Winnipeg ML

The Jets broke out of a mini-slump with a 4-2 victory over Dallas on Tuesday, and we believe that this is a team poised to make a late-season run.

Winnipeg has made a bunch of moves to improve their roster in recent weeks. The acquisitions of Tyler Myers and Drew Stafford from Buffalo have already paid immediate dividends, and the Jets will surely reap the benefits from acquiring a proven goal scorer in Jiri Tlusty. Winnipeg has quietly built one of the deepest rosters in the league and the market has simply failed to react.

The Jets have won five of their last eight games. It's hard to fault them for two of those losses as they came in tough venues, at Nashville and at Washington. The other loss came in Toronto where they dominated the Leafs for the majority of the game, but had a few defensive lapses. Make no mistake, the Jets are playing great hockey.

The same cannot be said for the Blues, who have lost three of their last four games, allowing at least four goals in all of those losses. St. Louis is starting to wear down, and they're no longer getting the spectacular goaltending that they were earlier in the season. To make matters worse, St. Louis has averaged just 25.6 shots per game over their last five contests; way down from their season average of 31.1 shots.

With this game being played in Winnipeg, we're convinced that the wrong team is favored.

Take the Jets.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

New Jersey ML

Often times, people get carried away with betting on teams that "need to win". Sure, Calgary is in the thick of the playoff hunt and the Devils will be golfing in a couple of months, but that doesn't mean anything in relation to this game.

The Devils are hot, having won four straight games. New Jersey suffered through a boatload of injuries this season, but with everyone now fully healthy, the Devils are playing their best hockey of the year. New Jersey has outscored their opponents 12-4 over their four-game winning streak, and they catch a Calgary team in a bad situation tonight.

The Flames have lost three straight games, and to make matters worse, they played a hard fought game in New York last night. Calgary dropped a 1-0 decision to the Rangers and now have to play on back-to-back nights against a Devils squad that's had a night off. To make matters worse, the Flames will have to deal with Cory Schneider between the pipes for the Devils.

Schneider has been nothing short of spectacular this season. His .935 save percentage on home ice this year is one of the best marks in the league, and he gives New Jersey a major edge in this one. Calgary will call on Jonas Hiller (.893 save percentage L4 games) or Karri Ramo (.908 overall save percentage) and neither of those goaltenders comes close to the production of Schneider.

Take the Devils.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

Winnipeg ML

Oddsmakers don't tend to make big mistakes too often, but they've completely missed the boat on this price tonight. Dallas is being valued in the same range as they were two weeks ago, but this is a completely different team.

The Stars have lost four of their last five games. With Tyler Seguin on the shelf, Dallas doesn't have the game-breaker in their lineup that they need to succeed against better teams. Injuries to Patrick Eaves and Travis Moen have also hurt their depth. 

Defensively, Dallas is one of the worst squads in the league. They've allowed four or more goals in four of their last five games, and they'll have issues keeping a deep Jets team off the board tonight. Winnipeg averages 3.0 goals per game at home, and they've had a couple of days to regroup following Saturday's (undeserved) loss in Toronto.

There's not much more to delve into here. Winnipeg is in the better spot, with the Stars having to play their third game in four nights. The Jets have the better groups of forwards, defensemen, and the better goaltender for tonight's contest with Michael Hutchinson getting the nod. Add in the fact that the Jets are healthy, while the Stars are hurting, and this line is nowhere near where it should be.

Take Winnipeg.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

10* NHL ML TOP PLAY

New Jersey ML

It's no secret that the Devils are one of the worst teams in the NHL, but we don't agree that they should be priced at a pick'em against the Canes tonight.

Both teams are playing the second half of a back-to-back, but it's the Canes who have to go from Carolina to New Jersey for this one. The Devils slept in their own beds last night after a 4-2 victory over Vancouver, and they should have more left in the tank for tonight's contest, after Carolina played right down to the wire against Toronto.

The Canes are also one of the worst road teams in the NHL. Carolina is just 9-22 away from home this season, getting outscored by an average of 3.1 to 2.4. The Devils are 12 games below .500, but their 13-15 home record inspires a little bit of confidence, especially since they've won five of their last six games at home.

Anton Khudobin gets the start in goal for Carolina tonight. We prefer Khudobin to Cam Ward, but his struggles on the road and within the division are well documented. Khudobin is 3-9 with a .895 save percentage away from home this season, and he's dropped eight of nine games within the division. His recent play has also been terrible as he's posted an ugly .826 save percentage over his last four starts.

Take the Devils.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

6* NHL ML Play

Dallas ML

The Sharks continue to slide but for some reason or another, they continue to be valued as if they're the team from a season ago.

San Jose has lost seven of their last nine games. Those losses have come by a combined 15 goals. This team is simply not playing good hockey, especially on the road, where they're allowing over 32 shots per game. That type of style doesn't work when you're backstopped by Antti Niemi, who is nothing more than an average goaltender.

Dallas has suffered some big injury blows with the losses of Tyler Seguin, Ales Hemsky, and to a lesser extent, Patrick Eaves, but there's still plenty of depth at the forward position. Jamie Benn took the offense on his back on Tuesday night, as he recorded a hat trick in a 4-1 upset of the Blues. Dallas has now won four of their last five games, with three of those victories being wins at St. Louis, Boston, and the NY Rangers.

The Stars lost 5-3 to the Sharks on home ice back in November, but a closer look at that game tells a different story. Dallas outshot San Jose 40-29, but they were done in by some shoddy goaltending from Anders Lindback. Kari Lehtnonen isn't playing at the level that he was a few years ago, but he's still a monumental upgrade over Lindback. 

This is a case of two teams headed in opposite directions and the market being too slow to react.

Take the Stars.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Nashville ML

The Preds provided us with an easy 10* winner on Tuesday night, and we're going right back to the well again on Thursday.

Nashville continues to be incredibly undervalued in the marketplace. The Preds were already a great team before adding Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli in a trade with the Maple Leafs. Nashville has won six games in a row, with their last three victories coming by two goals or more. What's even more impressive is that the Preds have not surrendered more than two goals in any of those contests.

The Islanders are a much-improved squad but they're nowhere near elite. New York has won five of six games but excuse us for not being impressed by victories over the Hurricanes, Jackets, Leafs, Oilers, and Sabers; none of whom sit in a playoff spot right now. New York's last two games against playoff teams saw them drop a 6-5 home contest to the Rangers, and a 4-1 road affair in Detroit.

The difference in goaltending in this matchup is also monumental. Jaroslav Halak is still struggling to find his form, while Pekka Rinne continues to make a case for being the best goaltender in the league. With the more complete team, better goaltender, and no situational disadvantage, we have to side with Nashville at this price.

Take the Preds.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

Nashville ML

It's very unlike to us to recommend laying this big of a price tag in the NHL, but in this case, we feel as though it's warranted. The market has been very slow to adjust to how good the Predators are and how average the Sharks are, and we'll continue to capitalize on cheap prices.

Nashville is the real deal. The Preds already had one of the league's deepest groups of forwards and defensemen, and they just pulled the trigger on a deal with the Maple Leafs that will see them improve that already impressive roster. Mike Santorelli adds even more depth to the forward crew, while Cody Franson gives Nashville a great option behind their top duo of Shea Weber and Roman Josi.

The Preds also have arguable the best goaltender in the league in Pekka Rinne. Rinne has an even-strength save percentage of .945 this season, which is downright insane. His numbers are even more impressive at home, where the Preds have lost just four of their 28 games this season.

Meanwhile, the wheels are falling off for the Sharks. San Jose has won just two of their eight games in the month of February, and are allowing a whopping 32.1 shots per game over their last five games. The Sharks send Alex Stalock between the pipes tonight, and Nashville simply isn't the team that you want to be starting a backup goalie against.

The Sharks are just 1-6 in their last 7 games playing on one days rest, and they don't respond well to adversity, having gone 3-7 in their last 10 games after surrendering 5+ goals in their previous game.

Take the Preds.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

10* NHL ML TOP PLAY

Tampa Bay ML

Any time the Lightning are priced at a pick'em at home, we're likely to jump on board.

Tampa Bay has won 22 of their 28 home games this season. If that's not impressive enough, they've outscored their opponents by an average of 3.4 to 2.1 on home ice, which is a sign that they're not only winning games; they're doing so rather easily.

The Lightning have only won four of their last seven games, but the schedule has had a lot to do with that. Trips to Nashville and St. Louis are always difficult, and the Bolts took two of three at home against the Red Wings, Kings, and Ducks; three more strong squads. Tampa outshot St. Louis 31-18 a week ago on the road, and simply ran into a scorching hot Brian Elliott on that night.

As for the Blues, they're mired in a bit of a mini slump. St. Louis has lost two of their last three games, and needed to come from behind to beat a lowly Coyotes team their last time out. They may be one of the more talented teams in the league, but that hasn't translated into road success, as they're barely over .500 away from home this season.

Take the Lightning.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL Play

Detroit ML

You won't find a hotter team in the league than Detroit right now. The Red Wings have won nine of their last ten games and now find themselves catching a great price against an overrated Pens squad.

We're not sold on Pittsburgh at all. Sure, the Penguins have some big stars in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, but they lack the depth and back line to make them a legitimate contender. Marc-Andre Fleury is also one of the most inconsistent goalies in the league, which makes it appealing to bet against the Pens any time he's between the pipes.

The Red Wings are scoring in bunches lately, and that's likely to continue against a Penguins squad that surrenders nearly 30 shots per game on home ice. Detroit also has a group of skilled two-way players that can shut down the Penguins top players; something that the Canucks were also able to do in a 5-0 beatdown of Pittsburgh on Saturday night.

The Red Wings have been playing some great hockey on the road, going 5-1 away from home in their last six games. With Pittsburgh returning from a Western Canada road trip, the Pens could certainly be caught flat in this spot. Extra rest won't help Pittsburgh either, as they're just 3-8 in their last 11 games playing on 3+ days rest. 

Take the Red Wings.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

Tampa Bay ML

The Lightning lost 4-2 on home ice to the Kings yesterday afternoon, and that allows for us to grab a favorable price with Tampa Bay tonight.

Tampa is an outstanding home team, having won 21 of their 27 games at home this season. The effects of playing on a back-to-back are mitigated since the Lightning get to remain at home, and since yesterday's game was an afternoon affair. These two teams met in Tampa Bay under similar circumstances a year ago, and the Lightning emerged with a 5-1 victory.

Anaheim is one of the league's best teams, but they've hit a bit of rut. Ryan Getzlaf is still suffering from an undisclosed lower body injury, and the Ducks have faltered, having lost three of their last five games. Anaheim has been horrible defensively as of late, surrendering 19 goals in their last five contests, and that could pose a major issue against a Lightning squad that averages 3.4 goals per game at home.

Take the Lightning.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Detroit ML

A quick look at the Western Conference standings reveals the Avalanche making a push for the playoffs, but let's just say that we're not believers in Colorado.

