this morning before a final decision is reached.  If Grubauer -- who has won his last four starts -- can't go, then Pavel Francouz will man the pipes.  And all Francouz has done this season is lead the Avalanche to a 7-3 record in his starts (including a perfect 3-0 vs. Eastern Conference foes).  Overall, the Avs are 8-1-2 this season vs. foes from the Eastern Conference.  And they are also 8-3-2 at home, while leading the NHL in shooting (11.6%; 3.7 goals on 31.8 shots per game).  Take Colorado.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the New Jersey Devils over the Chicago Blackhawks.  It's not that long ago that these two hockey clubs were two of the best the NHL had to offer.  Times have changed however and now it's safe to say that both the Blackhawks and Devils are clearly in "rebuilding mode."  To say that this season has been a struggle for both of these teams would be quite an understatement as the Devils have won just nine games (and fired their head coach earlier this week), while the 'Hawks have gone just two better (11-17).  And both of them are in the cellars of their respective divisions.  But in a head-to-head meeting, we have to give the edge to New Jersey.  For one thing, the Devils have gotten the better of the Blackhawks recently, taking three of the last four meetings going back about two years.  Second, the home team has been pretty dominant lately, taking the last three meetings (two here at Prudential Center).  And, although they've struggled mightily this season, the Devils still are 31-21 (+17 games on the money line) in their last 52 after allowing three goals or more in three straight games.  I look for the home team to give their new coach, Alain Nasreddine, his first win behind the bench.  Take New Jersey.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Ottawa Senators.  This is the 2nd game of a home-and-home series, which commenced Saturday, in Ottawa.  The homestanding Senators won that game, 4-1, which was Carolina's fourth straight defeat (by an aggregate score of 17-7).  But now the Hurricanes are back home.  And they're 9-2 after allowing more than three goals in four straight games.  That bodes well for Carolina on Monday.  As does the fact that Ottawa is an awful 2-18 on the road after scoring more than 3 goals in its previous game, and also 4-16 after winning back-to-back games.  Take Carolina.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie. 

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Avalanche over Dallas.  The Avalanche have dropped their last two games.  But those two were against Florida and Anaheim -- two teams that would, if the season ended today, be in the Playoffs.  The Dallas Stars, meanwhile, come into tonight's game with a losing record (5-8-1).  And Dallas is also an awful 2-5 on the road this season.  The Stars did win their last game, 6-3, vs. Minnesota.  But the Wild are a woeful 4-9 on the season.  And Dallas is 9-17 (minus 14 games on the money line) after scoring 5+ goals in its previous game, while the Avalanche are 37-27 (+14 games on the money line) after giving up 3+ goals in each of their two previous games.  Take Colorado.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Washington Capitals.  The big question facing the Capitals this season as they start a legitimate campaign for their second Stanley Cup in the last three years, is whether this will be the final season in DC for the core group of stars.  Alex Ovechkin may have two years left on his contract, but both Nicklas Backstrom and Braden Holtby will be free agents come the Summer of 2020.  While the Caps may work out a deal for their veteran center, Holtby is another matter.  The 30-year-old goaltender has been showing signs of a decline so far this fall, and the Caps have 22-year-old Ilya Samsonov perhaps ready to take over in net.  The 2015 first round draft pick has already appeared in five games (started in four) and the young net-minder has better overall numbers than Holtby who will be in goal for tonight's contest in Toronto.  Holtby's career statistics against the Leafs are solid, but last season he struggled against them, going 1-2 with a 3.96 GAA and .896 saves pct in three games vs. Toronto. The Leafs lost on the road to the Canadiens, 5-2, on Saturday.  But they are 15-3 at home their last 18 after losing on the road in their previous game.  Take Toronto.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Vancouver Canucks over the Florida Panthers.  It's been five seasons since the Canucks made the playoffs.  Last season, Vancouver was just 35-36-11, but that was actually better than they had done in the previous two campaigns.  And with the changes they made in the off-season, a playoff appearance next Spring is not out of the question.   