At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The Bruins apparently like to leave things to the last minute.  They played the last regular season game in the NHL on the final Sunday (the only game that day) with a chance to overtake Tampa for the top spot in the East (they didn't do it).  And now they will play the final game -- and the only game seven -- of the first round of the playoffs.  Toronto figured to be a tough challenge for Boston, but if the Bruins can get their offense going like they did in games one and two here at TD Garden, then they should be able to advance against to play the Lightning.  The Bruins out-played and out-shot the Leafs in game six in Toronto, but simply couldn't get the puck to go in the net and lost a tough one 3-1 (with the last goal being an empty-netter).  In a game seven, you have to go with the big-time post-season performers, and no one fits that bill more than Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask.  Rask has a 33-26 career playoff record and a .927 post-season save percentage. The Bruins are  13-2 at home off a loss, and 7-3 off back to back losses.  Take Boston.  NHL Game of the Week. As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Last season it was the top-seeded Washington Capitals getting all they could bargain for in the first round against the Maple Leafs. This year, it's a very similar scenario, except it's the Bruins who are wishing the pesky Leafs would just go away already. But Toronto is very much alive in this first round series, and they get a Game 6 at home tonight just like they did a year ago against Washington. And just like a year ago, the Bruins should be able to close out the series on the road. Boston was a tough-luck loser at home in game five, out-shooting the Leafs by a whopping 45-21 but falling by 4-3 to send this series back here to Toronto. But the Bruins can feel good about the fact that the road team has won the last two games of this series and the Leafs are 0-4 in their last four games following a victory. The Bruins will look to duplicate the delayed success of the Penguins and Predators, who each lost a series-clinching Game 5 at home before taking their respective series in a road Game 6 on Sunday. The Bruins are also 23-10 this season off a loss. Take Boston. High Roller Winner. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.      

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Colorado Avalanche.  The Predators can wrap things up tonight in Colorado against the Avalanche and although they're not at home, they would prefer to end things here in Denver.  The Winnipeg Jets have already moved on against the Wild and the last thing the Preds want is to have to go to a game seven while their next opponents are resting and preparing for them.  The Avs pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the NHL post-season so far Friday in Nashville, beating the Predators, 2-1 as more than a 3-1 underdog.  And they did it without their #1 or #2 goalie.  With both Jonathan Bernier and Semyon Varlamov out with injuries, the Avs turned to Andrew Hammond.  They will need to rely on the journeyman netminder again tonight.  Don't be surprised if Colorado has a letdown at home in game six as this is a place where Nashville has had a lot of success recently.  In the last eight meetings of these two here at Pepsi Center, the Predators are 7-1 and they are 14-3 in the last 17 meetings overall.  Take the Preds.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The Leafs won game three at home as they pretty much had to do in order to save this series.  But were it not for the play of goalie Frederik Andersen -- who pretty much stood on his head Monday night -- Toronto would be down 3-0 and essentially done.  The Bruins put a barrage on the Toronto net in game three, out-shooting the Leafs 42-30.  A similar onslaught tonight will likely result in these two teams returning to Boston with the Bruins up 3-1.  One of the Leafs' biggest challenges will be keeping Boston in check without their #1 shutdown Center, Nazem Kadri, who has been suspended three games -- rightfully so -- for an illegal hit on the Bruins' Tommy Wengel last Thursday.  Kadri won't be eligible to return until game five.  Boston could get a big boost tonight from the return of Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who missed Monday's game with a lower body injury.  There is an extra day between games three and four, so that's good news for the visitors, who are 12-2 in their last 14 when playing on two days of rest.  Take Boston.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Colorado Avalanche.  The Avs' victory over the Predators in Game 3 of their quarterfinal series was the first loss for Nashville in four games.  That streak included season-ending wins over the Capitals and Blue Jackets in addition to wins in the first two games of this series.  No doubt the Preds would love to win tonight and then finish things off in Game 5 back at Bridgestone Arena.  For the third straight game, the Avs got on the board first, with a pair of goals in the opening stanza, but unlike Games 1 and 2, they didn't let the Predators back into it.  In fact, they extended the lead to 4-0 before Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne was replaced after facing just 15 shots.  Rinne will be back tonight and the Preds should provide more protection in front of him while being more aggressive early on.  They can't keep giving up early goals in these playoff games.  Despite their loss on Monday, the Predators are still 6-1 in the last seven trips to Denver, as well as 17-4 when playing with revenge from a loss to an opponent earlier this season.  And they're 16-5 after giving up more than 2 goals in each of their two previous games.  Take the Predators.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the Vegas Golden Knights.  With their backs against the proverbial wall, the mighty Kings -- winners of two Stanley Cups the past eight years -- are in danger of being skunked in the first round of the playoffs.  And it would be historic because the team they're playing is an expansion club that wasn't even in the league a year ago.  The Kings have done a bunch of things right in this series but haven't been able to break through.  They were woefully out-shot in game two, but were without defensive star Drew Doughty.  With Doughty back for game three here at home, the tide turned with L.A. winning the battle, 39 shots to 26.  But it lost the war, 3-2.  We've seen Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury have meltdowns in post-season games before, but so far in this series he's been near-perfect.  Look for the Kings to apply even more pressure tonight.  They held the Knights scoreless (0 for four) on their power plays, but went 0 for five themselves and that has to change.  The Kings are 15-3 when playing with triple revenge.  Take L.A.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Boston Bruins.  You may recall a year ago when the Maple Leafs gave the Capitals all they could handle in their first round series, with five of the six games going to overtime.  Well, so far at least, Toronto isn't improving -- or even doing the same -- in this first round series as the Leafs have allowed 12 goals in the first two games, including seven in game two on Saturday.  But there is reason to believe that they can come back tonight in game three.  For one thing, Toronto was quite a bit more stingy on defense at home this regular season than it was on the road (2.66 GAA vs. 2.95), while the Bruins scored at a much lower rate on the road than in Boston (2.93 GPG vs. 3.59).  And the Leafs were one of the hottest teams on home ice in the second half, going 21-7 in their last 28 games here at Air Canada Centre.  The Bruins have struggled here lately as well, going 0-4 in their last four trips north to Toronto.  And in four cases this season when the Leafs lost back-to-back road games and then returned home, they were 3-1.  Take Toronto.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the Vegas Golden Knights.  The Golden Knights fairy-tale of a season continues into the post-season.  The Knights took games one and two at home and are thus undefeated in their playoff history.  Game two was perhaps the greatest game in Vegas franchise history, going to double-overtime before the home team prevailed 2-1.  But one can only wonder if the result would have been different had the Kings had the services of #1 defenseman, Drew Doughty.  Doughty was suspended for one game after a hit to the head of the Knights' William Carrier in game one.  So with L.A. already down two D-men (Jake Muzzin and Derek Forbort), Doughty's return tonight is absolutely crucial to the Kings' chances.  Both regular season games here at Staples Center were incredibly close, with each team prevailing once (both in OT) so there's every reason to think that the Kings can even the series tonight.  The Knights are 1-4 in their last five road games.  Take Los Angeles.  NHL Division Game of the Month.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Anaheim Ducks over the San Jose Sharks.  The Sharks were one of two road teams to pull upsets in game one of the playoffs on Thursday night -- the other one being the Blue Jackets.  But while Columbus snuck by the Capitals in OT, San Jose put on a dominating performance, shutting out the home team in Anaheim, 3-0.  In fact, this was the third straight win for the Sharks over the Ducks in their last three meetings, all of which have been here at the Honda Center.  Clearly, this puts the Ducks in a must-win situation tonight in Game two.  And there is reason to believe that they will be successful.  First of all is the fact that the Ducks rebound very well from losses like the one they suffered two nights ago.  In their last eight games following a loss of three or more goals, the Ducks are an impressive 7-1.  And despite their victory in Game one, the Sharks are 3-14 in their last 17 road games vs. teams with a home winning % of greater than .600.  Take Anaheim.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Toronto Maple Leafs.  All the Bruins had to do to lock up the top spot in the East was to beat the Florida Panthers -- already eliminated from the playoffs -- at home on Sunday in their make-up game.  They couldn't do it.  And now as a result -- and a result of the NHL playoff system -- Boston will likely have to go through both Toronto AND Tampa Bay just to reach the NHL semi-finals.  This will be the only series in the East that features two teams with at least 100 points in the regular season. Having said that, it's the Leafs that have to prove themselves as a legitimate post-season threat as they haven't made it to a conference Finals since 2001-2002.  Don't look for another letdown from the hosts today as Boston should be ready to play.  And the home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings of these two.  Toronto had one of the easiest schedules down the stretch of any team, playing the Devils, Canadiens, Jets, Islanders, Panthers, Red Wings, and Sabres (twice) in their last eight games.  Winnipeg is the only playoff team of that group (and the Jets won that game, 3-1).  Boston's 12-2 at home off a loss, while Toronto is an awful 2-9 on the road off a win by 2+ goals.  Take the Bruins. NHL Game of the Week.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Florida Panthers.  Yesterday was supposed to be the last day of the regular season in the NHL, with every team playing.  But a storm came through the Northeastern U.S. early in the year, and the game between the Panthers and Bruins on January 4 was postponed and will be made up tonight in Boston as the only game on the schedule.  But what makes this game really interesting is the fact that, while the Panthers are playing for absolutely nothing, the Bruins will actually take over the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a victory (courtesy of the Lightning losing its game on Saturday).  So the Panthers have to get on a plane to travel all the way north to play a meaningless game.  Thus, Boston is (rightfully) a huge favorite this evening.  Florida is 7-25 in the last 32 meetings.  Thus, it should be a very happy occasion for the fans who will fill the TD Garden.  Lay the big price with the Bruins.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Montreal Canadiens.  It's been a season to forget for the once-mighty Montreal Canadiens.  If it seems like the team that has won more NHL Championships than other has been banged up the entire season that's because it has.  Montreal still has enough decent players on the shelf (both offense and defense) to put together a pretty good hockey team -- with a couple to spare on the bench as well.  Of course for a team that has been out of contention for a while, this gives the Canadiens a chance to see what some of the youngsters can do.  But that probably won't win you many games, especially against a talented group like the Leafs.  Toronto features one of the best young players -- if not THE best -- on the planet in 20-year-old C Auston Matthews, but the talent on the team doesn't stop there.  If there's a team that the favorites (Caps, Bruins, Lightning) don't want to face in the playoffs, it's likely this one.  Montreal is 11-40 in its last 51 vs. teams with a winning record.  And even though the game seemingly has little meaning for the Leafs, they did not play well vs. the Devils on Thursday.  And that did not sit well with either the players, or their coach, Mike Babcock.  After the game, Babcock lamented that his team "didn't compete hard enough," and said that tonight's game will be the "last chance to get ready."  I believe they will.  Take the Maple Leafs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Washington Capitals over the New Jersey Devils.  The Devils have wrapped up their first NHL Post Season appearance since they made the Cup Finals in 2012 with a strong showing in the last few weeks.  And they still have a chance to improve their position in their final game of the regular season.  They've won four straight games, but the problem for them tonight may be that those were against the Islanders, Canadiens, Rangers and Maple Leafs -- the latter of which being the only one with a winning record.  They face a much tougher test tonight against the Capitals in Washington, despite the fact that the home team has nothing to play for.  After all, just because a team isn't playing for anything in its final game, doesn't mean it's going to roll over, especially when it wants to send the local faithful home happy one last time.  It's interesting that Braden Holtby is scheduled to play in goal tonight.  It may mean that the Caps are going to go with Philipp Grubauer to begin the post-season.  The Devils are 3-13 in the last 16 meetings and 1-5 in the last six in D.C.  Take the Caps.  NHL Roadkill Winner.