While Colorado boats 55 points in 51 games, they've done so mainly because of overtime and shootout losses. The Avs have won just 22 of their 51 games this season, and they have just 15 regulation + overtime wins, relying on the shootout for seven of their victories. Just to put that into perspective, the Avalanche have fewer regulation + overtime wins than the Arizona Coyotes.

Colorado will have their hands full with a Red Wings squad that's playing some outstanding hockey. Detroit has won seven of their last eight games, including impressive victories against the Islanders, Predators, and Blues in that span. Needless to say, this is a major downgrade for Detroit on Thursday night, and with this game price in a pick'em range, we simply cannot pass up the far superior team.

The Avalanche are 5-13 in their last 18 games against a team with a winning record. The Red Wings are 20-7 in their last 27 meetings in Colorado.

Take the Red Wings.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Florida ML

How many times will the Kings have to lose on the road before the market finally adjusts?

Los Angeles won the Stanley Cup last season, but this is a new year, and the Kings simply aren't a good team. The loss of Slava Voynov on the blue line has been immense, and Jonathan Quick is no longer bailing the defending champs out on a nightly basis. The Kings have won just five of 22 games away from home this season, yet somehow they're installed as the favorite here.

Florida was mired in a major slump where they lost seven of eight games, but they got back on track with a big upset of the Islanders on Tuesday. Digging deeper into Florida's recent results, we see a team that has been extremely unlucky. The Panthers held their own against the Rangers on Monday night; the 6-3 final being very misleading because New York piled on some late goals. Prior to that, the Panthers fell 3-1 to the Devils despite outshooting New Jersey 27-14 in that contest.

This is an underrated Panthers team that is capable of shutting down a Kings offense that's scored more than three goals just once in their last eight games. The Kings also don't tend to respond well after blowout losses, going 2-8 in their last 10 games after a 3+ goal defeat.

Take the Panthers.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Minnesota ML

The Wild have been playing some outstanding hockey as of late and the market has been slow to catch up.

Minnesota capped off their four-game road trip with three straight victories out West, and are poised to make a late push for the playoffs. The Wild have been a good hockey team for the majority of the season, but their goaltending was so abysmal that they fell near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Those issues have since been rectified as Devan Dubnyk has been nothing short of stellar since being acquired from the Coyotes.

As for the Blackhawks, they're now into the fifth game of an extended road trip. Chicago has played a taxing scheduling, having gone up against the Penguins, Kings, Ducks, and Sharks in succession. The Wild are a hard-working squad that will make things difficult for a Blackhawks team that will likely have tired legs. 

As is almost always the case with Chicago, their price is extremely inflated on the road. The Blackhawks are 15-11 away from home this season, but they're being priced like the team that is 16-8 at home.

Take the Wild.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

New Jersey ML

There's no doubt that the Devils are one of the league's worst teams, but we strongly believe that they're underpriced tonight.

Ottawa is a money burner away from home. The Sens have won just nine of their 26 road games this season, losing 5.4 units for bettors in the process. Ottawa gets outshot by an average of 33.0 to 29.5 on the road, and that's simply not a recipe for success in today's NHL.

The Devils have won four of their last six games, but very few people are taking notice. New Jersey has recorded victories at Los Angeles and San Jose, and recently knocked off a Florida team that's making a push for the playoffs. The Devils will catch Ottawa riding into town coming off of a 7-2 victory over the lowly Coyotes; a situation where they could be overconfident and flat.

New Jersey is being priced as if they're the team that they were a month ago, but they're as healthy as they've been in a long time, and boast the far superior goaltender in this contest.

Take the Devils.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Carolina ML

It's easy to look at Carolina's record and anoint them as a garbage team, but that couldn't be further from the truth right now. The Canes struggled with Eric Staal, Jeff Skinner, and Jordan Staal for large portions of the season, and they received some abysmal goaltending from Cam Ward. Well, Staal (x2) and Skinner are back now, and the Canes have found a legitimate netminder in Anton Khudobin.

Carolina has won seven of their last ten games, averaging 2.70 goals per game during that span. Prior to that, the Canes had averaged a measly 1.61 goals per games over their last 23 contests. Carolina has put together three straight outstanding efforts, including a 4-2 victory over one of the league's best teams, the Lightning.

The Blues are on fire themselves, having won eight of their last nine games, but they find themselves in a tough spot tonight. St. Louis battled back to beat the Preds 5-4 in a shootout last night, and they exhausted a ton of energy in that contest, having to erase an early deficit. Jake Allen gets the nod between the pipes for St. Louis and he is a major downgrade from Brian Elliott, who is a legitimate Vezina candidate.

The Hurricanes are 5-1 in their last six home games, while the Blues have dropped five of their last seven on the road.

Take Carolina.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Dallas ML

When the Stars take the ice in Ottawa on Thursday night, it will be a big night for the team, as Jason Spezza returns to the city where he spent several seasons. We already believe that the Stars are the better team here, but we're even more confident knowing that they'll be playing with some extra motivation.

Dallas sits 11th in the Western Conference and they understand the importance of these games going forward. Ottawa seems to be an ideal matchup, with the Stars having defeated the Sens in each of their last six meetings. Dallas doesn't have a lot of blue line depth, but that's a wash against a Sens' offense that is equally lacking.

On the other side of things, the Stars have a plethora of forwards that will make things difficult for Ottawa's soft defensive core. Tyler Seguin is among the NHL's goal-scoring leaders with 28 goals, and the top line of Spezza, Jamie Benn, and Ales Hemsky will be licking their chops tonight. 

The Sens are just 2-8 in their last 10 games on 3+ days rest and 2-10 in their last 12 games following a win.

Take the Stars.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Florida ML

The Red Wings come out of the All-Star Break riding a five-game winning streak, but as is often the case, that break likely disrupted a lot of the team's momentum. Detroit has already fallen to the Panthers twice this season, and we'll gladly get behind Florida at an underdog price against a team that they've played very well against.

Detroit is still without goaltender Jimmy Howard, who is on the shelf with a groin injury. Petr Mrazek played well in his first few games after taking over for Howard, but he's starting to look like the backup that he is. Mrazek gave up three goals on seven shots to the lowly Sabres, and then followed that up by allowing four goals against the offensively challenged Wild.

The Panthers struggled heading into the All-Star Break, but we don't put much stock into those results. Florida has lost three straight at home, but they outshot their opponents in each contest, and frankly, they've just been unlucky. Florida has two games remaining on a five-game homestand, and they know that these games will are crucial if they stand any hope of mounting a playoff run.

This game should be much closer to a pick'em, but oddsmakers have been forced to release a soft line because of public perception. We'll capitalize on a market that has overcorrected based on recent play.

Take the Panthers.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

Winnipeg ML

We've been advocating the Jets for quite a while now, and they haven't disappointed. Winnipeg has won four games in a row, and look to extend that streak on Wednesday night.

The Blue Jackets are playing better hockey as of late, but they're still not nearly in the same class as Winnipeg. The Jets already disposed of the Jackets 4-2 earlier this season, and enter tonight's game having scored 27 goals in their last six contests. Columbus surrenders 33.2 shots per game on the road, so the Jackets could be in for a long night.

Columbus also happens to be hosting the All-Star game this weekend. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky will be playing in that game, and it's not unusual to see goaltenders struggle in the games leading up a home All-Star game. 

As for the Jets, they continue to get solid goaltending from the youngster, Michael Hutchinson. Our numbers have "Hutch" as the third-best goalie in the league this season behind only Pekka Rinne and Carey Price. His .938 even strength save percentage is elite, and the Jackets won't pose much of a threat with their lack of offensive firepower.

Take the Jets.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Florida ML

The Panthers have lost three games in a row, but we're not overly concerned. Florida has been playing well but getting poor goaltending as of late. That's not going to last forever, as Roberto Luongo has been one of the more consistent goalies in the league this season.

Luongo was terrific against his former team when they met in Vancouver earlier this month, and this seems like a prime opportunity to get back on track. We often preach the importance of buying low, and selling high, and that's precisely what we're going to do here.

The Canucks have literally been the exact opposite of the Panthers in the last week. Vancouver isn't playing particularly well, having been outshot 28-17 by the Canes and 30-22 by the Flyers in their past two contests. Ryan Miller has stood on his head in his past two starts, and he's a more than capable goaltender, but he's struggled mightily against the Panthers, yielding 3+ goals in his last five starts against them.

There's really not a whole lot separating these teams right now, but recent results have led to a drastic change in the market. Vancouver had six powerplays in the last meeting between these two teams, and still managed to lose 3-1 on home ice. We'll grab Florida as the underdog.

Take the Panthers.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Los Angeles ML

It may look tempting to back the Ducks as an underdog tonight, but we'e of the opinion that the Kings are actually a short favorite.

The Ducks have played eight straight games at home, and now head out on the road. Los Angeles isn't where you want to begin a road trip, especially when Anaheim played less than 24 hours ago while the Kings were sitting at home resting. Anaheim is a solid team but they're the victims of a poor scheduling spot here.

Meanwhile, the Kings realize the importance of this game. Los Angeles' home stand has not gone according to plan, and they were done in by some terrible goaltending from Martin Jones in a 5-3 loss to the Devils on Wednesday. Jonathan Quick returns to the crease tonight, and he's posted a solid 14-7-4 career mark with a 2.48 GAA against the Ducks.

The Kings' 15-10 home mark isn't especially impressive, but they've been unlucky not to compile a better home record. Los Angeles outshoots opponents by an average 30.0 to 26.8 on home ice, and those numbers should translate to more success. With the Ducks in a bad spot here, we like the Kings to get back on track.

Take the Kings.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

Winnipeg ML

We're not sure the market will ever catch up to just how good the Jets are. Winnipeg has scored at least four goals in regulation in four straight games, but they continue to be undervalued. We're fine with that.

Winnipeg has earned a point in three straight games. While that may not seem impressive, they beat the Kings in Los Angeles on Saturday, and nearly pulled off an upset of the Ducks in Anaheim the day later, falling in a shootout 5-4. The Jets then returned home and completely dismantled a good Panthers team, 8-2.

The Jets have seen a bunch of bodies return to the lineup in recent weeks, and that's added depth to a team that was already very deep to begin with. The Stars enter this game allowing a whopping 3.29 goals per game, and Winnipeg's deep group of forwards and offensive defenseman will pose major issues tonight.

To make matters worse for the Stars, Anders Lindback starts in goal tonight. Lindback is one of the worst (if not the worst) goaltenders rostered in the league right now. Only 10 of 71 goalies to play a game this season have posted an even strength save percentage short of 90%. Lindback is one of them, with a deplorable 87.42 even strength save percentage. There are too many factors working in Winnipeg's favor to not play them at an underdog price.