The biggest off-season news were the signings of defensemen Tyler Myers (five-year contract) and Jordie Benn.  Up front, the Canucks also added some versatile players with offensive upside in Micheal Ferland (Carolina) and J.T. Miller, for whom they traded a first-round pick to the Lightning.  Finally, GM Jim Benning re-signed forward Brock Boeser on a good bridge deal ($5.875 million AAV for three years).  There's no more cap room, but the Canucks have 16 players under contract through next season.  The Panthers' biggest signing was behind the bench as Joel Quenneville was hired to handle the head coaching duties.  Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky was also brought in, but he has some big skates to fill in future Hall-of-Famer Roberto Luongo, who retired.  Bobrovsky has struggled so far and Florida's 3.60 GAA is the fourth-worst in the league.  We'll take the Canucks, as the home team is 6-2 in the last eight meetings of these two.  Take Vancouver.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over Columbus.  The Blue Jackets went into PNC Arena 12 days ago, and upset the Hurricanes, 3-2.  That was Carolina's first defeat of this season -- after opening with five straight wins.  And the Hurricanes are currently 6-3 on the year, and rank 4th in the league in shots on goal differential (+5.22).  Columbus is also off to a decent start, as it's 4-3-2 so far, including an upset win, 4-3, in overtime at Toronto, on Monday.  But Columbus is a poor 1-6 (minus 9 games on the money line) at home off an overtime win.  And it's 5-13 (minus 15 games on the money line) at home after allowing 3+ goals in each of its three previous games.  Take the Hurricanes.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Winnipeg Jets over the Edmonton Oilers.  The big question surrounding the Jets heading into this season is whether or not the window of opportunity for them to make the Stanley Cup Finals is closing (or has already closed).  Winnipeg lost in the First Round of the playoffs in six games to the Blues last season after reaching the conference finals against the Vegas Golden Knights the previous year.  The Jets have to replace three key veteran defensemen (Trouba, Myers, and Chiarot) but there is still plenty of fire-power on this team.  The extremely talented young front line of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Blake Wheeler could do enough damage to carry the Jets to their third straight post-season appearance.  The Jets have scored 543 goals in the past two seasons, third most in the NHL behind the Tampa Bay Lightning (609) and Toronto Maple Leafs (556).  The goaltending situation is solid with Connor Hellebuyck returning after another stellar season and at just 26 years of age, there's no reason to think that he won't get better still.  It's true Winnipeg has lost its last three games (by a combined score of 14-5).  But Winnipeg is 22-8 at home after not scoring three or more goals in any of its three previous games.  And the Jets have been pretty dominant in this series, winning five of the last six meetings going back to October of 2017.  Meanwhile, the Oilers are 0-4 in their last four games as an underdog.  Take the Jets.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Montreal Canadiens.  Now that the Blues have won their first Cup in franchise history (50+ years), the question is: What will they do for an encore?  Judging from their off-season moves, the answer is - more of the same.  Not that the Blues had many -- if any -- weaknesses, but they made themselves better.  St. Louis picked up an All Star defenseman in Justin Faulk (Carolina) and, although they gave up Joel Edmundson and some prospects to get him, the Blues are still ahead of the game on that one.  They also avoided arbitration with talented G Jordan Binnington by signing him to a two-year, $8.8 Million contract, ensuring that he'll be happy in a Blues' uniform for at least another couple of seasons.  The success of the Canadiens' season seemed to hinge on whether restricted FA Sebastian Aho would accept their massive offer.  He did, but unfortunately the 'Canes matched it and Montreal lost out.  With Aho, they're a playoff contender; without him, they're not.  The Blues are 6-2 in the last eight meetings and the home team is 7-2 in the last nine.  Take St. Louis.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Anaheim Ducks.  Coming off of an incredible run last Spring, the question facing the Hurricanes is simple:  Can they do it again or was the second half of last season a fluke?  Carolina not only broke a nine-year playoff drought, but they made it all the way to the Conference Finals, beating the Defending Champion Caps before sweeping the Islanders in the second round.  