At 8:35 pm our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Chicago Blackhawks.  Usually, by this time of the season, the Blues and Hawks have both made it safely into the playoffs and they're battling each other for the better seed in the West.  This year however is different.  There are new, dominant teams in the Conference and Chicago has long been eliminated from post-season consideration while St. Louis is hanging on by a thread and desperately needs to win its remaining two games (and get help from others).  They got no help from this Blackhawks team two nights ago when Chicago came to St. Louis and beat the Blues despite being out-played through most of the game.  The Blues will try to return the favor tonight at United Center where they won an overtime contest on March 18, 5-4.  In fact this place has been good for them recently as the Blues are 5-2 in their last seven trips here.  Searching for answers to their awful net-minding this season, the Hawks have used four different goalies at various stages in their last four games without much success.  Take St. Louis.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Vancouver Canucks over Arizona.  The Coyotes come into this game off back to back blowout wins over St Louis (6-0) and Calgary (4-1).  But they're an awful 2-16 after not giving up more than a goal in either of their two previous games.  Take Vancouver to win its final home game of the season.  Good luck, as always....Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Boston Bruins over the Florida Panthers.  The Panthers are hanging on by a thread in the race for the last playoff spot in the East.  One thing they have going for them is that while most teams have two games left in the regular season, the Panthers have three.  The problem is that two of those are against the Bruins, starting with this one tonight at home (they finish the season in Boston on Sunday).  Unfortunately the Bruins aren't going to lay down tonight because they are also playing for the top seed in the East as, heading into this game, Boston is tied with Tampa for the conference's most points with 110.  And both Boston and Tampa have an outside shot at the President's Trophy, and home ice throughout the playoffs (Nashville currently leads the NHL with 113 points).  The Bruins can't be too happy coming in tonight, having just been shutout by the Lightning in their last game on Tuesday in Tampa (4-0).  They're going to have a chip on their shoulder here in South Florida.  The Bruins are 21-5 in the last 26 meetings and 16-5 in the last 21 trips to Miami.  Take Boston.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Washington Capitals.  In what could be a preview of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Predators travel to DC to take on the Capitals in the next-to-last game of the regular season for both clubs.  While the Caps have wrapped up their third straight Division Crown, the Wild has been hanging around in the Central Division, but Nashville could clinch with a win tonight.  The Preds lost a tough one in their last, falling to the Panthers in Florida despite out-shooting them by 13 (46-33).  The Caps have been good, but inconsistent lately, as they beat the Penguins in Pittsburgh and Blues in St. Louis, but lost badly at home to the Hurricanes on Friday in the game before that.  They have a goaltending decision to make for the playoffs, as back-up Philipp Grubauer has out-played #1 Braden Holtby pretty much all season and is making a strong case to be the post-season starter.  But Holtby is scheduled to go tonight.  Nashville is 6-2 in the last eight meetings and 10-3 in its last 13 road games.  Take the Preds.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the San Jose Sharks over the Dallas Stars.  The Sharks have been one of the most consistent teams in the NHL over the past two decades in terms of making it to the playoffs.  It looks like they will be post-season bound again -- San Jose's 18th trip to the playoffs in the last 20 years.  But despite all that success, the Sharks have only made one appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, and that was two seasons ago and they were pretty soundly beaten by the Penguins that year.  They come into tonight having lost three straight games for only the fourth time this season and no doubt the Sharks would love to get back on the winning track and lock up that post-season birth.  The Stars won their last game, beating the Wild 4-1, but it was only their second victory in the last 11 games.  The home team is 5-0 in the last five meetings of these two, while the Stars are 3-10 in the last 13 trips to San Jose.  Take the Sharks.  NHL Roadkill Winner. As always, good luck...Al McMordie. 

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Washington Capitals.  With their victory over the Penguins on Sunday, the Caps have clinched their third straight Metropolitan Division Crown.  But getting to the post-season has never been the Caps issue in the past.  Now they travel to St. Louis to face the Blues who are battling for one of the five remaining playoff spots in the Western Conference.  This will be the Caps fourth game in the last six days as they will make their first visit to the Gateway City since January of 2017.  With their post-season spot pretty much decided, don't be surprised if the Caps take their foot off the accelerator a bit in their remaining games. The Blues lost their second straight game on Saturday, an embarrassing 6-0 drubbing at the hands of the Coyotes in Arizona.  Expect a bounce-back tonight at home with the Blues backs against the proverbial playoff wall.  The Blues are 4-0 in their last four vs. teams from the Eastern Conference and 13-5 in their last 18 vs. teams from the Metropolitan.  Take St. Louis.  NHL Game of the Week.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Avalanche over the Chicago Blackhawks.  With five games to go in the NHL regular season, the Blackhawks will put this down as a season to forget.  The 'Hawks have been eliminated from post-season play for the first time in 10 years, and they're going to finish the season with the lowest 82-game point total since their 2006-2007 campaign.  It doesn't get any easier tonight as they venture into what has been one of the toughest places for opposing teams this season (Pepsi Center) to face a team that is right in the thick of the Wild Card race and desperate for a victory.  The Avalanche is sitting with 90 points right now -- one behind the Blues and Ducks in the battle for the final playoff spot in the West.  The 'Hawks pulled off an upset of the Jets on Thursday, but when you consider that Winnipeg's playoff spot is pretty much set at this point and its #1 concern right now is probably the health of its players, then Chicago's 6-2 win really isn't that surprising.  The Avs are 5-1 in their last six home games vs. teams with a road winning % of less than .400.  Take Colorado.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the Dallas Stars.  With five games to go in the season, the Dallas Stars are dangerously close to being eliminated from the post-season for the eighth time in the last 10 years.  The Stars have 86 points -- four behind the Avalanche and five away from the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.  The Wild on the other hand are almost assured of their sixth straight playoff appearance with what is looking like a third-place finish in the in the Central Division.  Once again, Minnesota relied heavily on its defense and goaltending this season.  And although its 2.79 GAA overall was slightly better than average, Minnesota's home number of 2.23 is the best in the entire League this season.  The Wild will put that defense to work tonight at home in an effort to lock up that post-season berth against a team that has won just 14 road games all season.  And this has been a very host-friendly series lately as the home team is 41-19 in the last 60 meetings.  Take Minny.  NHL ROADKILL WINNER.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Florida Panthers.  The Maple Leafs look to lock up their second-straight trip to the playoffs (and just the third in the last 13 years) very soon.  They also stand a very good chance at their first 100-point season since 2003-2004.  But if they're going to go further in the months of April and May, they're going to have to avoid the frequent let-downs they've been having on the ice.  Like their last game -- a 3-2 loss at home to the lowly Buffalo Sabres.  The Panthers come into tonight having won two straight and four of their last five.  But those four wins were against the Islanders, Coyotes, Senators, and Canadiens -- all losing teams with a combined season record of 111-193.  The only winning team they faced during that time was Columbus, who handled them easily in a 4-0 rout.  The Panthers are 0-4 in the last four trips to Toronto while the home team is 5-0 in the last five between these two.  Take the Leafs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Vegas Golden Knights over the Colorado Avalanche.  Barring the most unusual of circumstances, the Vegas Golden Knights will not only make the NHL Post-season in their very first year of existence, but they will win their division.  That in itself is nothing short of incredible in the world of Professional Sports Leagues.  And it's one of the best stories to come out of the NHL in a long time (regardless of what they do in the playoffs).  They play the back end of a home-and-home series against the Avs tonight.  And although the Knights come in having lost their last two -- including the game in Denver on Saturday -- there is certainly no reason to panic.  Both of those losses were on the road, and both were overtime, 2-1 decisions that could have gone either way.  Those are the type of games that will make the Knights even better for their first post-season.  The Knights are 25-10 in their last 35 home games and the Avs are 7-20 in their last 27 road games vs. teams with a home winning % of greater than .600.  Take Vegas.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 12:35 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Philadelphia Flyers.  The Penguins have received a well-needed boost just in time for the final two weeks of the season and their quest for a third-straight Stanley Cup.  #1 Goaltender Matt Murray has returned from a concussion that has kept him out for almost a full month.  Not surprisingly, Murray has shown some rust in his two starts since returning, so the Penguins will give him rest from time to time.  But in time, Murray should be able to round back into the form that led the Pens in the last two post-seasons.  He will get the start today at home against a Philly team that is looking like it will make it into the post-season as well.  