Take the Jets.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Florida ML

These are two teams trending in opposite directions, but the market has failed to adjust enough. As we've been preaching all season, the Avs are an awful team. Semyon Varlamov has been steady between the pipes, but the Avs are struggling to score and their defense surrenders an insane amount of scoring chances on a nightly basis.

Just to put things into perspective, Colorado has allowed an average of 43.2 shots per game over their last five games, including 46 shots against a Carolina team that is offensively challenged.

The Panthers end this game coming off of an 8-2 loss to Winnipeg on Tuesday. We'll give Florida a pass for that one as they've been consistently good for weeks now. If anything, that blowout loss works in our favor tonight as the Panthers have had a day to stew. They'll be ready to go at home tonight.

Roberto Luongo gets the start again for Florida. Prior to allowing four goals against the Jets, Luongo had been lights out, posting a 1.91 goals against average over his previous 11 starts. Luongo loves facing the Avalanche as he boasts a 13-0-2 record with a 2.05 GAA against Colorado over the past five years. Florida is better than Colorado in every aspect of the game, and we love the situation for them tonight.

Take the Panthers.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Ottawa ML

We cashed a winner with the Habs last night, but we're ready to come back and play against them on Thursday. Montreal will be spent following yesterday's come-from-behind victory over the Jackets. The Habs trailed by two goals midway through the third, and now have a quick turnaround as they head to Ottawa to take on the Sens.

Montreal has been hot on the road, having won six in a row, but much of that success can be attributed to the play of Carey Price. Price is an elite goaltender, but his backup, Dustin Tokarski certainly is not. Tokarski is making only his second start since November 29th, and his 91.72 even strength save percentage is far worse than Price's 93.65.

Ottawa fell 5-4 in Dallas on Tuesday night, but the Sens actually played a decent game. Ottawa got out to an early 2-0 lead, but things fell apart with some poor goaltending by Robin Lehner. Lehner will be on the bench tonight, as Craig Anderson shoulders the load. Anderson has been one of the league's best goaltenders this season, and he should be able to keep pucks out of the net, as Montreal doesn't generate very many chances on the road.

This game is in a pick'em range, but we believe that the Sens are underpriced given the situation, and the big edge between the pipes.

Take the Sens.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL Thursday ML Play

Montreal ML

The Habs have lost back-to-back games but that doesn't have us overly concerned. Montreal swept a five-game road trip to prior to those two losses at home, and as is often the case in the NHL, it can be difficult to find the same level of energy when returning home from an extended road trip.

Now Montreal heads back out on the road where they've been phenomenal this season. The Habs will attempt to win their sixth straight game on the road for the first time in 33 years tonight, which just goes to show how strong their road game has been as of late. They'll attempt that feat with Carey Price between the pipes, who has been rock solid again this season.

The Jackets got off to a terrible start this season due to injuries, but they haven't been much better now that they're healthy. Columbus has lost back-to-back games by the score of 5-2, and they're an undisciplined team, which makes matters a whole lot worse. The Habs will be looking to open up their road trip on a high note and they should dispose of a weak Jackets' squad relatively easily.

Take the Habs.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Nashville ML

The market still hasn't caught up to just how good the Predators are. In our estimation, Nashville is the best team in the league right now, and it's not even close.

What's not to like about the Preds? They've accumulated a 16-2-1 record on home ice. They haven't lost in regulation since December 23rd. They've averaged 4.0 goals per game over their 11 games played. And to top it all off, they have the best goaltender in the world right now in Pekka Rinne.

Nashville is a stylistic nightmare for Vancouver. The Canucks are coming off of back-to-back home losses to the Panthers and Flames, two teams with a decent forecheck. Vancouver is in for a world of hurt against one of the better forechecks in the league. Nashville boasts a very deep group of forwards, and they'll give major issues to a Canucks defense that desperately misses Dan Hamhuis, who is still out of the lineup due to injury.

What makes Nashville's recent success even more impressive is that their powerplay has been abysmal. The Preds have scored on just five of their last 61 powerplays at home (8.2%), but that's bound to turn around sooner or later. 

This is a massive underpricing by the oddsmakers. Vancouver's advanced metrics suggest that a fall from grace is on the horizon, while Nashville is the real deal, especially at home. We'll gladly bump this up to a top play.

Take the Preds.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

10* NHL ML TOP PLAY

Ottawa ML

The Avalanche are coming off of a victory over one of the league's best teams, which means it's a perfect time to hop aboard the fade train.

Colorado isn't a very good hockey team. The Avs are just 16-24 this season, and a less than impressive 9-12 at home. The main reason for this lack of success is that they get outshot night in and night out. The Avs allow 33.9 shots per game, while only registering 28.7 shots of their own, and that's simply not a winning strategy in this day and age.

Ottawa isn't a very good team either, but they've put in back-to-back decent road performances, including a 3-2 win in Boston less than a week ago. While Avs' goaltender Semyon Varlamov is getting a ton of credit right now for Colorado, it's the Sens who have the better netminder. Craig Anderson has been consistently good this season, and boasts a stellar 1.68 GAA in his last seven starts.

The Avalanche are just 5-13 in their last 18 games following a win, and 5-12 in their last 17 games after allowing two goals or less in their previous game.

Take the Sens.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Winnipeg ML

These two teams aren't in the same league and we'll gladly capitalize on the generous price being offered tonight.

Simply put, the Jets own the Coyotes. Winnipeg has won five straight games in this series, allowing just six goals in that span. Earlier this season, the Jets dismantled the Coyotes 6-2 in Arizona, and their depth will certainly give the Coyotes issues once again.

Arizona has lost two of their last three games by a score of 6-0. Mike Smith gets the nod in net again for the Coyotes, and he's been a disaster all season long. His last six games have been an absolute nightmare as he's posted a ridiculously poor 4.85 GAA in that span. Smith hasn't fared much better against the Jets, dropping four straight starts while posting a 3.45 GAA.

Winnipeg is a solid road team, posting an 11-8 mark away from home this season, while limiting opponents to a measly 2.1 goals per game. While they've lost three of their last four games, we'll give them a pass for dropping contests to the Sharks and Islanders. Winnipeg's last two road games have seen them dominate two great home teams in the Blackhawks and Wild.

The Jets are 13-3 in their last 16 games against teams with a losing record. The Coyotes are 4-11 in their last 15 games against Western Conference opponents.

Take the Jets.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Philadelphia ML

The Capitals are a hot team right now, but we expect them to decline in the near future. Tonight is a tough spot for Washington, having played in Toronto last night while the Flyers were sitting at home resting. Head coach Barry Trotz said this after last night's game, "I thought we were pretty slow out of the gates". If the Caps were slow in the first half of a back-to-back, we expect them to be slow again tonight.

Braden Holtby has started 22 straight games for the Caps and this taxing schedule could certainly be catching up to him. If Holtby starts again tonight, he'll battle a Flyers team that has tagged him with a 5.43 GAA over his last three starts. If the Caps choose to go with Justin Peters, they'll be starting one of the worst netminders in the league.

The Flyers ended a five-game losing streak last time out. We'll forgive Philly for their recent poor play as they were without their superstar, Claude Giroux, for most of those games. Philadelphia was also mired in that slump on the road, and now have a chance to get back on track at home, having won the first game of their four-game homestand. 

The Caps are 1-5 in their last 6 games playing on no days rest. The home team is 7-2 in the last 9 meetings between these two teams.

Take the Flyers.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

Montreal ML

The Habs are the hottest team in hockey right now, and it's tough not to back them at a pick'em price at home against anyone in the league right now.

Montreal has won six straight games, with five of those six victories coming on the road. Now they return home, where they're 13-5 in 18 games this season, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 3.3 to 2.2. 

The Habs also have extra incentive for this game. Montreal swept the Lightning in the playoffs last season, but in their first meeting earlier this season, the Habs got thumped 7-1. Montreal has had a bitter taste in their mouth since then, and they'll be looking to avenge that defeat.

It helps that the Habs have arguably the best goaltender in the NHL between the pipes. Price has 1.34 goals against average over his last nine start, and a stellar 2.04 GAA in his last five starts against the Lightning. 

Tampa Bay is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, but their road game needs significant improvement. Despite a 25-16 record this season, the Lightning are just 10-11 on the road, where they've been outscored and outshot. We'll grab the short price with Montreal.

Take the Habs.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Winnipeg ML

We don't advocate laying this type of juice too often in the NHL, but in tonight's case, it's absolutely warranted.

The regression that we saw coming for the Leafs has arrived. Toronto is no more than a fringe playoff contender, but they were seeing results because of unreal goaltending by Jonathan Bernier. Bernier is no longer playing at an unsustainable level and the Leafs are no longer getting results.

Toronto played in Minnesota last night and heads into this one on the tail end of a back-to-back. The Leafs were engaged in a hard fought battle against the Wild until midway through the third period, so we just don't see them having their legs in this contest.

As for the Jets, they continue to be undervalued by the oddsmakers. Winnipeg has more depth than Toronto, and they have one of the best kept secrets in hockey with Michael Hutchinson between the pipes. Hutchinson has a .937 save percentage and gives the Jets a chance to win every single times he's between the pipes.

The Leafs are just 16-35 in their last 51 road games, and are just 3-7 in their last 10 games where they're playing their fourth game in six nights. The Jets are 7-1 in their last 8 games following a home loss of 3 or more goals.

Take the Jets.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

10* NHL ML TOP PLAY

Florida ML

The Panthers continue to be one of the more undervalued teams in the league. Florida has won four of their last five games, and they've done so against quality opponents, defeating Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Washington in that span.

Florida fought from behind to down the Leafs 6-4 on Sunday, and they'll be focused on playing better defense this time out. The Panthers are 7-2 after allowing four or more goals this season. Montreal is averaging just 2.2 goals per game away from home this season, so goals could definitely be tough to come by for the Habs tonight.

Montreal has won six of seven, but they continue to do so with smoke and mirrors. The Habs' last two victories have seen them find a way to win despite being outshot 29-19 and 38-21. This type of success is simply unsustainable when you're being vastly outplayed on a nightly basis.

Take the Panthers.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

Los Angeles ML

The Flames came from behind to knock off the Kings 4-3 last week, but we're not expecting a similar outcome on Monday. Los Angeles is rounding into form. The Kings have won three of four games, with two of those victories coming against two of the better squads in the West; San Jose and Los Angeles. That lone loss came when Los Angeles blew a 3-0 lead to Calgary, and a veteran team like the Kings will be aching to exact revenge.

Calgary isn't a very good hockey team. The Flames get outshot consistently, and that's simply not a recipe for success in this league. Calgary has won back-to-back contests but let's not forget that they're not far removed from an eight-game losing streak that saw them score just 13 goals. The Kings are capable of grinding it out on the road and shutting down a Flames team that just can't match the same firepower.