In addition to managing to keep talented young Center Sabastian Aho, the 'Canes were also busy on the free agent market, signing forwards Erik Haula and Ryan Dzingel as well as adding talented D-man Jake Gardiner.  Goaltending may be the only weakness on this team but the incredibly deep blue-line may be able to pick up the slack defensively.  Having said that, #1 net-minder Petr Mrazek was pretty good last season and is off to an even better start this fall, and is still just 27 years old so could certainly improve from here.  The road team is 7-2 in the last nine meetings of these two and the 'Canes are a spectacular 46-12 in their last 58 games as a favorite.  Take Carolina.  NHL Elite Info Winner! As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St Louis Blues over Vancouver.  The defending Stanley Cup champs lost a heartbreaker to the Islanders on Monday, as they gave up the tying goal with less than a minute left in the 3rd period, and then lost 73 seconds into overtime on a Devon Toews goal.  It was the 2nd time in St. Louis' six games this season that it blew a 2-goal lead only to lose in overtime.  The good news is that it's back home tonight to take on Vancouver.  The Canucks did win their last game 5-1, but they're a poor 19-34 after scoring more than three goals in their previous game.  Even better:  St. Louis is a solid 13-3 off back to back defeats, and 27-17 (+8 games on the money line) at home vs. the Canucks.  Take the Blues.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Anaheim Ducks over the Buffalo Sabres.  Could this be the year that a team from Buffalo breaks through and wins a pro sports championship?  The Sabres are 5-0-1 and sitting atop their Division right now.  The 2019 roster remains largely unchanged from last season with young star Jack Eichel leading a talented group that might put it all together this season.  There was, however, a change behind the bench as Ralph Krueger takes over as head coach.  It's just the second NHL stint for Krueger who led the Oilers for a brief time in 2012-2013 before being let go and returning to Europe.  Speaking of new coaches, the Ducks have one as well.  Dallas Eakins -- very successful in Anaheim's minor league system -- has taken over for Randy Carlyle who was left in charge of an injury-plagued team too long last season.  The Ducks are 4-2 this season, and Goalie John Gibson continues to show that he's one of the best, as he's off to a great start with a .941 saves pct. and 1.82 GAA in his first five games.  Buffalo does come into this game off a 4-0 home shutout of the Dallas Stars.  Unfortunately, the Sabres are 4-18 on the road off a home game, and 2-13 on the road after scoring more than three goals in their previous game.  Meanwhile, the Ducks are 5-0 in their last five home games, and 9-1 in their last 10 after a game in which they scored less than three goals.  Take Anaheim.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Montreal Canadiens.  Another season...another chance for the Lightning to show that they can win games after the month of April.  Over the past decade or so, Tampa has become the poster child for under-achievement in the post-season in just about any professional sport.  Last season however, they set the bar even higher than normal, posting one of the strongest regular seasons in NHL history before flaming out in the first round against the Blue Jackets in four straight games no less.  I'm actually quite optimistic about Tampa Bay this season, and released them at 7-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup this season.  Anyway, in an effort to bring in someone who knows what it's like to win a Cup (because he just won one), the Bolts signed Blues forward Patrick Maroon to a one-year contract.  They also shored up their defense by signing Kevin Shattenkirk to a one-year deal.  Clearly, a team that finished 2018-19 with a record 128 points in the regular season shouldn't have to do more than just "tweak" the roster, but keep its powerful core of players intact, which is exactly what the Lightning have done.  The Lightning are 23-6 after allowing more than three goals in their previous game.  And they're 5-1 in the last six meetings with the Canadiens coming into tonight.  Take Tampa Bay.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Blackhawks over the Edmonton Oilers.  The Blackhawks have yet to win a game this season while the Oilers have yet to lose -- off to their first 5-0-0 start since 1985-1986.  For the 'Hawks, they needed to improve their defense in the off-season as their 3.55 GAA last season was second-worst in the league.  