But the Flyers have some goalie issues of their own right now as both Michal Neuvirth and Brian Elliott are out with injuries and Petr Mrazek has been a liability lately, forcing Philadelphia to rely on rookie Alex Lyon.  With Mrazek struggling mightily, Lyon will be in goal again today -- a tall order against one of the best offenses on the planet.  The Flyers are 1-4 in the last five trips to Pittsburgh.  And Pittsburgh is 32-9 at home off a loss.  Take the Pens.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Arizona Coyotes.  With their victory last night, the Coyotes have now won two games in a row three times in their last 11 games.  But three of those six victories were against the Sabres, Senators, and Canucks -- not exactly the cream of the NHL crop.  And perhaps the Carolina Hurricanes' aren't exactly NHL elite either, but they should offer up a tougher challenge than any of those teams.  Moreover, Arizona's an awful 3-17 its last 20 games when installed as an underdog of +150 or higher, which illustrates that it hasn't been able to step up in class.  Last night against the Sabres, the Coyotes netted four goals on just 29 shots -- the last goal being the empty-net variety.  That isn't likely to be the case tonight against the 'Canes and goalie Cam Ward who should get the start at home.  The Coyotes' victory over the Sabres on Wednesday was also just their 10th road win of the season.  Finally, the Coyotes are 2-6 in the last eight meetings with the Hurricanes.  Take Carolina.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Buffalo Sabres over the Arizona Coyotes.  It's the battle of the two conference cellar-dwellers as the Coyotes visit the Sabres for the first time in over a year.  Both of these teams have already been eliminated from the post-season and are only playing for pride at this point along with some experimenting with new players and schemes.  The Coyotes will play eight of their final 10 games on the road beginning with a six game trip that kicks off in Buffalo tonight.  The Sabres lost their last game to a very good Predators team on Monday night by a 3-0 final, but they recently got a big boost from the return of their young superstar Center, Jack Eichel, from an ankle injury.  Although he and the rest of the team couldn't solve Preds goalie Pekka Rinne, Eichel had a team-high five shots on goal in that one.  The Coyotes are 1-5 in the last six meetings of these two and 2-5 in the last seven trips to Buffalo.  The Sabres are 10-5 in their last 15 coming off a home blowout loss by three goals or more.  Take Buffalo.  NHL Roadkill Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Blackhawks over the Colorado Avalanche.  The Blackhawks have already lost 43 games this season, thereby guaranteeing them of a losing record - their first in 10 years (2007-2008; 40-42).  But this is a proud franchise that isn't just going to roll over the rest of the season - especially here at home - even though its playoff chances are basically zero.  It's likely that #1 goalie Corey Crawford - still recovering from a head injury - will not see any more playing time this season, even if he were medically cleared to play.  This gives the 'Hawks a chance to see how their other net-minder options can perform.  Tonight it will likely be Jean-Francois Berube's turn to man the crease and although the 26-year-old has struggled mightily recently, it's interesting to note that his last victory came right here against the Avs  exactly two weeks ago.  Colorado's road struggles continue (14-22 away from Denver).  The Avs are 1-4 in the last five meetings in Chicago and the home team is 4-0 in the last four meetings, going back one year (March 19, 2017).  Take the Blackhawks.  NHL Roadkill Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 5:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Edmonton Oilers.  In what could be a preview of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Bruins visited Tampa and the result was no contest.  The Bruins shut out the Lightning in front of their home crowd by a 3-0 final and got two points closer to the best record in the NHL.  Through the first half of the season, the Bolts' Andrei Vasilevskiy was clearly the best goalie in the league.  But the 23-year-old has now played in 57 games after not appearing in more than 50 in any of his previous seasons, and it's beginning to look like the young All Star is in danger of being over-worked.  Vasilevskiy gave up all three goals last night after allowing six the game before and being replaced in a loss to Ottawa.  So Vasilevskiy will get a much-needed break tonight and Tampa will go with Peter Budaj between the pipes.  The veteran net-minder has the type of experience that the Bolts need right now as they head into the final stretch.  The home team is 10-1 in the last 11 meetings of these two and Edmonton is 0-5 in the last five in Tampa.  Take the Lightning.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the New York Rangers.  If you were wondering when Henrik Lundqvist's job as the New York Rangers' #1 goalie would come to an end, then your time may have come.  The 36-year-old veteran has been struggling through most of the season and now it appears that the team is ready to hand the lead net-minder duties to Alexandar Georgiev.  The 22-year-old rookie has started the last two games between the pipes for the Rangers and has performed well in victories over the Hurricanes and Penguins.  But he also was the beneficiary of 10 goals by his team in those two games, something Lundqvist didn't enjoy very often.  So it remains to be seen whether Georgiev will be the answer.  He will get a very good test tonight against a Blues team that is averaging 33.7 shots on goal at home this season.  The Rangers are 1-10  in their last 11 coming off a victory by a single goal over a division rival.  They are also 1-9 in their last 10 games vs. teams from the Central Division.  Take St. Louis.  HIGH ROLLER WINNER. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Dallas Stars over the Ottawa Senators. When the Stars acquired All Star goalie Ben Bishop during the off-season, they were hoping that the veteran net-minder would be the missing piece that would get them to their first Stanley Cup Final since the 1999-2000 season. And it looked like that lofty goal was a possibility as Bishop was putting up some very strong numbers through his first 50 games. But then in game 51, Bishop suffered a knee injury and was forced to leave early, being replaced by back-up Kari Lehtonen. Ironically, the game that Bishop exited was against the Senators. And fortunately for Dallas, Bishop is skating with the team and will likely be back in action before the end of the season, although he won't be available tonight. The Senators have won their last two games, but they were both on the road and they are 0-4 in their last four games here at the Canadian Tire Centre. The road team is 5-1 in the last six meetings of these two while Dallas is 4-1 in the last five trips to Ottawa. Dallas has also won 92% (11-1) off 3+ losses. Take the Stars. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Winnipeg Jets over the Chicago Blackhawks.  The Jets come home after a very tough six-game road trip that took them east.  The trip started out well enough for Winnipeg, as it won the first three games over the Hurricanes, Rangers, and Devils.  But the Jets lost the final three games in Philadelphia, Washington, and Nashville -- only their second three-game losing streak this season and they've yet to lose four in a row.  The Blackhawks come in having won their last game at home over the Bruins, 3-1.  But they're back on the road tonight and that's not been a good situation for them lately.  Chicago is just 1-9 in its last 10 road games.  It's been a rough season for 'Hawks #1 goalie Corey Crawford, who has been limited to just 28 games due to a concussion and he is still dealing with it and has no timetable for a return.  The latest ailment for the 'Hawks is to #1 LW Brandon Saad, who suffered an undisclosed injury in the last game and may not suit up tonight for his team.  The Jets are 12-1 in their last 13 home games after returning from the road, and 7-0 at home off back to back road losses.  Take Winnipeg.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the Colorado Avalanche.  Goalie Semyon Varlamov had started 10 straight games for the Avs, so the team decided to give him a rest on Saturday against Arizona.  Back-up Jonathan Bernier probably would've seen some action at some point during those 10 games if he hadn't been recovering from a head injury. And ironically, Bernier couldn't finish Saturday's start because he got hit in the head/neck area by a slap shot and Varlamov had to play for the final 12 1/2 minutes.  So Varlamov is forced into action again tonight for the 12th straight game - not an ideal situation.  Another non-ideal situation for tonight is that Colorado is back on the road where it is just 12-22 on the season.  The Wild come in having lost to the Oilers in Edmonton, 4-1, despite out-shooting them by 33-28.  They're back at the Xcel Energy Center where they've won their last four in front of the home faithful.  The home team is 5-1 in the last six meetings of these two while the Avs are 2-10 in the last 12 trips to Minneapolis.  Take the Wild.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Anaheim Ducks over the St. Louis Blues.  The Blues would like nothing more than to have a strong finish to the regular season and reach their seventh straight post-season.  But those hopes are fading fast as St. Louis currently sits on the outside looking in in the Western Conference with just 77 points.  And they're essentially down to just one goalie as Carter Hutton is nursing a neck injury.  And although he may be available if needed tonight, he still isn't 100%, so Jake Allen will have to shoulder the load once again.  This has been an incredibly one-sided series recently here in California as the Blues are just 5-21-1 in the last 27 meetings in Anaheim.  Meanwhile, the Ducks come in having lost two straight on the road, but those were against very tough opponents in Nashville and Dallas.  And they won three straight -- all at home -- before those two.  The home team is 38-13-1 in the last 52 meetings of these two.  Take Anaheim.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Dallas Stars.  As they often do, the Pittsburgh Penguins are finishing the regular season strong and setting themselves up as one of the favorites once again heading into April.  This despite the fact that their #1 goalie - Matt Murray -- has been out since February 24 with a concussion and has no timetable for a return.  