Take Los Angeles.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

NY Rangers ML

The Rangers enter this game having won eight straight games, and we'll gladly back them at a pick'em price tag against one of the league's worst teams. New York opens up a mini two-game road trip, and unlike past years, the Rangers have been able to score with frequency away from home. New York averages 3.0 goals per game on the road, and that's going to be a major issue for a Stars' defense that is abysmal.

Dallas is hot as well, having won six of their last eight games, but defense still remains a major issue. The Stars have given up 12 goals in their past four games, but their offense has been able to make up for it. Unfortunately for the Stars, the Rangers play a tight road game that is capable of shutting down the league's best offenses. New York has surrendered just 11 goals in their eight game winning streak.

The Rangers knocked off the Stars 3-2 in Dallas last season, and the Stars were a much more complete team at that point. This is a short price tag.

Take New York.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Nashville ML

The Predators are the Rodney Dangerfield of the NHL; they get no respect. Despite having won 23 of their 34 games this season, the Preds are catching an insane price and we'll gladly back them here. Nashville is a complete hockey team. They can roll four lines, play solid defensively, and they have arguably the league's best goaltender in Pekka Rinne. Nashville historically gives Chicago trouble as well, having won four of their last six games against the Blackhawks.

Chicago is undoubtedly a Stanley Cup contender, but they've shown some susceptibility as of late. The Blackhawks have lost two of their last four games, including a 5-1 beatdown at the hands of the Jets. Nashville has a similar makeup to Winnipeg, with numerous skill players and strong goaltending to back it up. The Preds are one of few teams with more wins than losses on the road, and at this price, there's no way we can't take a shot with Nashville.

Take the Predators.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

6* NHL ML Play

Winnipeg ML

We rarely look to play against the Wild at home but in this case, we'll make an exception. Minnesota isn't deserving of this price tag against a Winnipeg team that continues to fly under the radar. The Jets enter this game having won three of four, including an impressive 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks. Winnipeg has depth at every position, and now they have some superb goaltending as well, as Michael Hutchinson has proven to be one of the league's top netminders. Hutchinson leads the league in GAA and save percentage.

The same cannot be said for Minnesota. The Wild call upon Darcy Kuemper again tonight, and at this point, it's safe to say that Kuemper should be no more than a backup in this league. Minnesota has lost four straight games, allowing 19 goals in the process. In this day and age, goaltending is paramount and the Wild simply don't have it.

Take the Jets.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Nashville ML

This line really doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The Preds are on the second half of a back-to-back, but they had a relatively easy time in Columbus last night, so we're not sure that that will play much of a factor here. Boston is being valued as if they're an elite team, but they are nothing more than average. In fact, the Bruins have 17 wins and 17 losses this season, and haven't won consecutive games since November 21st. Boston has also won just three of their last 10 games overall.

Nashville continues to get disrespected but this team does everything right. Carter Hutton may start in place of Pekka Rinne tonight, but Hutton has been solid in the backup role this season, posing a .948 save percentage in his three starts. The Predators are also very sound defensively, limiting opponents to just 29.1 shots per game on the road this season. Nashville has won 10 of their 17 road games, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 3.1 to 2.0. They are more talented than Boston and we simply cannot pass at this price tag.

Take the Preds.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

Montreal ML

The Habs went through a terrible slide in late November and early December but their recent performances have been encouraging. Montreal has won four of their last five games, and they've done so in impressive fashion, with the four wins coming by a combined score of 17-5 against the Canucks, Kings, Canes, and Sens. The Habs now embark on an extended road trip and it's key for them to get things started on the right foot. Montreal has been off for two days and are a stellar 6-1 when playing with two days rest this season.

We're not going to sit here and diminish anything that the Islanders have done. Long Island has been strong this season, and enter this contest having won four in a row. The Islanders have had trouble against the Habs recently though, managing only four goals in their last three contests against Montreal. To make matters worse, Chad Johnson gets the start in net tonight, and Johnson is among the worst starters in the league with an embarrassing .875 save percentage. Montreal has a huge goaltending edge and their road game can give the Islanders some issues.

Take the Habs.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Colorado ML

The Buffalo Sabres have been one of the league's hottest teams over the course of the last month, but regression is on the horizon. The Sabres get outplayed almost every single night, but they've found ways to win despite being outshot badly. Last week, Buffalo was outshot 79-35 in two games against the Kings and Flames, and somehow managed to win both. Those results are simply unsustainable.

Enter the Avalanche, who have been playing much better lately. Colorado has lost back-to-back overtime contests to the Blues and Pens, but there's certainly no shame in that. Prior to that, they defeated the Jets 4-3 despite surrendering two goals on the powerplay. The Avs have also owned the Sabres, winning seven straight games against Buffalo, including a 7-1 beatdown back in February. With Colorado slowly seeing some bodies return to the lineup, this is a team that has a chance to find their form heading into the holidays.

The Avs are 20-8 in their last 28 games against a team with a losing record.

Take Colorado.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Columbus ML

Every once and a while, the oddsmakers make a huge mistake and this is one of those situations. Columbus is being valued as if they're still the same team that lost 17 of their first 23 games. They aren't. The Jackets have gotten a number of players back from injury and that's led to some strong play, having won seven consecutive games. Columbus isn't beating poor competition either. The Jackets last three victories have come at Detroit, vs. Pittsburgh, and in Washington against these very same Capitals. 

The Caps are nothing more than a mediocre team and they definitely don't deserve this price tag. Washington has outshot an opponent just once in their last seven games, and continue to get by on smoke and mirrors. They'll also be deflated following a 2-1 shootout loss in Florida, which saw both teams go through their entire team for the shootout. The home team is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these teams, and we think this is too good a price to pass up with the hot Blue Jackets.

Take Columbus.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

NY Rangers ML

The oddsmakers have failed to adjust to just how poorly the Flames are playing right now. Calgary was destined to fall into a major slump. The Flames were getting outshot and outplayed in nearly every game, but the public was blinded by their lucky results, citing the Flames as a "hard working team". Well, the regression is here, and it hasn't been pretty. Calgary has lost five straight games, scoring just eight goals in that stretch. They now return home after a lengthy four-game road trip, which is another major flat spot for a team that can't afford one.

The Rangers are playing great hockey. Winners of three straight, including an impressive 5-1 beatdown of the Canucks in Vancouver, the Rangers grind-it-out style will give the Flames some major issues. New York is also getting solid goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist, who has posted a .925 saver percentage on the road and a stellar .945 save percentage against non-conference foes. Recent play dictates that the Rangers are very underpriced here.

Take the Rangers.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

Philadelphia ML

It probably comes as a surprise to see the Flyers installed as a pick'em against the Bolts, but sometimes the line is telling us exactly what to do. Tampa Bay is in the worst of spots. The Lightning lost a hard-fought game in Pittsburgh last night, and now have to play another road game against a Flyers team that's been resting for two days. To make matters worse, Tampa lost their starting goaltender Ben Bishop to an injury, and are forced to turn to Evgeni Nabokov between the pipes.

The Flyers have won just 11 of their 29 games this season, but they've won eight of 14 at home. Philadelphia averages 3.4 goals per game on home ice, and that will be a major issue for a Bolts' squad that allows 3.3 goals per game away from home, and now has an abysmal goaltender in net. Philly has won three of their last four games, with the last two coming in impressive fashion, while the Lightning are in free fall, having dropped four of their last five.

Take the Flyers.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Winnipeg ML

The Ducks are in a great fade spot this evening. Anaheim played a tightly contested affair in Edmonton last night, and had to fly all the way from Edmonton to Winnipeg for this one. The Ducks will surely have tired legs, and it doesn't help that one of their star players, Corey Perry, is still sidelined with an injury. 

Meanwhile, Winnipeg continues to play great hockey. The Jets fell 4-3 to Colorado in overtime on Thursday, but Winnipeg dominated that game and was unlucky to pick up the loss. The Jets have picked up 13 of a possible 16 points in their last eight games, and they'll receive a boost with Evander Kane returning to the lineup tonight. Michael Hutchinson gets the start in net for Winnipeg, and he has a sparkling 1.97 GAA over his last four starts.

Take the Jets.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Winnipeg ML

We successfully played against the Avs on Tuesday night, and we'll continue to do so while oddsmakers fail to adjust to just how bad this team is. There is nothing to like about Colorado. They've lost four straight games and continue to get outplayed on a nightly basis. The Avs have a cluster injury problem, and to make matters worse, Semyon Varlamov is back on the shelf again. Calvin Pickard will get his second straight start between the pipes, and while he played well against Nashville on Tuesday, there's no questioning that he's a large downgrade from Varlamov.

As for Winnipeg, they are one of the more undervalued teams in the league. The Jets have outshot eight of their last 10 opponents and are getting contributions from every line right now. Winnipeg opened up their mini two-game road trip with a 5-2 win in Dallas on Tuesday where they were downright dominant. The Jets also disposed of Colorado 6-2 a week ago, outshooting the Avs 37-22 in the process, despite having one fewer powerplay. Winnipeg has also feasted on losing teams, winning 11 straight games against teams with a losing record.

Take the Jets.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Nashville ML

The difference between these two teams is monumental right now. Colorado has suffered a major fall from grace since last season's playoff appearance, with injuries and inevitable regression having finally hit the Avalanche. The Avs have lost three games in a row, allowing 14 goals in the process. To make matters worse, Semyon Varlamov re-aggravated a groin injury in practice yesterday. Rookie Calvin Pickard was recalled from the AHL and will get the start against a team that has been producing at a high level this season.

Nashville isn't just good; they are elite. The Preds have won five of seven, and are getting productions from their entire lineups. Mike Ribeiro and James Neal are proving to be great offseason acquisitions, while Filip Forsberg is the runaway frontrunner for the Calder Trophy right now. Nashville is also enjoying having a healthy Pekka Rinne between the pipes, as he boasts a stellar 1.89 goals against average this season. The Preds fell 3-1 to the Blackhawks on Saturday but they've yet to lose back-to-back games this season, and we think they're in store for a bounce back tonight.

Take the Predators.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Nashville ML

The betting market has been slow to catch up to just how good the Predators are this season. Nashville is 11-2 at home this season, outshooting opponents by nearly five shots per game. On Thursday, Nashville was priced as a 60-cent home favorite against a very good Blues team, but tonight we get a bargain because of Chicago's recent play.

The Blackhawks are hot, having won five games in a row and eight of their last nine. Chicago is on the second half of a back-to-back though, and they exhausted maximum energy yesterday in a hard fought game against Montreal. To make matters worse, the Blackhawks turn to Scott Darling between the pipes tonight, who is certainly far inferior to his counterpart, Pekka Rinne.

The Preds are 15-2 in their last 17 home games and a perfect 4-0 in their last 4 games playing on 1 days rest. Nashville has also won four of the past five meetings between these two teams.