Mission accomplished -- at least from a personnel perspective -- as Chicago added blue-liners Calvin de Haan (Canes) and Olli Maatta (Pens) via the trade route.  They also provided long-time #1 Goalie Corey Crawford with some help, signing veteran Robin Lehner as a back-up but one that could see as many minutes as Crawford depending on how things go. It will be Crawford to start at home this evening and the 34-year-old has had success against the Oilers in his career, going 9-7 with a 2.53 GAA in 18 appearances against them.  One key for Crawford -- and perhaps the reason he's starting tonight -- is that he was much better at home last season (8-6 with a 2.54 GAA and .921 Sv Pct) than he was on the road (6-12; 3.32; .896).  Take the Blackhawks.  NHL Game of the Week.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Boston Bruins.  We've played on the Blues for 10 straight games, so it's no surprise we're backing them in this Winner-Take-All Game 7.  The Blues couldn't close things out on Sunday at home, so they're going to have to try to win their first Stanley Cup on the road.  It was not a good game for Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, who allowed four goals on 31 shots.  But Binnington has a way of rebounding after a sub-par performance.  And he certainly doesn't mind playing in Boston.  Indeed, in the last two games here, the Blues and Binnington have gone 2-0 and the 25-year-old net-minder has stopped 59 of 62 shots.  It's safe to say that tonight's game will be the biggest of Binnington's career, but the young goalie should be up for it.  The Blues are 10-4 in the last 14 meetings with the Bruins in Boston, and 12-6 on the road when playing with revenge from a home defeat.  Take St. Louis as a big underdog.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Boston Bruins.  The last time we played against St. Louis was in Game 1 of its series vs. San Jose.  We had our NHL Game of the Year on the Sharks, and easily won with a 6-3 Sharks victory.  However, even though I wanted to fade the Blues in that Game 1, I was pretty sure it would be the last time I would fade them, as I believed they would win the Stanley Cup.  Since then, St. Louis has played 10 games, and we've been on them 9 times (and passed the other game completely).  Now, after a hard-fought road victory Thursday night, the Blues are one win away from their first-ever Stanley Cup.  It's a similar situation to what the Capitals found themselves in one year ago when they won their first Cup in Game 6 against the Golden Knights in Vegas.  The big difference for the Blues tonight is that their Game 6 will be at home, where they've had so much success, both in the regular season and playoffs.  The Blues won what looked like a close game on Thursday, but they were shutting out the Bruins, 2-0, until Boston finally got on the board with less than seven minutes remaining.  Most important is the fact that Jordan Binnington was stellar once again, stopping 38 of 39 shots.  Also critical in its victory was the fact that St. Louis made the most of its opportunities, by scoring twice in just 21 shots on goalie Tuukka Rask.  If they can pepper Rask with shots tonight the way they did in Games 2, 3, and 4, then the Blues should be hoisting the Cup when the final horn sounds.  St. Louis is an awesome 27-9 its last 36 vs. strong offensive teams that score 3+ goals per game.  Take the Blues.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Boston Bruins.  In what was the closest thing they've had to a must-win situation since their Game 7 against the Stars in the second round, the Blues took Game 4 and evened this series at two-apiece heading back to Boston.  It was the third game in a row that St. Louis has out-shot Boston.  And for the third game in a row the Blues held the Bruins to just 23 shots on goalie Jordan Binnington.  They've now out-shot the Bruins 104-69 over the last three games.  But they also know they can't look back and have to focus on tonight and the biggest game of the season so far.  And the Bruins suffered what could be a big loss in Game 4 when big D-man Zdeno Chara took a puck to the face and appears to have a broken jaw.  His status for tonight is officially listed as questionable, but he didn't skate with his team in the Wednesday practice and it's looking more and more like he won't be available.  St. Louis is 9-2 on the road off a home win in which it scored more than three goals.  And the Blues are 9-4 in the last 13 meetings here in Boston, and won't be intimidated by the Beantown crowd.  Take St. Louis.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Boston Bruins.  The Bruins administered what can only be described as an old-fashioned butt whoopin' to the Blues in Game 3 at Enterprise Center on Saturday night, 7-2.  