Back-ups Casey DeSmith and Tristan Jarry have played very well in Murray's absence and the offense has really stepped up, logging a scoring average of 4.00 so far in the month of March.  Dallas, meanwhile is on the opposite end of that spectrum, managing just 2.20 GPG so far in their first five March contests.  Pittsburgh returns home tonight after two tough road games in Philadelphia and Toronto and that's potentially very good news for them (and bad for the Stars) as they are 25-9 here this season.  The Stars are just 2-7 in their last nine trips to the Steel City and the Pens are 6-1 in their last seven games vs. teams from the Western Conference.  Take Pittsburgh.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Avalanche over the Arizona Coyotes.  Making a push for just their second playoff appearance this decade, the Colorado Avalanche looked like they were on their way after winning three straight games by a combined score of 15-4 between February 26 and March 2.  But just as quickly as that three-game success happened, it was nullified by three straight losses leading into this afternoon's match-up with the Coyotes.  But there are at least a couple of reasons to think that the bleeding will stop today.  First, all three of those losses came in overtime.  Second, two of them were on the road, and the lone home loss was to the best team in the conference -- Nashville -- and the Avs almost pulled the upset in that one.  It's no secret that this team is much better here at the Pepsi Center in Denver than it is on the road, and the Coyotes only have nine road victories this season -- by far the lowest number in the conference.   Take the Avalanche. NHL Elite Info Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia Flyers over the Winnipeg Jets.  The Jets have won their last four games, including 3-2, 3-0 and 3-2 victories to start this six-game road trip.  But i believe their success will come to a halt in Philly this afternoon.  Winnipeg is a horrid 2-7 this season off 3+ wins, and they're 19-35 (minus 20 games on the moneyline) their last 54 off back to back wins.  Even worse:  the Jets are 11-27 after not allowing 3 goals in any of their two previous games.  Take the Flyers.  Hockey High Roller Winner.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Chicago Blackhawks.  If anyone ever was to downplay the seriousness of a concussion injury, they should consider the case of Corey Crawford and the Chicago Blackhawks.  The 'Hawks have made the NHL playoffs in each of the last nine seasons, winning it all in three of those years, with Crawford as their #1 net-minder in the last seven of those.  But this year, Crawford - after getting off to a solid start - suffered a concussion in December and it now looks like he might not come back this season.  And the 'Hawks?  They are currently sitting in last place in their division and, barring a miracle, won't be participating in the post-season.  Chicago has been shuffling back and forth between back-up goalies Anton Forsberg and Jean-Francois Berube, but nothing seems to be working right now.  With an almost identical record to Chicago, the 'Canes haven't exactly been setting the league on fire, but they're healthy and have been playing well against lesser opponents, going 10-3 in their last 13 against clubs with a losing record.  Take Carolina.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over Buffalo.  The Sabres upset the Maple Leafs, 5-3, here at home in their last game.  But Buffalo is an awful 1-9 at home its last 10 vs. foes from the Western Conference.  And it's a poor 10-26 at home off a win.  In contrast, the Flames are currently riding a 4-game losing streak, though it played very well in its last game -- a 4-3 overtime loss at the defending champion Penguins.  But Calgary is fighting for its Playoff life, so it will surely be well-motivated tonight.  And the Flames will also catch a small break, as Buffalo's star, Jack Eichel (who leads Buffalo with 53 points), won't be available tonight due to a high-ankle sprain.  Take Calgary to snap its losing streak tonight.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over the Arizona Coyotes.  Another season of high expectations for the Oilers and another season of disappointment.  Once again, Edmonton's hockey team featured a lot of young stars at the beginning of the season and once again, we come to the month of March with the Oilers looking like they will miss the post-season -- the 11th such time that will happen in the last 12 seasons.  The Oilers have won just 27 times in 65 games, and they come into tonight having lost three straight (to the Rangers, Sharks, and Predators).  Of course those 27 victories look pretty good compared to the Coyotes, who have won just 20 times this season.  But believe it or not, the Coyotes are hot right now, having won seven of their last nine.  But they've struggled recently when facing the Oilers, as Arizona is just 1-5 in the last six meetings with Edmonton and the home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings.  The Coyotes are also just 4-15 in their 19 games vs. Division Opponents this season.  Take the Oilers.  NHL Game of the Week.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over New York.  Both of these teams are mired in slumps.  The Oilers have lost eight of 12, while the Rangers have dropped six of eight.  It's true that Edmonton's defense has been a bit leaky, lately, as it's allowed 5, 5, and 4 goals over its last three games.  But the Oilers are a super 7-2 after giving up 4+ goals in three straight games.  And the home team has won four of the last five meetings in this series.  Take the Oilers.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over Washington.  This game will be played at Navy-Marines Corps Memorial Stadium, in Annapolis, so the Caps' home ice advantage won't be in play tonight.  Notwithstanding its loss at Florida on Tuesday, Toronto's playing really well, as it's won 13 of its last 17 games.  And the Maple Leafs are a super 14-5 off a loss to a division rival.  Take the Leafs.

At 2:05 pm, our selection is on the Dallas Stars over St. Louis.  The Stars fell at home, in overtime, vs. Tampa Bay, on Thursday, so they'll look to bounce back tonight.  And Dallas likely will, as it's 29-9 at home off a loss, as well as 10-1 at home after giving up more than four goals in its previous game.  Take the Stars.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over the New York Rangers.  The Rangers broke out of one of their worst slumps in recent memory with a surprising victory on Wednesday.  New York had lost seven in a row by a combined score of 29-13 when it went into Vancouver as a heavy underdog to the Canucks.  Somehow, the Rangers managed to win that one in overtime by a 6-5 margin, although it's hard to understand how, as they were out-shot by a whopping 55-27.  The Flames, losers of two straight, will have to go again without regular #1 goalie Mike Smith - out with a groin injury.  Jon Gillies has been carrying the bulk of the load in recently, but he was given a night off in the Flames last game in Denver against the Avs.  With some extra rest, Gillies should be able to return to the form he's had recently, not allowing more than two goals in his last three games since taking over for the faltering David Rittich.  The home team is 6-1 in the last seven meetings.  Take Calgary.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Detroit Red Wings.  The Blues have a proud history of being one of the most consistent teams in the Western Conference over the past several years.  But the Blues have lost seven games in a row by a combined score of 29-10.  Perhaps a home game against the Red Wings will kick-start a turnaround for St. Louis.  The Blues have dominated the Wings in recent meetings, taking three out of the last four against them by a combined score of 10-2.  And, despite their recent struggles, the Blues still hold a very good 19-14 record this season here at the Scottrade Center.  The Wings have won each of their last two games, beating the Hurricanes, 3-1, followed by a victory over the Rangers, 3-2.  But those two teams have a combined record this season of 54-72.  And this is not an ideal situation for Detroit either, as it is 2-9 in its last 11 after scoring three or more goals in back to back games.  Take the Blues.  NHL GAME OF THE WEEK.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:35 pm, our selection is on the San Jose Sharks over Edmonton.  The Oilers won 6-5 at Anaheim on Sunday, but they're an awful 0-7 this season after scoring more than five goals in their previous game.  Moreover, the Sharks are 33-16 in division games, and 10-4 after allowing 3+ goals in back to back games.  Take San Jose.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Dallas Stars over the Calgary Flames.  The Stars are 35-27 on the season, but 21 of those 35 wins have come here at home.  Those 21 home victories are tied for the fourth-best such number in the conference and tonight Dallas will try to improve upon that mark with the Flames coming to town for the second time this season.  With the exception of Center Martin Hanzal, the Stars are healthy now and they've taken four of the last six meetings with the Flames, including both meetings this season (October 27 and November 24).  The Stars lost to the red-hot Jets in their last game, 5-3, but that's not necessarily a bad thing as Dallas is 9-1 in its last 10 games after allowing four or more goals in the previous game.  The Stars are also 13-2 in their last 15 home games off a loss against a division rival.  Take the Stars.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the New Jersey Devils.  The Pens lost 6-5 at Florida on Saturday, but have been sensational at home off a road loss, as they're 29-8 (+15 games on the money line) their last 37.  Additionally, the Devils are a poor 33-47 vs. division rivals, while Pittsburgh is 41-19 in division games.  Take the Penguins.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Avalanche over the Vancouver Canucks.  These two under-achieving teams have had some very close contests against one another recently.  In fact, each of their last five meetings - going back to November 2016 - has been decided by a single goal, with three of those five needing overtime or a shootout before determining a winner.  Vancouver has gotten the better of those five (4-1), but the Avs have one of the best teams this season that they've had in quite some time, especially when playing at home.  Here at the Pepsi Center, Colorado is 20-9, but that excellent home mark is offset by the Avs' awful 12-20 road record.  One of those rare road wins actually came in the last meeting between these two as the Avalanche bested the Canucks, 5-4, in OT six days ago.  