Take the Predators.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Washington ML

The Canucks have gotten off to a hot start on the road, winning 9 of their 13 games away from home. There are some signs that point to some regression in the near future though. Vancouver's puck possession numbers on the road are among the worst in the league, suggesting that a lot of their victories are misleading. Vancouver has a tendency to allow more shots towards their net than vice versa, and that's certainly a troubling sign.

Meanwhile, Washington remains a good buy low candidate. For all of the flack that Braden Holtby gets for being a poor goalie, his save percentage (.911) mirrors that of his counterpart Ryan Miller. The Caps are coming off of a 6-2 loss to the Leafs on Saturday night, and have been eagerly awaiting this contest. They're also looking for revenge against a Canucks squad who beat them 4-2 in Vancouver earlier this season; a game that was largely decided because of the discrepancies in powerplays between the two teams.

Take the Capitals.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* NHL ML Play

Montreal ML

We are big advocates of buying low and selling high, and that's precisely the opportunity we're given here. If this game took place two weeks ago, we're likely looking at the Canadiens laying at least a quarter, but recent misleading results have skewed the perceptions of these teams.

Montreal had won eight of nine games before their three-game slide. It's always embarrassing to lose both games of a home-and-home to the Sabres, but Montreal was extremely unlucky in those contests. The Habs outshot Buffalo by 24 shots over the two games, and head coach Michel Therrien's post-game comments on Saturday hit the nail on the head, "We spent three-quarters of the game in the offensive zone without being able to capitalize more than we did. The way we played, we could have picked up four points this weekend."

Meanwhile, Colorado has won six of their last eight games, and their stock appears to be trending upwards. Well, we're not convinced. The Avs have been beating the league's bottom feeders, with their last four wins coming against the Stars, Coyotes, Hurricanes, and Devils, none of whom are over .500. Colorado is still without Semyon Varlamov between the pipes, and that gives the Habs a major edge with Carey Price going up against Calvin Pickard.

Take the Habs.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL Monday ML Play

Florida ML

The Senators jumped out to a strong 7-3-2 start this season, which has had them overpriced for several weeks now. Ottawa is just 3-4-2 in their last nine games, but again, we catch them in a spot where they're overvalued because of a Tuesday night road victory over the Blues.

Ottawa isn't a good hockey team. They are outchanced in almost every game, and when their goaltending isn't spectacular, they simply can't win game. Robin Lehner stole two points in St. Louis on Tuesday, but there has still been a major dropoff in recent weeks, with the Sens surrendering 3.11 goals per game over their last nine. Craig Anderson gets the nod between the pipes for the Sens right now, and we'll gladly play against Anderson, who is struggling with his confidence.

Al Montoya gets the start for the Panthers, and we loved playing on home teams with their backup goalie between the pipes. Oddsmakers have overadjusted this line. Montoya is a quality backup, and the Panthers will tighten up defensively knowing that Roberto Luongo isn't backstopping them. Florida struggles to score goals, but their forecheck will create some major issues for a Sens team that is weak in their own end.

Take the Panthers.

Good Luck, Razor Ray.

7* NHL Friday ML Play

Minnesota ML

We cashed a ticket playing against the Kings last night, and we're happy to go right back to the well tonight.

Oddsmakers have been slow to adjust to just how poorly the Kings have played away from home this season. Los Angeles was extremely lucky to have taken the Preds to a shootout last night, as they were in every single period. Now the Kings have to play on back-to-back nights against one of the most dominant home teams in hockey.

Minnesota's puck possession numbers on home ice are through the roof, and those numbers would be even higher if Zach Parise didn't miss a couple of weeks due to injury. The Wild will pose the exact same issues for the Kings that the Predators posed last night, with a top notch forecheck and strong defense core. Los Angeles is still without Slava Voynov and Alec Martinez on the back end, and that makes them ripe for the picking.

Take the Wild.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

Nashville ML

There are still many people that are expecting a dropoff from the Preds, but we don't see that coming any time soon. Nashville is the real deal and there are some strong indicators pointing to a victory at home over the overvalued Kings tonight.

For starters, the Kings have been dreadful on the road this season. Los Angeles has won just one of their eight games away from home, and in the process, have allowed 3.6 goals per game and 34.9 shots per game. Jonathan Quick has been bailing out the Kings quite a bit this season, but they turn to Martin Jones tonight, who doesn't bring the same goaltending to the table. The Kings have already opened up their three-game road trip with a 5-4 loss to a below average Stars team.

As for the Preds, they seem to be doing everything right. Nashville's puck possession statistics are stellar and Pekka Rinne is enjoying an outstanding comeback campaign between the pipes. Nashville is 7-2 on home ice this season, outshooting their opponents by over five shots per game. Their forecheck should be able to take advantage of a Kings' defense that no longer has Slava Yoynov eating up heavy minutes.

Take the Preds.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

Detroit Red Wings ML

If you were to look at the records of these two teams, you wouldn't think there's much separating them. That couldn't be further from the truth.

The Senators are 2-3-2 in their last 7 games, and we're beginning to see the regression that we called for a few weeks ago. Ottawa is among the worst puck possession teams in the league, playing a ton of hockey in their own end. That doesn't bode well against a Detroit team that has an excellent cycle, and is capable of pinning opposing teams in their own end for long stretches. 

The difference in depth between these two teams is immense. Ottawa's leading goalscorer is Clarke MacArthur, a player that saw third line minutes in both Toronto and Buffalo. The Red Wings may be without their captain Pavel Datsyuk, but there's no shortage of talent on that roster, especially with the emergence of young guns like Tomas Tatar and Riley Sheahan. Henrik Zetterberg has owned the Senators in his career with 15 points in 13 career meetings with Ottawa.

Take Detroit.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* NHL ML Play

Detroit ML

The Leafs answered the bell after back-to-back embarrassing losses to the Sabres and Predators, but we're not convinced that they're deserving of this price tag.

Toronto has struggled on home ice all season long, as they play under immense pressure each time they take to the ice at Air Canada Center. The Red Wings are a stylistic nightmare for the Leafs. Detroit has already beaten Toronto twice this season, and their forecheck is capable of forcing the Leafs awful defensive corps into plenty of turnovers.

The Red Wings have some of the strong puck possession numbers in the league, while the Leafs have some of the weakest. Detroit will be able to generate the cycle in the offensive zone all night long, and keep the Leafs on their heels. We'll gladly side with the better squad at a pick'em price.

Take the Red Wings.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* NHL ML Play

St. Louis Blues -112

The Boston Bruins host the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday evening at TD Garden in Massachusetts. The Blues have been picking up wins in bunches of late, while the Bruins have been winning games with regularity on home ice.

The Blues will be looking for their fourth consecutive win and their 11th win in 12 games in this one, while the Bruins will be looking to pick up their sixth consecutive victory on home ice. The Blues can thank their top line for a lot of that success. Jaden Schwartz, Jori Lehtera, and Vladimir Tarasenko have been terrific of late, with the team’s “STL” line combining for 33 points over the team’s last eight games. Schwartz has picked up 10 points over the course of his six-game point streak, and Lehtera has 11 points in a seven-game point streak. Tarasenko’s point streak was snapped in the team’s last game, a 4-1 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Blues goaltender Brian Elliott stopped 24 of the 25 shots he faced in the game to pick up his seventh win in eight starts. Elliott has a 1.87 GAA for the season.

Meanwhile, the Bruins' recent upswing coincided with a soft part in their schedule. When taking the step back up in class, the team faltered. The Bruins endured an 0-2 road trip that saw the team get outscored 11-2 in losses to division rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. Now they get an elite Blues team that is 10-1 in its last 11 games and comes in well-rested. The Blues have the added luxury of getting a couple days off in advance of this one. They have gone 7-3 in their last 10 games when playing on two days of rest.

The Blues are 15-4-1 in the last 20 meetings between these teams and they are 6-0 in the last six meetings in Boston.

Take St. Louis.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Carolina ML

Calgary is a squad that we've been looking to fade for quite some time, and tonight presents the perfect opportunity.

The Flames have some of the worst puck possession numbers in the game, which is a clear indicator that they're getting dominated at even strength. Calgary's hot start is due to some timely powerplays and some stellar goaltending, neither of which is likely to continue going forwards. The Flames have a cluster injury problem at forward, where they're expected to be without six regulars on Monday night.

Calgary heads out on the road to battle a Hurricanes squad that is still being valued as if they're one of the league's worst teams. The Canes have been solid since the returns of Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner to the lineup, and they catch a great price tag at home where they've produced an amazing 57.9 5v5 Close Corsi For percentage this season. Carolina should be able to dominate the trenches in this one and we'll gladly back a side at this price tag when we know that they'll outplay the opposition.

Take Carolina.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

Minnesota Wild ML

We've been riding the Wild bandwagon early on this season, and we firmly believe that they're the best team in the league at this point. We will advocate them at this price on their home ice against any opponent in the NHL right now.

Pittsburgh has looked great up until this point but their wins have been very deceiving. The Pens have been heavily reliant on their powerplay (41.9% this season), whereas the Wild have actually put together a solid start despite having struggled on the powerplay. Marc-Andre Fleury is coming off of back-to-back shutouts for the Penguins, but he won't get the start tonight, as the Pens turn to Thomas Greiss. That's good news for the Wild as they dodge the hottest goalie in the league.

Minnesota boasts the strongest home ice edge in the league. They have flat out dominated every home game thus far, posting a perfect 5-0 record while outscoring opponents 21-6. Darcy Kuemper gets the start for the Wild tonight, and he's been stellar on home ice, posting a 1.18 GAA and two shutouts this season. The oddsmakers believe that there isn't much separating these two teams, but we couldn't disagree more.

Take Minnesota.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

St. Louis Blues ML

The Blues have owned the Blueshirts in their own barn. They get a chance to continue that domination with the national spotlight on them in the only game on the Monday slate. Bettors will have a chane to cash in if they’re willing to grab the Blues as -120 moneyline favorites. The Rangers will trot out backup goaltender Cam Talbot in that one, as Henrik Lundqvist gets the night off for health reasons. In his last start, Talbot allowed four goals on 23 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Rangers also took some hits on their back line in their last game with Ryan McDonagh and Kevin Klein going down. That’s in addition to already being without Dan Boyle, who broke his hand in the team’s opener, and John Moore, who is serving a five-game suspension for an illegal hit in a game against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday.

That will put the team in a hole before hitting the ice against a Blues team seeking its fifth consecutive win. The Blues figure to send out top goaltender Brian Elliott, who is 4-2-1 on the season with a 1.96 GAA.

The St. Louis Blues are 7-1 in their last eight games at Madison Square Garden.

Take St. Louis

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Florida Panthers ML

It's rare to see the Panthers as chalk against anyone, but we believe they're actually being undervalued at this price.

Arizona is simply not a good hockey team. The have no depth at forward whatsoever, and they have one of the weakest starting goalies in the league in Mike Smith, who has suffered a major fall from grace in the past couple of seasons. The Coyotes defense isn't much better as they've surrendered 31 goals in eight games this season (3.875 goals allowed per game). Arizona has dominated the Panthers in recent years (6-0-1 L7), but most of those matchups came when the Coyotes were actually a legitimate playoff team, so we don't put much stock into that at all.