When the smoke cleared and the disappointed crowd had cleared out, the Bruins had wrested home ice back in the series.  But the good news for the Blues -- at least for tonight -- is that on four different occasions in these playoffs (the last four times it's happened, in fact), when they've allowed four or more goals, they've come back to win the next game.  Tonight is about as close to a must-win situation for St. Louis as it gets as another performance even close to Game 3 would almost certainly hand Lord Stanley's Cup to Boston.   The Blues are 7-2 in their last nine after scoring two goals or less in their previous game, and 29-16 off a loss.  And they're a perfect 4-0 in this year's Playoffs when trailing in a series.  Take St. Louis.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Boston Bruins.  The Blues did what they needed to do on Wednesday and took a hard-fought, 3-2 overtime game in Boston to even The Stanley Cup Finals and take home ice advantage.  The biggest difference for the Blues in Game 2 compared with Game 1 was that they completely took control and turned the tables on the Bruins in terms of the number of scoring opportunities.  After being out-shot in Game 1 by a lopsided 38-20, the Blues returned the favor to Boston on Wednesday and fired 37 shots on goalie Tuukka Rask (including four in OT).  And their defense held the Bruins to just 23 total shots on Jordan Binnington.  Back home tonight, the Blues should be able to keep that momentum from Game 2 -- even with the extra day off.  The Blues have dominated the top-level teams, of late, as they're 25-8 vs. foes that score 3+ goals a game, and are 17-5 their last 22 vs. foes that outscore their opponents by 0.3+ goals per game.  Meanwhile, though it's had a good record overall the last few years, one of the categories Boston doesn't perform well in is when it plays with revenge.  It's a poor 45-41 (minus 16 games on the money line) in that situation.  Take St. Louis.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, on Monday, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Boston Bruins.  The Blues took command in the latter half of Game 6 on Tuesday and were able to clinch the series with the Sharks at home.  It was a fitting end to a series that wasn't always kind to the team in blue and gold (St. Louis got screwed out of Game 3 by a missed call by the refs).  So, the Blues will now play in their first Stanley Cup Final in almost 50 years, as their last appearance came in 1970 which was their third year in the league.  In fact, the Blues hold the distinction of being the only professional sports team in the modern era to make it to its sport's championship series in each of its first three years of existence.  The Bruins come into this Stanley Cup on a 7-game win streak.  Unfortunately, Boston will have to deal with an extremely long layoff as, by the time the opening puck drops on Monday night, it will have been 11 days since its last game.  So, any momentum it had will be long gone.  The home team has not fared well in this series as the visitors are 11-7 in the last 18 meetings.  And St. Louis is an awesome 60-36 (+17 games on the money line) vs. non-conference foes.  Take the Blues.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the San Jose Sharks.  The Blues needed a win in San Jose on Sunday and they got it -- and in a big way.  It all finally came together for the Blues in Game 5 as they put 40 shots on goal (while allowing just 21) and ran away with a 5-0 plastering which was the Sharks worst playoff shutout loss in their history.  It would seem the only thing that can beat the Blues tonight is themselves as they must avoid a letdown at home after that huge road win.  After falling behind 4-0 early in the third period on Sunday, the Sharks tried to lure the Blues into a physical game by taking a bunch of cheap shots at them, but St. Louis kept its cool and would have none of it.  Now they have the Sharks and goalie Martin Jones on the ropes and the last thing they want to do is give them a chance to catch their breath and get back into this series.  The home team is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings and the Blues are 17-7 in their last 24 games as a home favorite.  Moreover, St Louis is now 23-7 its last 30 vs. opponents that average 3+ goals per game.  Take the Blues.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the San Jose Sharks.  Still stinging from a missed call in the overtime period of Game 3, the Blues came out in Game 4 and did what they had to do.  Now they come back to San Jose for Game 5 with the series all knotted up.  