Vancouver's negative scoring differential this season of -34 is surpassed in the Conference only by the woeful Coyotes' -57.  Vancouver comes into tonight off of a win over that Arizona club last night, but it is 0-4 in its last four when playing on zero days' rest.  Meanwhile, Colorado's 11-3 at home when the total was 6 goals or more.  Take the Avs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Anaheim Ducks over Edmonton.  These two teams have already met twice this season, with each team triumphing once on its home ice.  The last meeting was here in Anaheim just 16 days ago, and the Ducks won 3-2.  And that's been par for the course in this series, as the home teams have now won six of the last seven regular season meetings.  The Ducks are also 55-36 vs. Division rivals, while Edmonton is a poor 30-47 (minus 20 games on the money line) when playing with revenge.   Take Anaheim on Sunday night.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the Edmonton Oilers.  The Kings came home from a seven-game road trip on Thursday to play one of their dullest games of the season, registering just 18 shots on goal in a 2-0 shutout loss at the hands of the Dallas Stars.  And this was after they had logged at least 30 shots in each of their previous six contests.  Chalk that one up to road rust and expect L.A. to come out with a lot more fire in its belly tonight against Division rivals Edmonton.  The Oilers come in having won two of their last three, but both victories were against the Avalanche, and if you take those games out of the equation, the Oilers have lost seven straight by a combined score of 29-16.  The Kings have a way of rebounding from games like their last one as they are 5-0 in their last five after scoring two goals or less in their previous game.  The home team is also 8-1 in the last nine meetings of these two while the Oilers are 2-14 in the last 16 meetings in Los Angeles.  Take the Kings.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Washington Capitals over Buffalo.  These two teams met five days ago in Buffalo, and the Caps won on the road, 3-2.  Since that game, Washington has lost to the Lightning and Panthers.  But the Capitals are a super 17-5 off back to back losses, while Buffalo is a poor 11-30 when playing with revenge.  Take Washington.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Chicago Blackhawks.  After averaging 41.5 shots on goals over a span of 10 games, the Blue Jackets' offense went on holiday in its past two games.  It generated just 19 shots on goal in a 2-1 win at New Jersey, and then only peppered Philadelphia for 20 shots on goal in a 2-1 loss on Thursday.  I expect Columbus' offense to get back on track this evening when it returns home to face the Blackhawks.  Columbus is averaging almost 36 shots on goal, and 2.6 goals per game at home this season.  And it's 12-6 this year after scoring 2 or less goals in each of its two previous games.  Take Columbus.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Hurricanes are no doubt glad to be done playing teams from the New York Metropolitan area.  In their last three games, the 'Canes have lost to the New Jersey Devils (twice) and the New York Islanders by a combined score of 11-4.  Prior to that, the 'Canes had won three straight here at home against the Canucks, Avalanche, and Kings.  The Penguins are hot - on a five game winning streak - but they've had the lion's share of their success this season at home and they have one of the biggest home-road biases in the league.  When playing in Pittsburgh, the Pens are 23-8, but away from the Steel City, they are just 12-18.  And this has been a very competitive series lately as the Hurricanes took both of the first two meetings of the season before the Pens turned the tables the last time they met on January 23 (3-1).  Carolina is 100% healthy now so don't be surprised if it makes a run the rest of the way.  The 'Canes are 56-32 in their last 88 home games after losing their previous game in overtime.  Take Carolina.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over the Colorado Avalanche.  The Oilers might feature the best young player in world in Connor McDavid, but they are far from the best team -- even in their own Division -- right now.  The Oilers have really missed the services of McDavid's back-up at the Center position, fellow superstar Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who has been out since January 13 with a rib injury.  Nugent-Hopkins just had his first skate with the team since suffering that injury, but he is still at least two weeks away from a return to action.  But the Oilers' injury woes are nothing compared with that of the Avalanche.  Colorado's defense is completely decimated right now, with no fewer than four blue-line regulars out indefinitely with various maladies (Johnson, Lindholm, Barberio, and Boikov).  It's true that Edmonton has won just one of its last eight games (and six of its last 18).  But the Oilers are 4-1 in the last five meetings of these two, while the Avs are 7-23 in their last 30 vs. Pacific teams and 1-5 in their last six games playing on one day of rest.  Take the Oilers.  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 come into this game on a three game losing streak - something that is quite rare for them.  Only one of those losses was at home however, and that was to the defending Stanley Cup Champion Penguins nine days ago by a 4-1 margin.  They return here after back-to-back road losses in Nashville and Dallas.  The Sharks meanwhile are on a two-game home winning streak, but they're just .500 on the road this season (15-15) and they haven't won in St. Louis in almost two years.  Already thin at the Center position with the loss of veteran Joe Thornton, the Sharks will also be without Tomas Hertl tonight as he left the game on February 13 against Arizona and is not ready to return.  The Sharks are 1-6 in their last seven games vs. teams from the Central Division and 1-9 in their last 10 road games vs. teams with a home winning % of greater than .600.  Take St. Louis.  NHL Elite Info Winner. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Columbus Blue Jackets over the New Jersey Devils.  The Jackets are on a 3-game losing streak, including a 5-2 home loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday, and now sit 1 point outside of the eighth (and final) playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.  And it's been a perplexing 2-8 run for the Blue Jackets over their last 10 games, as they've not been without their offensive chances.  Indeed, they've averaged 41.5 shots on goal over their last 10 games, but have scored just 2.6 goals per game.  But I love Columbus to rebound this evening, as it's 8-1 off a loss by more than 2 goals, and it's won five of the last six meetings vs. the Devils, as well as six of the last seven in New Jersey.  Take Columbus.  NHL High Roller Winner.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Blackhawks over the Los Angeles Kings.  These two clubs have been two of the most dominant in the league this decade, having won five of the last eight Stanley Cups.  But you'd never know it from looking at their current places in the standings.  The Kings sit fifth in the Pacific while somewhat shockingly the Blackhawks are in seventh and last place in the Central and if the season ended today neither of these former power-houses would make the post-season.  At least the Hawks know how to end a losing streak.  Chicago had lost eight in a row before its last game and all the Hawks did in that one was embarrass a very good team in the Capitals, 7-1, here at home.  They'll try to keep it going against the Kings, who ended their own slump -- albeit just a three-game one -- by beating the Sabres their last time out.  With #1 goalie Corey Crawford on the shelf, the Hawks have turned mainly to Anton Forsberg and he's been mostly solid, as in his performance against the Caps last time out.  The home team is 7-2 in the last nine meetings.  Take Chicago.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Ottawa Senators.  The Preds lost a pair to the Flames and Red Wings coming into tonight and before that they beat the Blues and Canadiens after losing back-to-back to the Maple Leafs and Senators.  That Senators loss was a 4-3 OT defeat in Ottawa and sets up Nashville for a revenge match at home where the Predators are 19-10 on the season.  But that last victory was the Senators first in the last five meetings of these two going all the way back to 2014.  Already short-handed due to injuries and a suspension, the Senators were without LW Ryan Dzingel in their last game due to a family matter and it's likely they'll have to go without him again tonight.  This is in stark contrast to the Predators who have no significant injuries for this game.  The Preds have allowed three goals in each of their last three games, but that may be a good thing for tonight as they are 7-0 in their last seven games following that situation.  Take Nashville.

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the NY Islanders.  The Wild dropped their two previous games -- both at home -- to the Capitals and Ducks.  But I love them to bounce back this afternoon, as they're 8-1 this season off back to back losses.  The Islanders, meanwhile, upset the Hurricanes in Raleigh, 3-0, on Friday.  Unfortunately, the Isles are 22-40 at home off a division road win, and are also a poor 166-214 off a win by 2+ goals.  Take Minnesota.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over Detroit.  The Leafs had won nine of 10 before stumbling in Pittsburgh last night.  But the Penguins, themselves, are 14-4 their last 18, so there was not any shame for the Leafs to have lost that game.  They'll step down in class this evening when they face a Red Wings club which has lost 18 of its 30 home games this season.  Even worse for Detroit:  it's lost five of the last six meetings vs. Toronto.  And the Wings are an awful 11-24 this season vs. good offensive teams that score at least 2.85 goals per game.  Take the Maple Leafs.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 6:05 pm, our selection is on the Columbus Blue Jackets over Pittsburgh.  Certainly, there's nothing the Jackets want more than to avenge their Playoff series defeat to these Penguins last season.  They've had two opportunities already this season, but came up a goal short in each game.  But both of those games were in Pittsburgh.  So, this will be the first time they'll get the Pens here at home since that Playoff ouster.  Columbus has won six of the last eight meetings at home vs. Pittsburgh.  And they've averaged 4.5 goals per game in the previous four home meetings.  Take Columbus.