Meanwhile, Florida returns home from a road trip where they picked up six of a possible eight points. This is a competitive squad that will be very well rested, following four days off. That's a big edge against an Arizona team that will be playing their fifth game in nine nights. The Panthers have been one of the league's better defensive squads, giving up a league-low five even strength goals this season. We think Florida's defensive game will frustrate a Coyotes squad that simply isn't built to score.

Take Florida.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Detroit Red Wings ML

The Red Wings continue to be one of the most undervalued teams in the league. Despite having played six of their first eight games against postseason teams from a year ago, the Wings have started the season with a solid 4-2-2 record. What's even more impressive is that they also held their own without their star center Pavel Datsyuk for the first five games of the year.

Datsyuk is back now and the Red Wings are stacked from top to bottom. People often dismiss Detroit because they are an aging team, but their quality has not taken a hit whatsoever. The Wings catch Washington in a poor spot here as the Caps are returning home from a Western Canada road trip, and could be flat following all of that travel. Washington is heavily reliant on their powerplay right now, but the Red Wings have the best penalty kill in the league, having killed off 25 consecutive penalties at one point this season.

There was reason to be optimistic about the Capitals with Barry Trotz behind the bench this season, but it doesn't look like much has changed. Washington is still too reliant on production from Alexander Ovechkin, but the frustrating winger constantly takes nights off. Ovechkin has been held without a point in four straight games now. We feel we're getting the better team, in the better role, at an underdog price tonight.

Take Detroit.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

New York Islanders ML

The Islanders are one of the most improved teams in the NHL season, despite injuries having already taken their toll. New York is still without Michael Grabner after his offseason hernia surgery and recently lost Josh Bailey to injury as well, but they welcome Mikhail Grabovski back to the lineup on Saturday which should be a shot in the arm for their offense.

The Isles catch the Stars in a terrible spot, having just played into a shootout in New Jersey on Friday night. Dallas has been notoriously terrible in the second half of back-to-back spots, having won just 16 of their last 59 games on no days rest. To make matters worse for the Stars, head coach Lindy Ruff has decided to go with Anders Lindback between the pipes tonight. The downgrade from Kari Lehtonen to Lindback is one of the most significant downgrades in the entire league.

Dating back to last year, the Islanders are 8-2 in their last 10 games overall. This is a squad that is no longer one of the bottom feeders in the league and we believe they're very deserving of this price tag tonight.

Take New York.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Boston Bruins ML

The Boston Bruins host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday evening. Boston is coming off a 4-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres, while the Sharks fell to the New York Rangers in their last outing, 4-0.

The Bruins have been a bit of a letdown thus far on the season, but they're turning things around, winning two of three games on their recent road swing, and now returning home in a great spot to take on the Sharks. The Bruins get this game after two days off and will be rested. That time off also gave head coach Claude Julien time to reinforce the systems he put into place in training camp and will have the team back playing at an elite level.

While this is strong spot for the Bruins, it's a terrible spot for the Sharks, who get this game at the end of a long Eastern road swing that will see the team playing their fifth game in eight nights. San Jose looked fatigued in game four of that road swing, so there's no telling how bad they'll look on Tuesday.

The Bruins are 13-3 in their last 16 games against Pacific Division opponents.

Take Boston.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play

Tampa Bay ML

The Canucks enter this contest having won their first three games of the year, but we're not all that impressed with victories of Edmonton (twice) and Calgary. Despite playing the league's bottom feeders, Vancouver has still played three close games and that's a warning sign heading into tonight's contest.

The Lightning enter this game having not played since Wednesday, which provides them with a big edge against a Canucks team that was in action last night. Tampa Bay has outshot every opponent that they've played this season and they've yet to allow more than two regulation goals in any game this season. This is a quality Lightning squad that is a legitimate dark horse to capture the Stanley Cup this year.

Another big edge working in our favor tonight is the goaltending matchup. Ben Bishop is one of the league's more underrated goalies, while the Canucks have to turn to Eddie Lack in their second game of a back-to-back.

The Canucks are just 1-7 in their last 8 games when playing on no rest, and are a horrible 2-12 in their last 14 games against Eastern Conference opponents.

Take Tampa Bay.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

San Jose Sharks ML

There's no doubt that the Islanders are an improved team this season, but their hot start has them overvalued against one of the league's better squads.

New York has won their first three games of the season but we're not quite ready to buy in just yet. Their first two victories came in a home-and-home set with Carolina, and as we've seen so far, the Canes will be in the running for the first overall pick in the upcoming draft. The Islanders then knocked off the Rangers 6-3 on Tuesday, but that result is deceiving because the Isles were outplayed badly for the first two periods before scoring in quick succession in the third. New York has also benefited greatly from their powerplay, which is 5-for-12 through three contests, but relying on PP goals can be dangerous.

Meanwhile, the Sharks are coming off of a 6-5 shootout victory in Washington, which was far from impressive. After going up 3-0, San Jose took the pedal off of the gas and they almost blew the game as a consequence. Head coach Todd McLellan has stressed that the team needs to be more consistent, and we expect them to bring their A game on Thursday night.

The Sharks are 18-6 in their last 24 games after scoring 5+ goals in their previous game. The Sharks are also 96-47-2 in their last 145 games against Eastern Conference opponents. The Islanders are just 9-21 in their last 30 home games.

Take San Jose.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

New York Rangers ML

Two games into the season and we already have a candidate for the most overvalued team in hockey. We had the Islanders pegged for a drastic improvement this season, but this line is just silly.

The Isles have started the season with back-to-back wins over the Hurricanes, who are one of the worst teams in hockey. The Canes are without Jeff Skinner and (now) Eric Staal, so it's no wonder that they dropped their first two games. What's worrisome for New York is that they only outshot the Canes by a combined 9 shots in those contests, and needed two powerplay goals in both games to get the victories. Long Island is decent but they're still without Michael Grabner who is recovering from sports hernia surgery, and that makes their depth an issue at MSG tonight.

The Rangers are coming off of a 6-3 loss to the Leafs, and they'll be motivated to respond to that embarrassment on home ice. Henrik Lundqvist was particularly bad for New York and we like playing on elite goaltenders after a poor performance. Mats Zuccarello will also be back in the lineup for the Rangers after missing Sunday's game with a shoulder injury, which should be a big boost for the forward unit as well.

The Rangers are 9-4 in their last 13 games following a home loss of 3 or more goals. The Islanders are just 3-9 in the last 12 meetings at MSG.

Take the New York Rangers.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Philadelphia Flyers ML

We played against the Flyers when they hosted New Jersey on Thursday night, but we're ready to reverse our course of action. Philadelphia lost a heartbreaker in Boston on opening night and you can't fault them for a marginal loss as a 60-cent underdog. They were in tough the following night having to play back-to-back against a tough Devils team that is a lot better than a season ago. This time around, there is no situational angle working against Philadelphia as both the Flyers and Habs are playing their third game in four nights.

Montreal sits at 2-0 but could easily be 0-2. They're late winner against the Leafs on opening night was of the extremely lucky variety. They followed that up with a 2-1 victory in Washington after getting outshot 15-2 in the first period. Dustin Tokarski stole that game for the Habs. Head coach Michel Therrien is already juggling his line combinations, a clear indicator that the team isn't playing great hockey right now.

After allowing six goals last time out, expect a better defensive effort from the Flyers, who hung their goaltender Steve Mason out to dry. Mason is 3-0-0 with a 1.63 GAA and .936 save percentage in his career against Motnreal, so a bounce back tonight seems in order. Meanwhile, Habs goaltender Carey Price is 2-8-0 with a 3.46 GAA in his last 10 starts against the Flyers, with six straight losses in Philadelphia.

The Habs are 2-5 in their last 7 games following a win. The Flyers are 4-1 in their last 5 games after allowing 5+ goals in their previous game. The home team is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings between these two teams.

Take Philadelphia.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

[UPDATE: Ray Emery is the confirmed starter for Philadelphia. We still advise a play on the Flyers.]

New Jersey Devils ML

We have the Devils pegged as a major sleeper coming into this season, and we'll gladly back them at an underdog price in their opener.

Philadelphia played last night in Boston, losing 2-1 on a goal late in the third period. We don't completely buy in to tired teams this early in the season, but they're definitely at a disadvantage having to return home on no rest coming off of a hard fought loss. Wayne Simmonds will play tonight for the Flyers but he suffered a lower body injury in last night's game and won't be at 100%. Philadelphia also put in a strong defensive effort last night and struggled to replicate that in their following game a year ago. The Flyers were 0-5 to close out the season in games after allowing two goals or less in their previous game.

The Flyers will have major issues dealing with the forward depth of the Devils. New Jersey brought in Mike Cammalleri in the offseason to round out a deep forward crew, that sees Adam Henrique centering a third line. New Jersey is also solid at the back end and plays the type of offense stifling game that can frustrate this Flyers squad. It's this type of play that has led to New Jersey winning in five of their last six trips to Philadelphia.

We think the better team is in the better situation tonight. Take New Jersey.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Vancouver ML

Oddsmakers have priced this game as if this is the same Canucks team from last year, and we'll gladly take advantage of this generous price. Vancouver had a down season last year but that can largely be attributed to the coaching of John Tortorella, who had the Canucks playing a style of play that wasn't suited to their personnel. Tortortella was axed in the offseason and Vancouver brought in head coach Willie Desjardins, who is poised to have the Canucks return to the run & gun team that made them very successful in years past.

With the addition of winger Radim Vrbata, the Canucks finally have another legitimate first liner to play alongside the Sedins as well. The goaltending carousel that plagued Vancouver for much of last season has also been resolved as Ryan Miller is a bonafide number one between the pipes.

As for Calgary, this team has some major depth issues, particularly at forward. The Flames first line of Sean Monahan, Curtis Glencross, and Jiri Hudler is the least scary first line in the league. Former Leafs rejects Joe Colborne, Matt Stajan, and Mason Raymond round out a forward group that is downright awful. Jonas Hiller is an upgrade between the pipes but he'll be peppered with shots on a nightly basis, and he'll have to play out of this world to keep Calgary in games.

Vancouver swept their season series with Calgary a year ago despite having a down year. They were prices at -113 and -145 in their two games in Calgary, and are priced lower than that this season even though the talent discrepancy between these teams has widened. 