And they come back to the SAP Center knowing that the last time they were here, they pulled an upset in Game 2, and beat the Sharks, 4-2.  Rookie Goalie Jordan Binnington was back on his game on Friday night, stopping all but one of the 30 shots he faced (.967).  And in that second game here last Monday, he had a similar effort.  For their third game in a row, the Blues kept their penalties to a minimum (under 10 minutes) after letting the Sharks bait them in Game 1, which resulted in their worst loss of the playoffs.  The Blues don't mind at all being the underdog, as they are 6-2 in their last eight in this situation.  Additionally, they're an awesome 22-7 their last 29 when playing an opponent which averages 3+ goals a game. Finally, San Jose is a poor 24-30 (minus 19 games on the money line) when playing with revenge from a 1-goal defeat.  Take St. Louis.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the San Jose Sharks.  The Blues were one minute away from taking a 2-1 lead in this series when they had a defensive letdown.  San Jose tied up Game 3 on a Logan Couture tip-in, and then later took advantage of a missed call in overtime (a hand pass which led to the game-winner), so now the Sharks are the ones with a 2-1 advantage.  Watching the Blues as they left the ice -- in what can only be described as a controlled rage -- one can't help but think that what happened here on Wednesday night will only serve as motivation for the home team in Game 4.  It might not be a "must-win" situation, but it's close to it, as this series will go back to San Jose for Game 5.  Thus, a loss tonight would create a huge hole for St. Louis.  The Blues are going to do everything they can, of course, to ensure that doesn't happen.  Despite their very tough loss in Game 3, the Blues are still 16-7 in their last 23 as a home favorite, and 27-16 off a loss.  Meanwhile, the Sharks are a horrid 0-5 this season when leading in a Playoff series, Take St. Louis.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over Boston.  Coach Rod Brind'Amour confirmed today that Curtis McElhinney will get the start at goalie tonight.  And McElhinney has performed admirably in his back-up role this season.  He was 20-11-2 with a .912 save percentage in the regular season.  And then, in this year's Playoffs, he has been even better.  He's allowed just six goals on 106 shots (.943 save percentage).  Yes, Carolina lost Game 3 here, at home.  But PNC Arena is still one of the most difficult arenas in the league for a road team to go into and win.  Indeed, the Hurricanes are 5-1 at home in this year's Playoffs, and are 7-1 their last eight at home, dating back to the regular season.  Carolina is also 12-5 this year off a home defeat.  Finally, this is the best price Carolina has been given at home by the oddsmakers since they were even money vs. Calgary back on February 3rd.  Since then, the Hurricanes were favored in 20 straight games (between -115 and -360).  Certainly, the reason for the odds shift is the fact that they're down 3-0 in the series.  But the Hurricanes are a solid 9-4 in "elimination" games in the Playoff, while Boston's a poor 14-20 (minus 14 games on the money line) when attempting to close out a playoff series.  Take the Hurricanes.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the San Jose Sharks.  The Blues knew that if they were going to keep their incredible season going, they would need to win at least one game on the road in this series.  It didn't take long as, after losing Game 1 in San Jose pretty decisively (6-3), St. Louis rebounded on Monday to win Game 2.  Now, if they can just win their home games, the Blues will advance to their first Cup Finals since 1970.  They let a 2-0 lead slip away in Game 2 thanks to some sloppy play, but they got it back together -- from the latter part of the 2nd period forward -- and took a 4-2 decision.  Most importantly, young goalie Jordan Binnington regained his footing after a rough Game 1, which was arguably his worst performance of the playoffs, and which could have shaken his confidence the rest of the way.  Tonight, Binnington and the rest of the team will have a sold-out crowd behind them.  And that's been a huge factor for the Blues so far.  St. Louis is 17-6 in its last 23 home games and 21-6 in its last 27 against an opponent which scored two goals or less in its previous game.  Take the Blues.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Boston Bruins.  After making this game of Hockey look easy with a four-game sweep of the Islanders, the 'Canes came into the Conference Final Series riding a wave of confidence.  But that wave quickly turned into a tsunami that has hit them square between the eyes, as the Bruins dominated Games 1 and 2 at home.  It's likely that the long time off that the 'Canes had while the Bruins finished their series over the Blue Jackets did them no favors.  Tonight they really have no excuse as the Finals come to Raleigh for Game 3 -- especially given that the home team (as well as the favored team) is 9-2 in the last 11 meetings of these two.  Another performance like they had in the first two games would almost certainly mean the end of the 'Canes' season.  Despite losing the first two games, Carolina has actually out-shot Boston, 54-53.  And, although he struggled through much of the first two games of the series, the 'Canes still have to be thrilled to have #1 goalie Petr Mrazek back between the pipes.  Carolina is a solid 12-5 when playing with revenge from a loss by 3+ goals.  And it is also 10-6 after not scoring 3+ goals in either of its two previous games.  Finally, at home, in games with an Over/Under of 5.5 goals, the Hurricanes have won 10 of their last 11.  Take Carolina.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the San Jose Sharks.  The Blues may have ended up on the short end of the scoreboard in Game 1 on Saturday, but there are a few positive take-aways for the visitors as they prepare for Game 2 tonight in San Jose.  First is the fact that, despite the loss, the Blues out-shot the Sharks, 31-25.  Second, the Blues took seven penalties compared with the Sharks' four, and committed 12 turnovers to San Jose's 7.  So, they know that if they can be more disciplined tonight, they can change their fortunes and tie this series.  They also know that their goalie, Jordan Binnington, has been outstanding for them all post-season, while the Sharks' Martin Jones has had his issues.  Jones' 2.74 GAA is the worst of any goalie left in post-season play.  The Blues were without defenseman Carl Gunnarsson in Game 1 as he suffered an injury in Game 7 of the Conference Semis, but they might get him back tonight.  The Blues are also 7-2 in their last nine games as an underdog and 7-3 in their last 10 road games vs. a teams with a home win percentage of .600 (or better).  And in games with Binnington between the pipes, the Blues are 13-4 off a straight-up loss.  Take the Blues.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, on Saturday, our selection is on the San Jose Sharks over the St. Louis Blues.  Both the Sharks and Blues come into the Western Conference Finals off of tough, seven-game series.  And in each case, the final game was determined by a single goal (with the Blues' victory over the Stars going into double-overtime).  No doubt both of these teams will appreciate the extra day of rest as they prepare for Saturday night's Game 1.  Coincidentally, this series is a rematch of the Conference Finals of just three years ago.  That series was won by the Sharks in six games, and San Jose then proceeded to lose to Pittsburgh in the Stanley Cup Finals.  That 2016 series vs. the Blues was won by San Jose despite the fact that the Blues owned home ice advantage, and also despite the fact that the Blues prevailed at home in the first game.  Fortunately for San Jose, it will have home ice advantage in this series thanks to a better regular season record.  And the home team has won Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals in nine of the last 12 seasons, so that bodes well for the Sharks on Saturday.  Even better:  in this series, the home team has gone a perfect 5-0 in the last five meetings.  Finally, San Jose is 55-31 (+16 games on the money line) off a home win, and 8-1 this season at home when the Total was 5.5 goals.  Take the Sharks.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:00 pm, our selection is on the San Jose Sharks over the Colorado Avalanche.  Midway through their first-round series against the Golden Knights, Sharks' goalie Martin Jones looked like he might be taking an extended seat on the bench in favor of his back-up.  But Jones got things straightened out, and the Sharks survived to advance into the quarterfinals.  Now, Jones has a chance to go from near-goat to hero if he can lead his team to one more victory and a trip to the semi-finals.  To be fair to Jones, the defense in front of him has played much better lately as the Sharks have limited the Avalanche to just 103 shots over the last four games (the Golden Knights logged 156 shots in the last four games of the first round series).  This series has been as back-and-forth as a series can be.  But the home ice advantage that the Sharks will enjoy tonight should be enough to put them over the top.  To wit:  the home team is 39-16 in the last 55 meetings and the favorite is 38-15 in the last 53.  Moreover, Colorado hasn't seen a Conference Finals in almost 20 years (2002), so this is unfamiliar territory to most of its current roster of players.  