At 5:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the New Jersey Devils.  The Hurricanes play their third game in four days against New York Metropolitan area teams, and this evening will represent a revenge situation for them.  Three nights ago they lost in New Jersey to the Devils by a 5-2 margin and then followed that up with a real stinker here at home, losing to the Islanders, 3-0.  The good news is that their defense has been outstanding, allowing just 22 shots on goal in each of those last two, and in the loss to New York, it was simply a matter of a hot goaltender as the 'Canes couldn't get any of their 45 shots past Isles net-minder Thomas Greiss.  A similar number of shots tonight against Devils goalie Kevin Kinkaid and his mediocre .893 saves percentage should result in a 'Canes victory.  The Devils come into tonight off of a huge win over the East-leading Lightning so a let-down in a back-to-back situation is a very good possibility.  New Jersey is also a poor 1-5 in its last six games playing without rest.  Take Carolina.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Blackhawks over the Washington Capitals.  It's true that the Blackhawks have lost eight straight games.  And it's also true that the Capitals blew out Chicago when these two teams met in DC earlier this season by a 6-2 score.  But Chicago can take heart in the fact that it out-shot the Caps by a 39-25 count in that defeat.  And the fact that Chicago's on an 8-game losing streak has created terrific line value in this game, and Chicago's rarely installed as an underdog or PK at home (this will be just the 2nd time this season).   Washington is an awful 1-6 its last seven games as a road favorite.  Take Chicago.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 4:05 pm, our selection is on the Edmonton Oilers over the Arizona Coyotes.  For the second time this season, the Coyotes -- who are the worst team in the NHL -- have a three-game winning streak.  They've beaten the Sharks in San Jose and the Canadiens and Blackhawks here at home coming into this match-up with the Oilers.  Edmonton has a streak of its own going, but not the kind to be pleased with.  The Oilers have lost five straight coming into this game, their longest such losing streak of the season.  When you're as bad as Arizona is, there really isn't any home-ice advantage to be had.  The Coyotes have the same number of wins on the road this season (eight) as they do here at the Gila River Arena.  And the fact that they're playing a poor road team likely won't matter either as they are 1-7 in their last eight home games vs. teams with a road winning % of less than .400.  The Oilers are 5-0 in the last five meetings while Arizona is 1-9 in their last 10 following a three game unbeaten streak.  Take Edmonton.

At 2:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the Anaheim Ducks.  The Wild were blown out here at home in their last game by the Washington Capitals.  But Minny generally bounces back off of losses (16-9), and especially after losing by 3 or more goals, as they're 11-2 in that situation.  Meanwhile, Anaheim is a dreadful 11-23 (minus 17 games on the money line) off a road win, and 17-26 when playing their third road game over a 5-day period.  Take the Wild.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the New York Islanders.  The Islanders shut out the Rangers on Thursday night, 3-0.  But before we get too excited, lets consider that this has become par for the course.  The Isles have now taken each of the last six meetings vs. the Rangers and 10 of the last 11, so it's hard to draw too much of a conclusion from this latest beat-down.  Things will get a little tougher tonight as New York ventures into Raleigh where the 'Canes have a winning record this season.  And they've won their last three home games by a combined score of 14-5.  The Isles are banged-up right now with five regular players either out for an extended period or questionable for tonight with various injuries.  They're also just 1-5 in their last 6 games playing without a day off, while the Hurricanes are 10-2 in their last 12 vs. teams with a losing record.  Take Carolina.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Montreal Canadiens over Arizona.  The Canadiens played last night in Colorado, and used their back-up goalie, Antti Niemi, between the pipes.  So, #1 netminder, Carey Price, will get the start tonight.  Montreal will face a Coyotes squad off back to back wins vs. Chicago (6-1) and San Jose (2-1).  Unfortunately for Arizona, it's an awful 7-34 after not allowing 3+ goals in each of its two previous games, including 0-13 its last 13.  Take Montreal.  Good luck, as always....Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Ottawa Senators over the Buffalo Sabres.  In one of the biggest upsets so far in the second half of the season, the Sabres beat the mighty Lightning on Tuesday.  Not only did the Sabres net five goals in the victory, but they also out-shot the Bolts by a 33-29 margin.   Tonight, they'll take on the Ottawa Senators, who looked like they might turn their season around when they won four of five games to start the month of February -- with three of those coming right here at the Canadian Tire Centre.  But they had to go back on the road for their last two, and promptly lost both in Toronto and Pittsburgh.  But those are two of the hottest teams around right now.  So, tonight the 'Nats come back home to play a much worse opponent in the Sabres.  And over the last two seasons, Ottawa is 14-5 in home games which immediately followed two or more consecutive losses.  Take the Senators.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over Detroit.  The Lightning return home off back-to-back road losses to the Sabres and Maple Leafs.  Tampa surrendered 4 and 5 goals, respectively, in those two defeats.  But the Lightning are 45-27 after allowing more than three goals, and 61-38 off a loss.  Meanwhile, Detroit's an awful 15-27 off back to back wins, including 2-8 this season.  Take Tampa Bay.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Anaheim Ducks over the Detroit Red Wings.  The Red Wings were no doubt looking forward to moving into their sleek, new downtown arena -- dubbed Little Caesars -- before the season started back in October.  And things started out well enough for them as they won their first-ever regular season game there, 4-2, over the Minnesota Wild on October 5.  But it looks like the new rink is no home-sweet-home for Detroit's hockey club.  Since that opening victory, the Wings have gone just 10-18 here and have -- not surprisingly -- been better on the road this season than at their new local digs.  The offense has come alive in the last two games, scoring 11 total goals in road games against the Isles and Caps.  The problem is, they've also allowed 11 goals in those and as a result have gone just 1-1 over that span (both overtime games).  But their home funk continues to be the Wings biggest problem as they are just 1-6 in their last seven games here.  The Ducks are 6-2 in the last eight meetings.  Take Anaheim.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Calgary Flames over the NY Islanders.  The Flames have actually been better (15-11) on the road this season than at home.  And we'll go against the Isles off their high-scoring, 7-6 home win vs. Detroit.  New York is a poor 26-36 (minus 14 games on the money line) off a home win.  And New York's also 99-131 after allowing 4+ goals in back-to-back games.  Take Calgary.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Colorado Avalanche over the Buffalo Sabres.  For only the second time this season, the Sabres have pulled off a two-game winning streak with their victories over the Islanders and Bruins  That's a great accomplishment but let's not forget that this is still a pretty bad team that is just 16-29 this season.  The Avs got crushed in St. Louis in their last game, however this game doesn't bode well for Buffalo as the Sabres are 0-5 in their last five home games vs. teams with a road winning % of less than .400.   And they're 19-33 after scoring 4+ goals in their previous game, 28-54 off a win, and 15-54 in their last 69 vs. teams from the Central Division.  Take the Avs.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Winnipeg Jets over the New York Rangers.  The Jets are an awesome 20-6 at home this season, but did lose their previous game, 5-2, to the Blues.  But the Jets are 15-7 off a loss, and 26-11 at home off a loss by more than two goals.  Take Winnipeg.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the St. Louis Blues over the Colorado Avalanche.  It looks like another winning season for the St. Louis Blues, and if they do in fact keep it up, it will be 10 of those in a row for one of the most consistent teams in the game.  The big prize has eluded St. Louis during that time, but no doubt the Blues are hoping that patience and hard work will eventually pay off.  They are well within striking range of the first place Jets, and tonight they get a very favorable match-up at home against the Avalanche.  As consistent as the Blues have been, that's how unpredictable the Avs have been.  They beat the Sharks at home in their last game, but lost four of five on the road before that and tonight they have to travel to a very difficult place to try to get out of their road funk.  The Avs are 1-8 in the last nine meetings and 2-12 in the last 14 trips to the Gateway City.  Take the Blues.  NHL Roadkill Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Ottawa Senators.  After making it all the way to Stanley Cup Finals last season -- their first trip there -- the Predators are hoping to return in 2018.  And there's reason to believe they just might do it.  With 72 points heading into tonight, the Preds are right on the heels of the first-place Winnipeg Jets and the team leading the other division -- and Western Conference -- the upstart Vegas Golden Knights.  How strange would a Nashville-Vegas NHL Conference Finals seem?  The Preds got a point last night but lost a tough one in a shoot-out in Toronto.  They'll be happy to get back home where they are 18-8 this season.  Perhaps the only thing worse than being a bad team is being a bad team with a lot of injuries.  And that's exactly the situation that the Senators find themselves in right now with no fewer than eight regulars either out indefinitely or questionable for tonight's game with various ailments.  Nashville is 6-1 in the last seven meetings with the Senators.  Take the Predators.  NHL High Roller. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the New York Rangers over the Boston Bruins.  The Bruins' #1 center Brad Marchand partook in the NHL All-Star festivities despite being suspended five games for an elbow he laid on New Jersey's Marcus Johansson on January 23.  With the suspension lifted, Marchand should return to his team tonight at Madison Square Garden, but the Boston star will need to shake off the rust that will likely be the result of not having played in a game in two weeks.  The Bruins will give #1 netminder Tuukka Rask the night off and his back-up Anton Khudobin will be between the pipes tonight.  But his team has lost five of Khudobin's last eight starts in goal going back to December 4 of last year, so the veteran is looking for a bit of a turnaround.  But this has been a very host-friendly series lately as the home team is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings.  And the Bruins are 0-7 in the last seven meetings and 7-20 in the last 27 in New York.  Meanwhile, the Rangers are 18-8 after two or more consecutive losses over the past two seasons.  Take New York.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Pittsburgh Penguins over the Vegas Golden Knights.  Sometimes, when a team goes nuts on offense against a big rival, that same team can come back in the next game (especially when it's the next night) looking like it left everything on the ice with nothing left in the tank.  