Take Vancouver.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Los Angeles Kings ML
The Los Angeles Kings host the New York Rangers on Saturday evening in the second game of the Stanley Cup Final. The Kings won the opening game of the series on Saturday, 3-2 in overtime.
The Rangers had everything going in their favor entering the series opener on Wednesday but still couldn't come away with a victory. With that result, it's hard to imagine the Rangers coming away with a victory in California in this series. 
The Kings went into the opener with a plan for beating Henrik Lundqvist and it worked in a big way. The team attacked his blocker side and scored all three of their goals there, helping them to overcome a two-goal deficit. The Kings now can be expected to start out Game 2 with better energy after a two-day break, which could mean we'll be in for a rout in this one.
The Kings are 6-0 in their last six games against Eastern Conference opponents, and the home team is 5-2 in the last seven meetings between these teams.
Take Los Angeles.
Good Luck, Razor Ray
8* Play

New York Rangers ML

The Montreal Canadiens host the New York Rangers on Tuesday in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final. The Rangers are coming off a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 4 of the series on Sunday.

The Rangers have had trouble putting teams away, but the talent gap between these two teams is just so wide at the moment that it’s hard to imagine Montreal extend this series to a sixth game. Back-to-back overtime games in New York will have both teams slightly fatigued for this one, and that plays right into the Rangers’ hands.

Things have actually gone worse for the Canadiens at home in this series, and that has to do with playing in front of one of the most critical fan bases in sports. The home side holds their sticks a little tighter when playing at the Bell Centre – not a recipe for success. The Rangers outplayed the Canadiens badly in Games 2 and 3, outshooting them by a combined 23 shots in those two games. The officials helped the Habs out in Game 4 with eight power plays, but that only led to an even shot total.

The Rangers are 6-1 in their last seven games overall, and 4-0 in their last four road games.

Take New York.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play

Los Angeles Kings ML

The Anaheim Ducks host the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night in Game 7 of their second round playoff series. The Kings are coming off a 2-1 win in Game 6 of the series on Wednesday.

The Kings have been playing on the edge in this series, allowing the Ducks to get back into it after a woeful start, but with the series on the line, the Kings’ experience will shine through in a deciding Game 7. As with the San Jose Sharks in the first round, the Ducks have had to look over their shoulder at a Kings team that has owned California for years. Nerves will surely be a factor for the Ducks in this one.

Anze Kopitar has been big for the Kings in the postseason, recording at least a point in 12 of the team’s 13 playoff games, and that kind of consistency surely strikes fear into the heart of a Ducks team that has had trouble solving Jonathan Quick.

The Kings are 4-1 in their last five road games, and the road team is 7-2 in the last nine meetings between these teams.

Take Los Angeles.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* play

Los Angeles ML

The Los Angeles Kings host the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series. The Ducks won Game 3 in the series on Thursday, 3-2.

The Kings took their foot off the gas in Game 3, but expect a bounce back here on home ice. The Ducks have been a team with a horrible home/road split this season, and we’ve taken advantage of that throughout the season, cashing tickets by backing them at home and fading them on the road, and we’ll go right back to that well here.

The Kings had won six games in a row prior to Thursday’s contest. A switch flipped right around Game 5 of their series against the Sharks, and the turnaround started between the pipes with goaltender Jonathan Quick. He’s been solid, and there’s no reason to doubt he’ll be on his game on Saturday. The Kings have outplayed the Ducks badly in the last two games, outshooting them 68-39.

The Kings are 51-24 in their last 75 home games.

Take Los Angeles.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

New York Rangers ML

The New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins will continue their Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series with Game 4 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.

The Penguins don’t get shutout wins often, particularly in the postseason, but that’s been the case in each of their last two outings. The team usually relies on its high-powered offense, but the team didn’t even do much in the way of generating chances in Game 3.

In that contest, the Rangers actually outshot the Penguins by a wide margin, 35-15, and the Rangers even had a 5-to-1 edge in power plays, but like we saw in some of their games against the Flyers, the Rangers just couldn’t catch any breaks.

Now, having been shut out in back-to-back contests, the Rangers are desperate to find goal-scoring anywhere they can. The team wasn’t shut out in back-to-back contests in the entire regular season, so it seems safe to say they won’t be shut out for a third consecutive game on Wednesday night.

The Rangers are 11-2 in their last 13 games played on a Wednesday, and 5-2 in their last seven home games.

Take New York.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play on New York Rangers ML

Chicago Blackhawks ML

The Minnesota Wild host the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday night in Game 3 of their second round playoff series. The Blackhawks claimed Game 3 in the series on Sunday, 4-1.

The Blackhawks are on a roll right now, winning each of their last six games, scoring virtually at will in those contests, while also showing that they have a strong back end, and strong goaltending along the way.

The Blackhawks dispatched of the Wild in only five games in their playoff meeting a year ago, and the Hawks will be looking to get out of this one in a hurry as well. A year ago, a loss in Game 3 cost the team an extra couple days of rest, and that’s a speed bump they will surely look to avoid this time around, so expect a spirited effort from one of the top teams in the league.

The Blackhawks are 10-4 in the last 14 meetings between these teams.

Take Chicago.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play on Chicago Blackhawks ML

Boston Bruins ML

The Montreal Canadiens host the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night in Game 3 of their second round playoff series. The Bruins took Game 3 in the series, 5-3.

Quite simply, the Canadiens are grossly overmatched in this series. The only way the team can get wins is when Carey Price steals them games, and that’s going to pose a major problem against a Bruins team that can score with the best of them, and has a terrific back end, with goaltender Tuukka Rask joining price as one of the best goaltenders in the world.

The Bruins have already shown an ability to dominate play, outshooting the Canadiens 86-61 in the first two games, and they’ve shown an ability to score on Price, as evident by their eight goals in the first two games of this series. Even still, we’re getting a very fair price here for a motivated Bruins squad that is going to enjoy playing in front of a Habs team that could have trouble on their home ice in a pressure-packed situation.

The Bruins are 5-1 in their last six games.

Take Boston.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play on Boston Bruins ML

Los Angeles Kings ML

The Anaheim Ducks host the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 of their second round series on Saturday night.

We were quick to back the Ducks in their own building during the regular year, but a lot of the shine has come off of their home record since the first few months of the year. Now they draw a Kings team with a far better playoff pedigree, one that is built far better for the postseason. The Kings also come to town having won four games in a row, showing that they remain atop the mountain in the state of California, something they would like to establish early on in the series.

The Kings really re-found what's made them great in recent years during Game 5 of their series with the Sharks, allowing just two goals in the final three games of the series, with Jonathan Quick taking over those final three games. Expect him to continue that strong play as the Kings look to make a statement in Game 1.

The Kings are 11-5 in their last 16 road games, and the road team is 4-1 in the last five meetings between these teams.

Take Los Angeles.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play on Los Angeles Kings ML

Minnesota Wild ML

The Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild will decide their opening round playoff series on Wednesday night when the series shifts back to Denver for a deciding Game 7. The teams meet in the sandwich game on an exciting night on the ice in a Game 7 necessitated by Minnesota’s 5-2 win on Monday.

We cashed a ticket on the Wild in Game 6, and we will go right back to that well for this one. The young Avalanche have been able to win on their home ice, but the pressure-packed road games have been too much for the team. Now, they’ll be thrust into their most pressure-packed game yet in a Game 7. This is one the veteran Wild should be to set the pace in, and that’s going to spell bad news for the Avalanche.

The Wild are 7-2 in their last nine games played on one day of rest, and they are 3-1 in the last four meetings between these teams.

Take Minnesota.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play on Minnesota Wild ML

New York Rangers ML

The Philadelphia Flyers host the New York Rangers on Tuesday night as the teams continue their opening round playoff series. The Rangers won Game 5 in the series to take a 3-2 series lead.

The Rangers have been the far superior team throughout this series, yet some bad luck allows this series to continue. The Rangers absolutely dominated Game 1 on their home ice, outshooting the Flyers 36-15 in a 4-1 win. The team dominated Game 4 as well, outshooting the Flyers 38-25, but simply couldn’t catch a break, failing to cash in on any of their four power play opportunities.

Now, with a chance to end the series, there is every reason to believe that the better team will prevail. The Rangers appear to have finally found their footing in this series, and they will go in for the kill on Tuesday night, not wanting to have to return home for a Game 7.

The Rangers are 16-6 in the last 22 meetings between these teams.

Take New York.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play on New York Rangers ML

Los Angeles Kings ML

The Los Angeles Kings host the San Jose Sharks on Monday night in Game 6 of their opening round playoff series. Los Angeles is coming off a 3-0 win in Game 5 of the series on Saturday, cutting San Jose’s series lead to 3-2.

This series never had any business seeing either side take a 3-0 lead, as these teams are far too evenly matched. The Kings came away with a shutout win in San Jose on Saturday, and if that doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of the Sharks and their fans, nothing will. The Sharks have been a strong home team all season, and to lose a game like that only serves to feed the seed of doubt planted in the backs of their minds.

The Sharks have had trouble closing out series in recent seasons, and no team has been a bigger thorn in their side than the Kings. With the Kings no holding home ice advantage on Monday along with all the momentum in the series coming off back-to-back wins, the Kings enter this contest with a significant edge.

The Sharks are 1-9 in their last 10 games played in Los Angeles.

Take Los Angeles.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play on Los Angeles Kings ML

Minnesota Wild ML

The Minnesota Wild host the Colorado Avalanche in Game 6 of their Western Conference matchup on Monday night.

This series returns to Minnesota tonight and based on what we've already seen out of the Avs on the road in these playoffs, this is a huge bargain with the Wild. Minnesota outshot Colorado by a combined 44 shots in Games 3 and 4 of this series, and have actually outshot the Avalanche in 9 of their 10 meetings this season. Colorado has been winning games with smoke and mirrors; having tied two games in this series with their goalie pulled (one on a play that was offside) and then winning in overtime.

Colorado also took advantage of Minnesota's weak goaltending early in this series, but goals have been much tougher to come by since the Wild turned to Darcy Kuemper between the pipes. Kuemper has saved 78 of 83 shots in this series; a stellar .940 save percentage. 

Matt Duchene could possibly suit up for the Avalanche in this contest, but we don't expect him to make an impact even if he does play. Duchene has missed a month with a knee injury and head coach Patrick Roy has already stated that he'll only see fourth line action if he indeed does return to the lineup.

At the end of the day, the Avalanche have been on the right side of some "puck luck" in the postseason and as the saying goes, "luck runs out".

The Wild are 5-1 in their last 6 home games, while the Avalanche have dropped four straight on the road.

Take Minnesota.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play on Minnesota Wild ML

Pittsburgh Penguins ML

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets will head back to Nationwide Arena following Pittsburgh’s 3-1 win on its home ice in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead.

The Blue Jackets are clearly overmatched in this series. After scoring the first goal in Game 5, the team sat back and did all they could to keep the Penguins from finding the back of the net, and even that wasn’t enough to slow an always potent Penguins attack. Even competent goaltending from Fleury is enough for the Penguins to rack up wins in this series.

The Penguins have been down this road before, and they simply want no part of a Game 7, even if it would be on their home ice. Expect them to put their foot on the throats of the Blue Jackets and keep it there, as the veteran side prevails in this one.

The Penguins are 9-2 in the last 11 meetings between these teams, and 6-1 in the last seven meetings between these teams overall.

Take Pittsburgh.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play on Pittsburgh Penguins ML

Dallas Stars ML

The Dallas Stars host the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night in Game 6 of their opening round playoff series. The Ducks won Game 5 in the series by a score of 6-2 to take a 3-2 series lead.

We cashed a ticket on the Stars in Game 4 of this series, and we’ll get behind them again with the series shifting back to Dallas. This has been a real homer series, with the home side winning each of the first five games, but we’ll back the Stars in this one as they have dominated play, even looking at the games played in Anaheim, outshooting the Ducks 36-23 in Game 5.

Now the series shifts back to Dallas, where we can expect the Stars to break through and tie this series on Sunday. The Ducks have historically struggled in Texas, posting a .290 win percentage in their last 55 games in Dallas. Given the struggles the team has endured on the road this past season, there is little reason to expect to see a change when these teams hit the ice on Sunday.

The Stars are 7-1 in their last eight home games.

Take Dallas.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play on Dallas Stars ML

Chicago Blackhawks ML

The Chicago Blackhawks host the St. Louis Blues on Sunday afternoon in Game 6 of their opening round playoff series. The Blackhawks won Game 5 of the series in overtime on Friday, 3-2, taking a 3-2 series lead.

We cashed a ticket on the Blackhawks in Game 5 and we will go right back to that well in this one, backing the underpriced Blackhawks as they look to close out this series on home ice. Chicago has outplayed St. Louis at every step, but some bad luck has let this series last longer than it probably should have. On Sunday, the Blackhawks will surely bring an A-effort, as they will want no part of a return trip to St. Louis.

The Blackhawks have all the momentum in the world entering this contest, with three consecutive wins. Even in the first two games, which went in as losses, the Blackhawks remained competitive, bringing each game to overtime. Friday’s win seemed like a nail in the coffin type loss for the Blues, and the Blackhawks want nothing more than to deliver the final blow on Sunday.

The Blues are 6-20 in their last 26 games in Chicago.

Take Chicago.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play on Chicago Blackhawks ML

New York Rangers ML

The New York Rangers host the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday at noon as the teams continue their opening round playoff series. The Flyers took Game 4 in the series to even it at two games apiece.

The Rangers have been the far superior team throughout this series, yet some bad luck has seen them win just half of the games in the series thus far. The Rangers absolutely dominated Game 1 on their home ice, outshooting the Flyers 36-15 in a 4-1 win. The team dominated Game 4 as well, outshooting the Flyers 38-25, but simply couldn’t catch a break, failing to cash in on any of their four power play opportunities.

Now, with the series returning back to Madison Square Garden, there is every reason to believe that the better team will prevail. The Flyers have just a single win in their last 10 games at the Garden, and the Rangers are in prime position to get back on top in this series.

The Rangers are 15-6 in the last 21 meetings between these teams.

Take New York.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play on New York Rangers ML

Minnesota Wild ML

The Colorado Avalanche host the Minnesota Wild in Game 5 of their Western Conference matchup on Saturday night.

To say that Colorado has been outplayed in this series would be a massive understatement. The Avalanche are lucky to be tied 2-2 in this matchup after being outplayed in both home games and then completely dominated in Minnesota. The Wild have outshot the Avalanche 78-34 in the last two games of this series and are simply playing at a different level right now.

Puck possession was a major issue for the Avalanche throughout the regular season, but matters have been made even worse with Matt Duchene out due to injury. The Avalanche simply don't have the depth to match up with a Wild squad that can use all four lines effectively. Colorado is also missing a huge impact player on defense with Tyson Barrie expected to miss a minimum of four weeks after taking a cheapshot knee-on-knee hit from Matt Cooke.

The x-factor in this contest will be Wild goaltender Darcy Kuemper. Minnesota may have been able to steal a game in Colorado if they received average goaltending in Games 1 or 2, but Ilva Bryzgalov was subpar. Kuemper has posted much stronger numbers this season and has given the Wild a boost of energy in the past couple of games.

The Wild are 5-0 in their last 5 games after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game and are 6-1 in their last 7 games on 1 days rest.

Take Minnesota.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play on Minnesota Wild ML

Chicago Blackhawks ML

The St. Louis Blues host the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night in Game 5 of their opening round series. The Blackhawks won Game 4 in the series in overtime on Wednesday, 4-3, evening the series at two games apiece.

The Blue entered the postseason riding a six-game losing strike, and now find themselves facing some trouble in this series, with the Blackhawks coming to town riding plenty of momentum. At first glance, it would appear that this is a homer series, with both sides winning each of their two home games, and the road sides failing to pull off a victory. However, upon closer inspection, the Blackhawks were right in the thick of both games in St. Louis, while the Blue failed to play to that same level in Chicago.

The Blackhawks are the superior playoff team, and now have a chance to make a real statement in this series by pulling off a win in St. Louis. Don't expect them to let the opportunity pass them by.

The Blues are 2-8 in their last 10 games overall.

Take Chicago.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play on Chicago Blackhawks ML

New York Rangers ML

The New York Rangers host the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday night in Game 4 of their opening round playoff series. New York holds a 2-1 lead in the series after taking home a 4-1 decision in Game 3 on Tuesday night.

It’s getting harder and harder to imagine a Flyers comeback in this series, as they have been far overmatched in this series, getting outshot 92-72 through the first three games, needing a pair of power play goals to help them eke out a win in Game 2.

The Flyers’ goaltending remains shaky, with Ray Emery clearly not a viable option between the pipes, and Steve Mason surely to come in rusty whenever that goes down. Whoever has been between the pipes, it’s tough for them to be very confident in the group in front of them given the way the team has been outplayed by a superior Rangers squad.

The Rangers are 24-8-2 in their last 34 road games, and 15-5 in their last 20 meetings with the Flyers.

Take New York.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play on New York Rangers ML

Dallas Stars ML

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play on Dallas Stars ML

Pittsburgh Penguins ML

Los Angeles Kings ML

New York Rangers ML

The Philadelphia Flyers host the New York Rangers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference series on Tuesday evening.

The Flyers were victorious in Game 2 because of Ray Emery, who made 31 saves in their 4-2 victory. Emery played a great game, but we're doubtful that he can replicate that performance. Emery's .903 save percentage in the regular season was 43rd in the league out of 51 qualified goaltenders. He's not the same caliber goaltender that he was when he led the Senators to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2007, and he's not even close to the same caliber goaltender as Henrik Lundqvist.

Philadelphia will also have difficulty with the Rangers' quality road game. New York won a franchise record 25 games away from home this season; achieving that feat with a great forecheck, solid goaltending, and superb discipline. The Rangers took the second fewest penalties in the league this season, while the Flyers racked up the second most. New York had a stellar 21.2 PP% on the road this season and they should be able to capitalize on Philadelphia's undisciplined play.

At the end of the day, we feel the wrong team is favored in this game. New York let one slip away in Game 2 but they're better than the Flyers in every facet of the game. 

The Rangers are a remarkable 23-10 in their last 33 road games, while the Flyers are just 1-4 in their last 5 games following a win.

Take New York. Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play on New York Rangers ML

New York Rangers ML

The New York Rangers host the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday in Game 2 of their opening round playoff series. New York won Game 1 in the series on Wednesday, 4-1. The home side has won each of five meetings between the teams this season.

The 4-1 scoreline from Game 1 is not truly indicative of how dominant New York's performance was in the series opener. The team dictated play for the full 60 minutes, outshooting the Flyers 36-15, including a 13-1 edge in the deciding third period.

Philadelphia will again be without top goaltender Steve Mason for Game 2. Ray Emery will get the nod once again, and while he does have a strong playoff pedigree, he took a major step backward this season. Emery’s 2.96 GAA is the second-worst mark of his career, and his .903 save percentage can’t instill much confidence in the players in front of him. In Game 1, he looked overmatched against a highly efficient Ranger offense.

At the other end, Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is a notorious slow starter, but this time of year is when he is really on his game, and given that they are playing on the road, goals should be hard to come by for the Flyers in this one.

The Flyers are 0-9 in their last 9 trips to New York, while the Rangers are 14-4 in the last 18 meetings between these teams.

The Flyers are also just 1-8 in their last nine games against opponents with a winning record, while the Rangers are 5-1 in their last six home games.

Take New York.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play on New York Rangers ML

Chicago Blackhawks ML

The St. Louis Blues host the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 2 of their Western Conference matchup on Saturday afternoon.

The Blackhawks brought their B-game in Game 1 and still were able to take the game to overtime. They actually led for much of the game despite looking stagnant for the majority of it. Having said that, Chicago completely dominated the first two overtime periods, and were unlucky not to emerge victorious.

Both teams are going to suffer from the effects of playing nearly two full games a couple of nights ago, but a quick glance at the Blues' ice-time shows that Alex Pietrangelo, their stud defenseman, played over 44 minutes in that contest. Pietrangelo is a workhorse but expecting him to follow up that type of effort with some more heavy minutes here in Game 2 is just asinine. The Blues also chose to practice on Friday while the Blackhawks did not take to the ice at all.

Chicago has been in this situation before. As goaltender Corey Crawford said after Game 1, "I don't think anyone's worried in our locker room". We think the Blackhawks' experienced and the fact that they're simply the better team in this series will get them into the winning column in Game 2.

Take Chicago.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

8* Play on Chicago Blackhawks ML

Dallas Stars ML

The Anaheim Ducks host the Dallas Stars in Game 2 of their Western Conference matchup on Friday night.

The Ducks got out to an early 4-0 in Game 1 before holding on to win 4-3, but that score line is very misleading. Although the Ducks were burying their chances early in the game, Dallas was taking the play to Anaheim, cycling the puck down low in the Ducks' end very effectively. As the game wore on, the Stars continued to impose their will and the Ducks were fortunate to not have the game go into overtime.

Anaheim now has a couple of question marks heading into Game 2 as well. Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf will play despite taking a puck in the face late in Game 1, but there's no doubt he'll have a target on his back. Anaheim will likely be without the services of forward Matt Beleskey, who provides a lot of energy. His absence will be a bigger factor than most people would believe.

Player reactions to the first game tell a different story than the final score.

Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski said "I don't think (Anaheim) had too many shifts where they were buzzing down there (in the Dallas end)".

Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano said "The way they finished the game, it feels like we're even."

These teams are much closer to even that this line would indicate. We'll gladly grab the GREAT price with the Starts tonight.

Take Dallas.

Good Luck, Razor Ray

6* Play on Dallas Stars ML

Chicago Blackhawks ML

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play on Chicago Blackhawks ML

New York Rangers ML

Dallas Stars ML

Write-up coming shortly

Good Luck, Razor Ray

7* Play

Tampa Bay Lightning ML

Write-up coming shortly

Good Luck, Razor Ray

9* Play