Take San Jose.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Dallas Stars.  The Blues -- a team which has found itself on the short end when it's been faced with a "must win" so many times in the past -- did what it needed to do on Sunday in Dallas.  As a result, the Blues are now one victory away from their second Conference Finals in four years.  For most of their history, the one thing the Blues lacked was a go-to goalie who could get hot in the post-season and carry the team on its shoulders. They finally seem to have found that in rookie Jordan Binnington.  While he isn't the NHL's leading goalie in this post-season by almost any measure, Binnington's 2.59 GAA while playing every minute of all seven of his team's games is very impressive, especially when you consider he is the only rookie net-minder out there right now.  The Blues have a decided advantage in the injury department tonight, being 100% healthy while the Stars have a number of regulars who won't be suiting up.  The Blues are also 20-6 in their last 26 when playing an opponent which scored two goals or less in its previous game, and 42-28 (+11 games on the money line) off a road win.  Take St. Louis.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Boston Bruins.  After a shocking four-game sweep of the President Trophy-winning Lightning in the first round, the Blue Jackets are -- perhaps surprisingly -- finding that the going is a lot tougher against the Bruins.  With the series knotted at 2-2 heading into Game 5, the Bruins did what they needed to at home, and are now one win away from the Conference Finals.  But the Jackets aren't done by a long shot, as they come back to their home arena where they won 22 games in the regular season (and have lost just once this post-season).  Columbus has to be further bolstered by the fact that the home team is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings of these two clubs going back to November of 2016.  And, finally, it's worth noting that the Jackets are 8-4 in their last 12 (and 27-18 in their last 45) coming off of back-to-back losses.  Take Columbus.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie 

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the San Jose Sharks over the Colorado Avalanche.  The Sharks had a chance to take a 3-1 lead in Colorado on Thursday but instead the Avs blanked their visitors.  Now the series comes back to the Bay Area and the Sharks have to try to shake off the loss in Game 4 and get back to business.  They out-shot the Avs, 32-28 but allowed a goal in the 2nd and 3rd periods before an empty-netter sealed the deal, 3-0.  The Sharks have to avoid the penalties tonight -- they committed four in that 3rd period to the Avs one -- and if they can do that, then there's every reason to think that they can take a 3-2 lead going back to Denver.  They certainly are hopeful that history repeats itself, as the last time the Sharks were shutout was Game 4 of their first-round series -- 5-0 in Vegas.  They came home from that one and promptly pounded the Knights, 5-2, in Game 5 en route to winning the series.  The Sharks are a terrific 13-4 (+ 8 games on the money line) in their last 17 revenging a shutout loss, and have won nine straight at home following a loss by more than two goals.  Take San Jose.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:35 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Dallas Stars.  The Stars leveled this series at 2 games apiece on Tuesday night behind some solid play by the defense and goalie Ben Bishop.  The series now shifts back to St. Louis for Game 5 where the Blues need to demonstrate that they can find some consistency on their home ice.  Rookie goalie Jordan Binnington has proven himself as a #1 NHL goalie, going 30-8-2 this season -- including his post-season starts.  However, now is the time for the 25-year-old to take the next step, a la Matt Murray of the Penguins in the 2016 playoffs. Having said that, Binnington needs to keep his cool tonight and not let his emotions get the better of him like he did at the end of the 2nd period on Tuesday, with a rare four-minute, goalie-on-goalie penalty as the teams were leaving the ice.  The Blues (and Binnington) will be aided tonight by the sold out crowd at Enterprise Center -- the same crowd which pushed them to a 24-15-2 record here during the regular season.  The Stars are an awful 26-47 (minus 33 games on the money line) off a home win.  Similarly, the Stars are just 15-29 (-23 games on the money line) in their last 44 off a home win in which they scored four or more goals.  Take the Blues.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.