Such is the case with the Penguins, who had a huge victory over the Caps on Saturday night at home, putting up seven goals in a dominant 7-4 shellacking.  But on Sunday, the Pens traveled east to New Jersey and looked like a totally different team.  They managed just 16 total shots on goal (after putting up 39 against DC) and lost in an embarrassing 3-1 beat-down by the Devils.  Tonight they're back home against the surprising Golden Knights and this will also mark the return to Pittsburgh (for the first time) of long-time Pens goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who was selected by the Knights in the expansion draft last June when the Pens left him unprotected.  Pittsburgh is 8-0 in its last eight home games off of a road loss and 28-8 at home off a loss, generally.  And it's also 42-14 off a loss by 2+ goals.  Take the Pens.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the San Jose Sharks.  The folks in Carolina were probably hoping they'd have a football team playing later today, but the NFL Panthers were knocked out of the playoffs and so fans will have to settle for the NHL team instead.  The 'Canes will be playing at home against a very consistent San Jose club.  But unfortunately for the Sharks, in this case consistent simply means consistently mediocre.  The Sharks have won 46 games each of the last two seasons, and they're on track to finish 2018 with right around that same number which should once again get them to the playoffs with little else to show for it.  San Jose simply can't seem to make the transition from a good to a great team, something that's haunted it pretty much from day one.  Carolina is in the same boat -- but worse -- although the 'Canes have been playing better lately, having won three in a row before losing to Detroit last time out.  This will be the Sharks' fourth consecutive road game and they are 2-11 in their last 13 road games after being away from home for their three previous.  Take Carolina.  NHL Roadkill Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Winnipeg Jets over the Colorado Avalanche.  It may sound a little odd to start a sentence with the words, "the first place Winnipeg Jets" but that's what we're dealing with right now in one of the strangest seasons the Western Conference of the NHL has ever seen.  And even if the Jets and/or (equally surprising division-leading) Golden Knights aren't in first place come mid-April, it's still been quite an unexpected trip to this point.  You can sum up the Jets' success thus far with two words -- home ice.  The Jets have lost just five of 23 games played here at Bell MTS Centre, and two of those were in overtime.  And tonight they just happen to be playing one of the teams that is similar to them as the Avs are 18-8 at home, but just 10-14 on the road, and they have a huge negative scoring differential when playing away from Denver.  And this is also a very home-friendly series lately as the hosts are 6-0 in the last six meetings.  Finally, Winnipeg is 9-0 in its nine home games coming off of a loss this season.  Take the Jets.  NHL Roadkill Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 1:05 pm, our selection is on the Philadelphia Flyers over the Ottawa Senators.  The Senators have been dreadful since November 16, as they're 8-25 their last 33 games, including 2-16 their last 18 road games.  Yikes!  More bad news for Ottawa:  forward Bobby Ryan was injured in Thursday's win, so he'll be replaced on Ottawa's top line by rookie right winger Colin White.  The Flyers are 4-1-1 in their last six meetings vs. Ottawa, and I look for the Flyers to snap their 3-game losing streak this afternoon.  Take Philly.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Nashville Predators over the Los Angeles Kings.  The Preds will get left wing Filip Forsberg back in the fold tonight, which is great news since he's tied for the team lead with 15 goals.  Forsberg had missed Nashville's previous 11 games with an upper body injury.  But Nashville didn't miss a beat while he was out, as it was 6-3-2 in those 11 games.  The Preds did lose their last game -- at home, on Tuesday, to Chicago.  But they're still 16-8 in Nashville this season.  And they're 67-46 off a loss (and 27-18 off a home loss).  Take Nashville.  NHL Elite Info Winner.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Dallas Stars over the Los Angeles Kings.  The Los Angeles All-Stars looked good over the weekend as the Pacific Division team took down the winning honors, but now it's back to reality for a team that was struggling mightily before the break.  The Kings had won just two of their last nine games heading into All-Star weekend, and if the season ended right now, they'd be on the outside looking in at the post-season (barely).  There's no question that injuries have played a major role in the Kings' recent demise as #2 C Jeff Carter continues to miss time after having surgery to repair ligament damage to his ankle.  And the Kings #1 goalie, Jonathan Quick, is on IR, although the break has done him some good and he should be ready to get back on Thursday.  The Stars lost their last game prior to the break, but they won the two before that by a combined score of 13-2 and are now 17-8 at home this season.  The Stars are 18-3 in home games after a loss by two goals or more in their previous game over the last two seasons.  Take Dallas.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 9:05 pm, our selection is on the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Arizona Coyotes.  Arizona has the worst record in the NHL (least amount of points) and if you want to know how bad they've been this season, consider the following.  The Coyotes come into tonight having beaten the Blues and Islanders in their last two games, and that marks only the second time this season that Arizona has won two-in-a-row.  The Jackets on the other hand are in a bit of a funk, having lost three of their last four games, but if there is anything that might lift them out of their doldrums, it just might be a game against tonight's opponent.  The Blue Jackets have absolutely dominated this series lately, taking each of the last five meetings going back to November of 2015.  Also, Columbus is 8-0 when coming off of losses of three or more goals (it lost to Vegas by 6-3 in its last game).  The Coyotes are 3-13 in their last 16 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.  Take the Jackets.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Montreal Canadiens over the Colorado Avalanche.  Last night we gave out the Toronto Maple Leafs, going against the red-hot Avs who had won nine in a row.  That didn't turn out to be a winning strategy as Colorado made it 10 straight in beating the Leafs by a 4-2 final.  Even though they won that game in Toronto, the Avalanche are still just 9-11 away from Denver this season, and Montreal hasn't always been a very friendly place for them.  In fact, the last time they met here, the Canadiens embarrassed the Avalanche by racking up double-digit goals in a 10-1 rout.  Now, granted, that game was in December of 2016, but it serves as perhaps a warning that a team on a 10-game winning streak just might be vulnerable in what has historically been one of the toughest places in the league for opposing teams.  The home team is 6-2 in the last eight meetings.  And Montreal's also a super 14-4 off a home loss by more than 2 goals.  Take the Canadiens.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Toronto Maple Leafs over the Colorado Avalanche.  The hottest team in the National Hockey League?  Hard to believe, but it's the Colorado Avalanche with nine straight victories coming into tonight.  But nine of the last 10 Avs games have been at home.  And now they go on the road for their next six games, five of which are in Canada, including tonight's meeting in Toronto.  At home in the Pepsi Center, the Avs feature one of the largest differentials in the league (1.12) with a 3.65 Goal-scoring average compared to a 2.54 Goals-against.  But away from Denver, that differential changes to -0.47 (2.48 vs. 3.32).  Colorado's streak began with a 4-3 overtime win against the Leafs at home but Toronto out-shot Colorado by 34-28 in that game back on December 29.  The Avalanche is 16-35 in its last 51 road games against teams with a winning home record and 14-41 in its last 55 road games overall.  And it's 1-12 on the road after scoring more than 2 goals in each of its two previous games.  Take the Maple Leafs.  NHL Elite Info Winner!  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 12:35 pm, our selection is on the Washington Capitals over the Philadelphia Flyers.  Philly comes into this game off a win yesterday afternoon vs. New Jersey, while the Capitals had yesterday off following their home loss to Montreal, on Friday.  The Caps will be playing with revenge from an 8-2 blowout loss to Philly earlier this season. That game, however, set up very well for Philly, as it was the well-rested team that night (with the previous three days off), while the Caps were unrested.  With the tables turned this afternoon, we'll back Washington, which is 20-6 off back to back losses, and 24-8 when playing with revenge from a road loss.  Take Washington.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the San Jose Sharks over the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Sharks lost their last game on the road to the red-hot Avalanche.  You can bet that the Sharks are happy to be back home at the SAP Center after playing eight of their last nine away from Silicon Valley.  San Jose is 13-8 here at home this season vs. just 11-12 on the road, and this game represents a bit of a revenge situation for the Sharks as they lost to the Penguins in the 2016 Stanley Cup finals, four games to two.  This season's version of the Penguins appears to be a notch or two below that 2016 team which tallied 48 wins and 104 points.  The Pens are 15-8 at home this season but just 10-15 away from the Steel City.  The Pens are 3-7 in their last 10 games following a win as well as 2-8 in their last 10 vs. teams from the Western Conference.  San Jose allowed five goals in that loss to the Avs and the Sharks are 21-8 in their last 29 after allowing five or more goals in their previous game.  Take the Sharks.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:35 pm, our selection is on the Florida Panthers over the Vegas Golden Knights.  Tonight, the Golden Knights wrap up their tour of Florida and it might be a bit of a letdown because last night's game against the Lightning in Tampa featured the top two conference teams going against each other.  But it wasn't much of a contest as the Knights steamrolled the home team in a 4-1 blowout, so they have to be wary of taking their foot off the gas on back-to-back nights against an apparent inferior opponent.  The Panthers did lose their last game at home, 4-2, to the Flames a week ago.  But prior to that they won four straight here at the BB&T Center, out-scoring their opponents by 10-4 over those games.  There's no denying that the Knights have had an incredible maiden season so far.  But at some point, the multitude of injuries will likely catch up to them.  Vegas currently has no fewer than seven regulars either on IR, out indefinitely, or questionable due to various maladies.  The Panthers are 20-8 in their last 28 games playing on three or more days rest.  Take Florida.  NHL High Roller Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Columbus Blue Jackets over the Dallas Stars.  The bye week couldn't have come at a better time for the Columbus Blue Jackets who had lost back to back games to two of the worst teams in the league -- the Canucks and Sabres -- back on January 11 and 12.  And those two games weren't really close (5-2 and 3-1 respectively).  So having extra time to regroup, reload, and forget about those awful defeats can only be a good thing for a team that's still just six points behind the first-place Capitals.  This will be the second meeting of these two teams already for 2018 (they didn't meet at all in 2017).  The puck usually bounces in Columbus' direction in this match-up as the Jackets are 4-0 in the last four meetings and 8-2 in the last 10.  There's another reason why the time off should serve the Jackets well:  they are 9-1 in their last 10 games when playing on three or more days' rest.  Take Columbus.  NHL Roadkill.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 10:05 pm, our selection is on the Anaheim Ducks over the Pittsburgh Penguins.  It's been a rough week for the Pittsburgh Sports scene.  The Steelers were upset in their first-round playoff game at home by the Jags, while the Pirates traded two of their best -- and most popular -- players (Cole and McCutchen) virtually guaranteeing losing seasons on the horizon.  Of course , the Steel City still has the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Penguins.  But right now a return to the post-season -- never mind a three-peat -- is far from certain for the Pens, who were very inconsistent in the first half.  They've played better of late, winning four in a row coming into tonight, but inter-conference match-ups have presented a challenge this season as they are just 6-13 vs. West teams.  The Ducks will be happy to return home after a tough, five-game road trip that saw them go just 2-3.  Pittsburgh's #1 goalie Matt Murray has missed two games due to a personal matter and is questionable for tonight.  The home team is 13-6 in the last 19 meetings.   Take Anaheim.  NHL High Roller Winner. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the New Jersey Devils over the New York Islanders.  With a 5-4 overtime victory in Montreal last night, the Islanders have now won three games in a row after losing five straight prior to that.  The Devils on the other hand are in the midst of their worst stretch of the season, having lost six straight after dropping a home game to Flyers on Saturday.  That losing streak includes an overtime, shoot-out defeat to this Isles club about a week ago, 5-4 right here in New York.  But the Devils may have been more unlucky than anything in that loss as they put a whopping 46 shots on goal against the Isles (while facing 38) and they will win most of the time when they do that.  In fact, three of New Jersey's six losses during this streak have come in OT or SO.  The Devils will look to get the monkey off their back as they head back to Barclays Center tonight for a little revenge.  The travel from Montreal to Brooklyn shouldn't be a big deal, but this has not been an ideal situation for the Isles who are 1-4 in their last five games when playing on zero days' rest.  Meanwhile, New Jersey is 15-5 off a home game this season, including 5-3 off a home loss.  Take the Devils.  NHL Game of the Month.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 4:05 pm, our selection is on the Los Angeles Kings over the San Jose Sharks.  We're used to seeing one of both of these teams near the top of the standings in their Division.  But there is a New Kid in town this season out West as the Vegas Golden Knights not only lead the Pacific, but are out in front in the Western Conference.  But that doesn't mean a game between the Sharks and Kings won't be intense and important.  The Kings come into this afternoon having lost three straight, while the Sharks had lost three in a row before winning their last game, 6-5 at home.  And while breaking a three-game losing streak by scoring six goals may sound like a breakthrough, it should be noted that that game was against the lowly Arizona Coyotes (the worst team in the NHL) and the Sharks needed overtime to get the W.  Their biggest problem is that they have now allowed 25 goals in their last six games and that doesn't bode well against a very good offensive team like the Kings.  The Sharks are 3-14 in their last 17 road games vs. teams with a winning home record.  Take L.A.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 3:05 pm, our selection is on the Carolina Hurricanes over the Calgary Flames.  The Hurricanes come into this game against the red-hot Flames (no pun intended) having just split a home-and-home series with the Caps -- but not in the way you would expect.   First, the 'Canes went into DC and beat the Caps on their home ice -- breaking their 10-game winning streak there.  But then they came home and lost a close one to them the following night.  But no doubt Carolina wishes it could have the last four minutes of that one back as the Caps got two very late goals, including the game winner with under one second to play in regulation.  So the Canes will take out their frustration back home this afternoon against a Flames squad that has won six straight coming into this afternoon match-up.  The home team is 9-4 in the last 13 meetings of these two teams while the Canes are 10-4 in their last 14 home games vs. teams with a winning road record.  Take Carolina.  NHL Game of the Week. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the New Jersey Devils over the Philadelphia Flyers.  To say the the Devils have been a streaky team of late would be a huge understatement.  In their last 10 games -- going back almost a month -- the Devils have won five in a row (December 15 - 27) followed by a five-game losing streak heading into tonight.  Obviously, they're hoping to begin another string of victories, and with the Flyers coming to town they have a very good chance to do just that.  The Flyers come in having won three straight, but two of those were against the Islanders and Sabres, the two cellar-dwellers in the Eastern Conference.  Prior to the win streak, the Flyers had lost four of five.  More importantly for tonight, Philly is just 8-11 on the road this season.  And the Flyers #1 D-man, Shayne Gostisbehere, has been battling an illness and will likely not be available for this game.  The Flyers are 4-11 in the last 15 meetings with the Devils in New Jersey and the home team is 4-1 in the last five meetings, overall.  Moreover, the Devils are 53-24 at home off 3+ losses.  Take the Devils. NHL Roadkill. As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:35 pm, our selection is on the Chicago Blackhawks over Winnipeg.  We played against the Blackhawks on Wednesday, and got the $$$ when the Wild pulled the upset here at United Center.  But Chicago had won its two previous games by a combined score of 12-3, and I look for it to bounce back tonight, at home.  Chicago and Winnipeg already met once this season in Winnipeg, and the 'Hawks walloped Winnipeg, 5-1.  The Jets are a dismal 0-7 this season when playing with revenge from a home loss, and are also 15-30 off back to back wins.  Take Chicago to snap Winnipeg's 3-game win streak tonight.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the Chicago Blackhawks.  Both of the these teams played games last night, and had to travel overnight, back to Chicago for this game.  The Hawks had a much easier time of their game in Ottawa last night than did Minnesota, at home, vs. Calgary.  The Senators played little defense, and allowed Chicago to score at will in an 8-2 blowout. The Wild didn't have it so easy, as they matched up against a pretty good Flames team and lost a tough one in overtime, 3-2.  With Chicago's #1 goalie Corey Crawford still out with an injury, the 'Hawks will turn to #3 on their depth chart in goal tonight -- the little known Jeff Glass.  Glass is a bit of an anomaly in the NHL -- a 32-year-old first-year rookie.  Drafted by Ottawa in 2004, Glass played in the Minors for several seasons before signing a contract to play in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for years.  Having now signed with Chicago, Glass's NHL career is off to a shaky start (a 3.51 GAA in four games).  The road team is 5-2 in the last seven meetings of these two teams, and Minny is 7-1 off back to back losses this season.  Take the Wild.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the Minnesota Wild over the Calgary Flames.  Just like the Vikings over in the NFL, Minnesota has a very good hockey team, for sure.  But if the Wild is going to make another decent run at a Cup this season, it's going to have to improve dramatically in one key area -- winning on the road.  Minny has one of the largest home/road differentials in the league, and that bias has been on full display over the Wild's last eight games.  In those contests, the Wild has gone 4-0 at home (out-scoring the opposition by 19-7) and 0-4 on the road (while getting out-scored 17-4).  The last game was a 7-2 embarrassment in Colorado on Saturday.  Fortunately, Minnesota is back home tonight to face a team that is virtually a .500 club no matter where it plays.  The Flames are 21-20, with a 12-11 record at home and a 9-9 record elsewhere.  But they've struggled here in recent meetings, winning just two of the last seven times they've played at the Xcel Energy Center.  The Wild is 5-0 in its last five games coming off of a loss of three or more goals.  Take Minnesota. NHL Roadkill Winner.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over Detroit.  The Red Wings have won four straight, but will be without their #1 goalie, Jimmy Howard, tonight, as he sustained a lower-body injury.  Petr Mrazek will get the start for the Wings.  But he's been largely ineffective, with a 3-4-1 record, an .892 save percentage., and a 3.64 goals-against-average (a full 1 goal per game worse than Howard's GAA).  The Wings and Lightning have already met twice this season, and Tampa extended its dominant run over Detroit with wins by identical 3-2 scores.  Dating back to 2016, Tampa's won 13 of 14 meetings, including the last nine in a row!  That doesn't bode well for the Red Wings this evening.  Nor will it help matters that the Lighning lost their second straight game last night -- by a 6-3 score to Ottawa.  However, the Lightning are still an impressive 9-4 off back to back road losses, and 41-23 after allowing more than three goals in their previous game.  Take Tampa Bay.  Elite Info Winner! Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

At 8:05 pm, our selection is on the New York Rangers over Arizona.  The Coyotes earned a rare win in their last game but they'll be hard-pressed to win two-in-a-row, especially against a Rangers squad which is coming off a home upset loss to the Blackhawks.  And New York is a super 32-14 its last 46 off a home loss.  Even worse:  the Rangers already blew out Arizona, 5-2, earlier this season.  And Arizona is a miserable 23-82 its last 105 when playing with revenge from a loss by 2+ goals.  Dating back to 2014, the Coyotes have lost eight straight games to the Rangers in this series.  Take New York.  NHL Road Warrior.  Good luck, as always...Al McMordie. 

At 7:05 pm, our selection is on the Tampa Bay Lightning over the Ottawa Senators.  There's no mystery who the best team has been in the first half of the season.  The Lightning have the leading point-and-goal producer (Nikita Kucherov), +/- player (Steven Stamkos), best goalie (Andrei Vasilevskiy) and, not surprisingly as a result, the best record in hockey.  And if they don't freeze to death getting off the plane in Ottawa (it was minus 23 degrees last night), then this should be another one in the win column for them.  Somehow, the Senators managed to come back from a 4-1 deficit to defeat the Sharks last night, quite a rarity for them this season.  The victory was just their second in their last eight games and it doesn't bode well for them this evening as the 'Nats are 2-8 in their last 10 games following a victory.  The fact that they are visitors tonight shouldn't matter to the Lightning, as they have been almost as good in other arenas as their own, going 20-8 in their last 28 road games.  Because of back-to-back games, Mike Condon should be in goal for Ottawa and he has just one win in his last six decisions, while allowing nine goals in his last two starts.  Take Tampa.  NHL HIGH ROLLER WINNER.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie