Blues -130

The Dallas Stars host the St. Louis Blues on Saturday. Dallas is coming off a 3-2 overtime loss to Chicago, while St. Louis shutout Nashville their last time out, 3-0.

St. Louis lost the first game in their season series with Dallas a year ago. Before the teams would meet again, the Blues brought in Ken Hitchcock as their new head coach, a move that propelled the team to the top of the Western Conference.

Along the way, the team won all three of their meetings with Dallas, with Jaroslav Halak compiling a 1.67 GAA and .938 save percentage in those three games.

The signing of Jamie Benn means a lot for the Stars, but he will not be able to play in this game as he waits to obtain his work visa. Cristopher Nilstorp will be in goal for the Stars in what will be his second NHL start. He

Blackhawks -145

The Columbus Blue Jackets host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday. Columbus is coming off a 4-0 loss against Colorado, while Chicago beat Dallas their last time out, 3-2.

We backed Chicago on Thursday and they overcame a spectacular performance by Dallas goaltender Kari Lehtonen to pull out an overtime victory. We

Penguins -135

The Winnipeg Jets host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. Winnipeg is coming off a 4-2 win over Washington, while Pittsburgh dropped their last game to Toronto, 5-2.

After dropping their first meeting with the Jets last season, the Penguins went on to win each of the final three meetings between the teams, scoring 20 goals in those three contests and winning each of them by at least three goals.

Sidney Crosby was only around for one of those games, but he made the most of it by recording four assists, giving him an astounding total of six goals and eight assists in his last four games against the Jets. Evgeni Malkin has recorded five points in each of his last two games against the Jets.

The Jets have lost their last five games at the MTS Centre. If it isn

Blackhawks -121

The Dallas Stars host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Dallas is coming off a 2-1 win over Detroit, while Chicago beat St. Louis their last time out, 3-2.

The Blackhawks are 3-0-0 on the season, and they've been winning games on the back of their high-powered offense. The team has scored 14 goals in their first three games, the top mark in the league.

Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane have led the way with five points each. Corey Crawford has solidified the team

Bruins +111

The New York Rangers host the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. The Rangers are coming off a 6-3 loss to the Penguins, while the Bruins beat the Jets their last time out, 2-1.

The Bruins have allowed only two goals in 125 minutes of hockey this season. The team began their season with a 3-1 win over these same Rangers, with Tuukka Rask stopping 20 of the 21 shots he faced in that game.

The Bruins put their defensive efficiency on display in Monday

Wild -125

The Minnesota Wild host the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. Minnesota is coming off a 1-0 win over Dallas, while Nashville dropped its last game in a shootout to St. Louis, 4-3.

The Wild brought in their two big offseason acquisitions way back in July, but it has been worth the wait for Wild fans as the team has busted out of the gates to a 2-0 start to the season.

Zach Parise

Hurricanes -130

The Carolina Hurricane host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. Carolina is coming off a 5-1 loss to Florida, while Tampa Bay dropped its last game to the New York Islanders, 4-3.

Carolina hoped for a better outcome to begin their season than a 5-1 loss to Florida, but a closer look at that game offers some hope for the Hurricane. Carolina actually outshot Florida 42-25 in that game, but were beaten by a solid performance from Jose Theodore.

With a raucous home crowd on tap for the team

Senators -138

The Ottawa Senators host the Florida Panthers on Monday. Ottawa is coming off a 4-1 win over Winnipeg, while Florida beat Carolina 5-1 in their opener.

Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson always seems to play at his best when the pressure is on. He

Coyotes +100

The Phoenix Coyotes host the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. Phoenix won three of four meetings between these teams in the regular season a year ago, then eliminated Chicago from the playoffs in six games.

Phoenix was able to tie up their opener with Dallas in the third period, but the Stars would net the winner late in regulation. Phoenix did control the game pretty well, outshooting Dallas 40-26.

The Coyotes come home looking to win their first game of the season. The team hasn

Sharks -120

The Calgary Flames host the San Jose Sharks on Sunday. The teams split their season series a year ago.

The San Jose Sharks had won four straight Pacific Division crowns before that streak came to an end last year. The team made very few changes in the offseason, which typically lends itself to fast starts after a shortened camp.

The team did bring in Brad Stuart to shore up their back end during the offseason. Martin Havlat begins the season healthy after playing in only 39 games last season. Many Sharks played overseas during the lockout, so they shouldn

Ducks +160

The Vancouver Canucks host the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday. The teams split their season series a year ago.

Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry are both playing for new contracts this season, and they

Wild -139

The Minnesota Wild host the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. The teams split their season series a year ago.

For Minnesota, this game is all about unveiling their new toys. The team made a major splash in the offseason, adding Zach Parise from New Jersey, and Ryan Suter from Nashville. Those additions instantly transform the Wild into a Cup contender, and the crowd will be roaring at the Xcel Energy Center for this one, especially when the team

Blues -128

The St. Louis Blues host the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. The Blues won each of the first two meetings between these teams last season, with both games played in St. Louis.

A year ago, St. Louis put together the second-best home record in the NHL at 30-6-5, and they did so on the back of terrific system play and solid goaltending, allowing the fewest goals in the league.

The team

Lightning -104

The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Washington Capitals on Saturday. The teams split their season series a year ago.

Tampa Bay didn

The Los Angeles Kings have dominated the New Jersey Devils from start to finish in this series, and there's little reason to believe that won't change tonight.

The Devils might be desperate but the were also desperate in Game 2 not to get swept at home (and go down 0-2) and in Game 3 when they were desperate not to fall into an 0-3 hole. As we saw in Game 3, not only did it not get better for the Devils, it got worse.

The Kings have yet to play their best game in this series offensively and if Jonathan Quick continues to stand on his head, there's little reason to believe they won't win by at least a two-goal margin again. Take the Kings. 10* play.

Writeup coming shortly. 7* play.

Writeup coming shortly. 10* play.

The New Jersey Devils are well-rested and are relaxed after disposing of the Philadelphia Flyers in just five games. That's going to be a crucial advantage in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals as the New York Rangers are coming a grueling seven-game series with the Washington Capitals, which was their second straight seven-game series.

The Devils are playing just as good defense as the Rangers but their offense has a little more bite to it. Look for that to be the key difference in them getting the win in Game 1. Bet the Devils. 10* play.

The Philadelphia Flyers went to sleep in Game 2 and that's not likely to happen again in Game 3. They were completely outplayed in Game 2 as evidenced by the shot count. They were outshot 25-11 through two periods, which included a 12-2 count in the second period.

The good news is that the Flyers are a great bounce back team. This season, they are 11-2 after scoring one goal or less in their previous game.

Look for them to get back to how they played in Game 1 with more intensity, more discipline in their own zone and more traffic in front of Martin Brodeur. Bet the Flyers. 10* play.

The New Jersey Devils have been pushed to the brink by the Florida Panthers, but that won't deter us. Through the regular season, the Devils were the better team and for the most part, when they've played their best in this series, they've shown to be the better team.

The Devils have far more experience than Florida and the Panthers don't exactly have a big home-ice advantage.

For many of the Panthers, this will be their first Game 7 experience whereas the Devils know what this environment is all about. Take the Devils. 7* play.

Writeup coming shortly. 7* play.

Writeup coming shortly. 7* play.

The New Jersey Devils are faced with a must-win situation in Game 4 as they are down 2-1 to the Florida Panthers. It's not often that you see Martin Brodeur get pulled in a game and after that happening in Game 3, expect him to come up with a much better effort in Game 4.

The Devils have played just one period per game in each of the first three games and in those periods, they've dominated. They've been outworked in the other periods and therefore lost two games.

Look for this to be the Devils most complete game. Bet the Devils. 8* play.

The Chicago Blackhawks came away with an important win in Game 2 against the Phoenix Coyotes and with it, they stole momentum. The loss could end up being quite significant not only because they lost home-ice advantage to a team that really needs it but also that they suffered a number of key injuries.

The Coyotes will be without forward Lauri Korpikoski and potentially top-line center Martin Hanzal and goaltender Mike Smith. Both skated Tuesday morning and are more likely to play but are game-time decisions. Even if they play, the might not be 100%, so that's a concern - especially with leading goal scorer Radim Vrbata already playing through injury.

The Blackhawks were 27-8-6 at home this season compared to 18-18-5 away, so clearly playing at the United Center offers them a keen advantage. Look for them to use it tonight. Bet the Blackhawks. 10* play.

The Vancouver Canucks have not played well through Games 1 and 2 in this series but you can expect their best effort in Game 3. This is it for them as they know if they lose Game 3, it's over.

The Canucks won the Presidents' Trophy for a reason and they're a very experienced team that won't panic. It also helps that they led the Western Conference in road wins this season and the Kings were merely 22-14-5 at home this season - the worst of any West playoff team.

Vancouver has given up a ton of goals on special teams this series. They gave up two power play goals in Game 1, which turned out to be the difference, then coughed up two shorthanded goals and another power play marker in Game 2. If they can play with more discipline, they'll be fine. Bet Vancouver. 7* play.

The New Jersey Devils took care of business in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarter-finals and we'll look for them to do the same in Game 2.

The Devils jumped out to a rather easy 3-0 lead in the first period and then coasted to a 3-2 win. They've now won seven straight while the Panthers have lost nine of their last 11 games.

The Devils received no points from their top line in Game 1 (Kovalchuk, Zajac and Parise) and they are not going to be kept off the score sheet for long. With a cheap price on the Devils, bet them for Game 2. 6* play.

Writeup coming shortly. 10* play.

The St. Louis Blues got into a slump at the end of the season and it appears to have carried over into the playoffs. The Blues will be in do-or-die mode in Game 2 but as we saw in other series - teams like Pittsburgh and Vancouver - that doesn't mean that they'll win the game.

The Blues stymied the Sharks in the regular season meetings, giving up only three goals in the four meetings, but the Sharks scored three goals in Game 1. They're clearly not intimidated.

The Sharks are experienced and the Blues are not. That was evident in Game 1 and could very well be the same case in Game 2. San Jose has now won five straight and eight of their last 10 while the Blues have lost five of six and seven of 10. Take a shot with the Sharks. 6* play.

The Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils head into the playoffs at opposite ends of the spectrum. While the Devils are gaining momentum with six straight wins to end the year, the Panthers are in flux after losing eight of their final 10 games.

The Panthers are just happy to be there as this is their first appearance since 2000. Meanwhile, the Devils are not only an experienced club, they've a very good one that was overshadowed.

The Panthers won the Southeast Division, which was arguably the worst in the NHL. They won it with 94 points. Meanwhile, the Devils finished fourth in their division but collected 102 points.

The Devils are an excellent road team (24-15-2) while the Panthers are so-so at home (21-9-11). Take the Devils in Game 1. 9* play.

The St. Louis Blues are trying to break momentum before the playoffs start as they've lost three straight games, which ties their season long. Head coach Ken Hitchcock has emphasized the importance of momentum to his team (the positive kind) and they should have a good shot to get back on track on Friday.

The Blues are 30-5-5 at home this season, which is the best home mark in the NHL. The Phoenix Coyotes have lost five of seven on the road and while goaltender Mike Smith has been red hot, he's 0-3-0 with a 3.73 GAA in his career at the Scottrade Center.

The Blues have a shot at first place in the West - and the NHL - thanks to Vancouver's loss on Thursday, so look for them to play with some fire and get the win on Friday. 10* play.

It's hard to like the Carolina Hurricanes given the circumstances. Not only are they in a back-to-back situation after losing to the Winnipeg Jets at home on Friday night, they're also playing their third game in four nights.

The Canes have lost three of four, which includes a deflating defeat to the Columbus Blue Jackets. On Saturday, they'll put Brian Boucher in net, who is 1-4-1 with a .887 save percentage and 3.23 GAA this season.

The Canes are just 4-11 on back-to-back days and 4-18 following a divisional game. Bet the Devils on Saturday. 8* play.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been simply awful down the stretch of the season and there's no reason to trust them against a team they struggle against in their best of times - let alone their worst of times.

The Leafs have just five wins in their last 24 games and they don't have many wins in this series against Philadelphia either. The Flyers have won nine of the last 11 meetings overall including four of the last five in Toronto. Bet the Flyers. 8* play.

The Washington Capitals put forth an awful effort on Tuesday night with their playoff hopes on the line, losing 5-1 at home to the very team that was chasing them (the Buffalo Sabres), so it's hard to see them performing much better on the road in Boston.

The Caps have now lost five of seven and are heading in the wrong direction as the playoffs approach.

Meanwhile, the Bruins are trending upwards with wins in five of their last six games. Goaltender Tim Thomas is 4-1-0 with a 1.58 GAA in those games. The Bruins have not allowed more than two goals in any of their last six games.

With these teams going in opposite ways, stick with Boston. 10* play.

Writeup coming shortly. 9* play.

The St. Louis Blues are the best team in the NHL according to the points but Thursday could be a tall order for them.

The Blues are playing in a back-to-back situation and it's their sixth game in their seven game road trip. They've now lost three of four overall.

The Kings have won five straight and have been scoring at a high rate. They've scored at least three goals in five straight games while scoring 21 in total. When they're putting pucks in the net like this, they're a good bet to win. Take the Kings. 8* play.

The Vancouver Canucks are slumping badly these days, which makes it hard to lay any juice with them on the road these days. The Canucks have now lost eight of their last 11 and they seem to be reeling as the playoffs approach.

They lost on Wednesday night in Chicago in a 2-1 affair that was not as close as the score might indicate. The Canucks actually mustered just nine shots on net through two periods.

Vancouver is not only in a back-to-back situation on Thursday, it's also their third game in four nights against a Stars team that has gone 11-2-1 in their last 14 games. The Stars are 10-2 at home this season when the total is set at five. Bet the Stars. 8* play.

The Chicago Blackhawks are going up against a tough Vancouver Canucks squad on Wednesday night but there are a couple of reasons to side with Chicago.

For starters, they've been the better of the two teams lately. The Blackhawks are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games while the Canucks have just three wins in that span. On top of that, they're riding a hot goaltender in Corey Crawford, who has won four straight and has a .958 save percentage in those contests.

The Blackhawks have won 25 of 32 home games this season, which means they should have a decent home-ice advantage in this game. With those two factors in play, take the Blackhawks. 7* play.

The San Jose Sharks have been playing better of late, winning three of four, while the Anaheim Ducks are heading in the opposite direction. Because of that, we'll take a flier on the Sharks on Monday night.

The Ducks have now lost eight of 11 and can't seem to find the back of the net. They've scored 20 goals in that span but 11 of them came in the wins. That means they've got just nine goals in those eight losses.

The Sharks have been playing better with three wins in four games. They should be able to take advantage of a Ducks squad that is playing back-to-back sets and their third game in four nights. Anaheim is just 1-10 on the year when playing on the road with a total of five. Bet the Sharks. 7* play.

The Montreal Canadiens have played pretty well recently - at least by their standards - going 3-0-2 in their last five games. That's a stark contrast to the New York Islanders, who have lost five straight and have been giving up a ton of goals. They've allowed 19 goals in five straight losses.

The Habs have not been a good bet throughout most of the season but one thing is that they play pretty consistently against the Islanders. They've won 14 of the last 20 meetings overall including seven of the last 10 in Montreal.

The Isles are just 3-9 in their last 12 road games with a total of five. Bet the Canadiens. 7* play.

It's tough to have faith in the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team that's lost 15 of their last 17 games. Goaltending has been a big problem for them as they can't seem to keep the puck out of the net.

Since the All-Star break, the Leafs have allowed a whopping 3.24 goals per game. On top of that, goal scoring has been an issue for them too as they've averaged just 2.1 goals per game in their last 17.

They'll head to Tampa Bay on Thursday to face a team that plays pretty well at home. The Lightning average 3.35 goals per game at home, which is the third-best average in the NHL. That's part of why they're a respectable 21-11-2 at home this season. Bet the Lightning. 7* play.

Thanks to the play of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, the Philadelphia Flyers are rolling. They've won six of seven and Bryzgalov has been outstanding in those contests. He's coming into Thursday's affair off of back-to-back shutout wins and now has four this month already.

The Islanders have lost four straight games while giving up a total of 20 goals in the process. They're fresh off a discouraging home loss to the Washington Capitals as they blew a 3-0 second period lead only to lose 5-4.

The Flyers have won seven of their last eight visits to Long Island and 14 of the last 17 meetings overall. Look for those trends to continue. 7* play.

The Anaheim Ducks appear to have run out of gas. After an incredible stretch of hockey over the last month, they've lost four of six and are fading. The key seems to be goaltender Jonas Hiller, who has started 27 straight games.

The Dallas Starts have played well, going 6-1-1 in their last eight to vault to the top of the division. Goaltender Kari Lehtonen is 6-0-1 with a 1.65 GAA in his last seven outings and he's won four of five against Anaheim while posting a 2.00 GAA.

As for Hiller, he's just 2-7-1 in his last 10 games versus Dallas while posting a 3.11 GAA in the process. Bet the Starts. 8* play.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the better of the two teams in this spot and with home-ice advantage on their side, this is a really cheap price to bet them.

The Lightning are 20-9-2 at home this season while the Carolina Hurricanes eight road wins are the fewest in the NHL. Tampa Bay is 7-3-1 in their last 11 games and has played well recently to move into playoff contention. Meanwhile, Carolina really has nothing to play for. The Hurricanes have also lost three of four and six of their last nine.

The reason for this price is because the Lightning are expected to have recent AHL call-up Dustin Tokarski in net. He played well in his debut on Thursday against Washington and had won eight straight in the AHL prior to that. He's no worse than what the Lightning have had to deal with in net all season, so bet Tampa Bay. 8* play.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been awful over the last month as they've lost 12 of 14. In their last 13 games, they have allowed an average of four goals per game and on Saturday, they'll host the Philadelphia Flyers, who are the highest scoring team in the league.

Toronto just can't stop their downward momentum right now and they've even tried. They've fired a head coach (Ron Wilson) but it still hasn't helped. They'll be shorthanded due to injuries on Saturday as Joffrey Lupul and Colby Armstrong were hurt in recent games.

The Flyers have won four straight and allowed just five goals in those games. They've also won three of their last four trips to Toronto and eight of the last 10 meetings overall. Bet the Flyers. 10* play.

The Winnipeg Jets could be in a letdown situation after playing a couple of two intense games this week. On Monday, they've matched wits with the Buffalo Sabres in a playoff-like intensity on Monday in a 3-1 win, they visited the Canucks on Thursday and played a tiring 3-2 loss in Vancouver.

On Friday, they're in a spot where they might look past the Calgary Flames in a game that doesn't mean as much to the Jets.

The Jets are just 11-18-4 on the road this season and have notched just one road win in regulation in their last 11. They've also lost their last five visits to Calgary. Bet the Flames. 8* play.

The New York Rangers come into Friday's contest a little fatigued as it will be their sixth game in nine days. Overall, they've lost three of four including Thursday night's 4-1 shortcoming in Ottawa.

The Chicago Blackhawks have won three of four and play significantly better at home - including goaltender Ray Emery, who is 9-0-1 at the United Center this season.

Look for the rested Blackhawks to take advantage of the Rangers in this spot. Bet the Blackhawks. 8* play.

The Los Angeles Kings have had a tough time with Columbus this season, but that's mostly because of goaltender Curtis Sanford. So far this season, Sanford has allowed just five goals in the three meetings with Los Angeles - even though the Blue Jackets have won just once.

The good news for the Kings is they'll get their hands on Steve Mason on Thursday night, who is expected to be between the pipes. He's lost four of his last five against the Kings while posting a 4.96 GAA.

The Kings have been scoring goals at a good rate recently and that's really been their only Achilles heel this season. They've notched at least four in three straight games and that will likely be enough to get the job done again. Bet the Kings. 7* play.

The Montreal Canadiens are the worst team in the Eastern Conference and they continue to produce uninspiring efforts. They've now lost eight of their last 10 games and have scored just 11 goals in their last seven games. The Habs have also been outshot of his 11 of their last 13 games.

Going to Calgary won't help as the Flames have dominated this series. The Flames have won six of the last seven meetings and while Habs goaltender Carey Price has a career 3.47 GAA against Calgary, Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff has an 8-3-0 lifetime record against the Habs with a 2.44 GAA. Bet the Flames. 9* play.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have been on fire recently and offer great value as a home underdog on Tuesday. On the season, Tampa Bay is 20-9-2 at home, so they are usually a good home bet anyways. On top of that, they have won four straight and are well rested as the Ottawa Senators visit.

Meanwhile, the Senators have lost two straight and aren't coming in with as much momentum.

The key here should be the absence of goaltender Craig Anderson for the Senators, who absolutely owns the Lightning. Anderson has won all three meeting with the Lightning this season while giving up just three goals in the process. For his career, he's 6-1-2 against them with a 1.24 GAA.

Without Anderson and without momentum, this is a good spot to bet against Ottawa and take Tampa Bay. 10* play.

The Buffalo Sabres are on a roll right now with an 11-3-3 stretch that has pulled them into playoff content. On Monday, they'll have a chance to get into that eighth and final spot as they meet the team that they're chasing: the Winnipeg Jets.

The Sabres are always tough to beat when goaltender Ryan Miller is on and he's been outstanding recently. He led the Sabres to a 5-3 win over the league-leading Vancouver Canucks on Saturday and prior to that, he had posted back-to-back shutouts. He's 6-0-1 in his last seven starts with a 1.40 GAA.

The Jets are an inconsistent home team as they have won just two of their last five at the MTS Centre.

The Sabres are 6-2 when playing on the road with a total of five this season. Given how confident they are these days, they are worth a play on Monday. 8* play.

The Nashville Predators are worth a flier on Saturday night given how well they've been playing and how poorly the Florida Panthers have been at home.

The Panthers have lost four of five at home and might have a tough time changing the momentum given some key injuries. Leading scorer Kris Versteeg is out and the Panthers lost 7-0 in Winnipeg on Thursday without him.

The Panthers don't fare so well against teams with a winning record as they are just 14-18 against them this season and have lost four of their last six meetings with teams above .500.

Paul Gaustad should be making his debut for the Predators, which should give them a boost on Saturday. Also, having Pekka Rinne in net won't hurt. He's 5-1-1 with a 1.70 GAA in his last seven starts. Bet the Predators. 7* play.

While the Toronto Maple Leafs have been struggling mightily (losses in 10 of 11), at least they've created a spark by the firing of head coach Ron Wilson this week, which might change their momentum. They're also still alive in the playoff race, which should serve as extra motivation.

Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens are struggling too as they have lost seven of nine and their only two wins in that span came via shootouts. They've been an awful home team all season long as their 12 home wins is the fewest in the East and the second-fewest in the NHL.

Overall, there's just no real reason to lay juice with the Habs in what's an even game and a rivalry game. Both teams are struggling and there's no home-ice advantage, so bet the Leafs. 7* play.

The Pittsburgh Penguins visit the red hot Dallas Stars on Wednesday but they're one team that's able to cool them off. The Stars have won four straight but Pittsburgh has won 15 of their last 20.

One major difference in this game should be in net as Stars netminder Kari Lehtonen is 1-3-0 in four starts against Pittsburgh with a 3.53 GAA. Meanwhile, Marc-Andre Fleury has won all five starts against Dallas while posting a 1.77 GAA. He's won 13 of his last 16 starts overall.

The Stars have just two wins in their last eight against teams with a winning record while the Penguins have won seven of their last eight against winning teams. Bet the Penguins. 7* play.

The San Jose Sharks are in the midst of a grueling stretch. They are back home for the first time after a nine-game road trip that produced just one win in their last seven. Injuries are piling up as Douglas Murray is out and leading scorer Logan Couture is banged up.

Meanwhile, Tuesday's game will be their 10th contest in 17 days.

Goaltender Antti Niemi is slumping right now as he's been pulled twice this week. He has a save percentage of .868 in February. He's allowed 29 goals in his last nine starts (3.22 per game) and has won just two of those starts.

Not much is going right for the Sharks right now, so bet the Flyers. 9* play.

The Montreal Canadiens have lost seven of eight and continue to nose dive. At this point, it's hard to be them in any spot - let alone on the road against the surging Tampa Bay Lightning.

As the Habs look up at the standings, they are in fact the worst team in the Eastern Conference. On trade deadline day, they shipped off veteran Andrei Kostitsyn in a clear downsizing move.

Meanwhile, the Lightning have been an excellent home bet all season long (18-9-2) and have lost just once in regulation in the last eight visits from Montreal.

Goaltender Mathieu Garon has been decent recently, going 9-3-2 in his last 14 starts while posting a 2.76 GAA. Tampa Bay has more to play for and is in the better situation. Bet the Lightning. 9* play.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost eight of their last nine games, and at this point, they don't deserve to be laying this much juice.

The Leafs have looked completely listless in many of their recent games, getting outshot in each of their last four (all losses) and having 16 giveaways on Saturday to the Washington Capitals. They now lead the league in that category.

Goaltending continues to be an issue for Toronto as neither netminder is getting it done but at the same time, the offense has been muted as well. The Leafs have just 16 goals in their last 8 games. Take the Panthers in a value play. 8* play.

The Boston Bruins have been somewhat inconsistent over the last month but Saturday is a statement game for them. The Ottawa Senators have a shot to catch them in the division but Boston has a good chance to show that they're still the boss.

The Senators have played well recently, scoring 28 goals in their last six games, but they've had a really tough time dealing with Tim Thomas. The Bruins netminder has won eight straight in Ottawa while posting a 1.35 GAA.

Meanwhile, the Sens will be without their starting goaltender Craig Anderson (hand) for a while and backup Alex Auld will be in net. He has a 3.28 GAA this season and it's up to 4.08 when he starts at home. Bet the Bruins. 10* play.

Any time the juice is this low with a shot at betting against the Columbus Blue Jackets, we'll take it.

This is a matchup of two teams going in opposite direction at the trade deadline. While the Blue Jackets have already shipped off veteran forwards Antoine Vermette and Jeff Carter, and might soon trade away Rick Nash to move into full-on rebuilding mode, the Avs are actually making a push for the playoffs. Colorado recently acquired veteran forward Steve Downie to boost their grit and are now making a push for the postseason.

It's a tough time to be a member of the Jackets as the season is done and the team is being broken down. There should be far more confidence on the Avs bench as they've won two of three and are just two points out of a playoff spot. Bet the Avs. 8* play.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are definitely struggling these days but they shouldn't be home underdogs to the San Jose Sharks. They have lost six of seven, but San Jose has been struggling too and has lost four straight and seven of nine.

The bigger issue for San Jose might be fatigue. Thursday's affair is their fifth game in eight days and all of them have been on the road. They're also a west coast team that's all the way up in the northeast - far from home and in a different time zone.

These two teams are rather evenly matched so take the value. Bet the Leafs. 7* play.

Writeup coming shortly. 8* play.

Writeup coming shortly. 8* play.

The Montreal Canadiens are in the midst of another struggle with just one win in three games while the New Jersey Devils are still red hot. The Devils have won seven of nine, which includes a 5-3 win over Montreal.

The Devils have thrived in Montreal winning 11 of their last 13 visits. Goaltender Martin Brodeur has 42 career wins against the Habs and his 1.81 GAA is his single best against any one opponent. Bet the Devils in this spot. 8* play.

We're going to stick with the Anaheim Ducks, who are playing very well these days. Even coming off a loss in New Jersey - a game they should have won as their overtime goal was disallowed - the Ducks are confident. The Ducks are 5-0-2 in their last seven games.

The Panthers have lost two straight at home and they aren't exactly a dominant home team. The Ducks have won 14 of 20 and have lost by more than one just once in that span. Expect them to have a shot to win this game. 7* play.

The Chicago Blackhawks seem to have found some momentum with two straight wins after an ugly losing streak. The key for them is their offense has come back to life with 10 goals in those two contests. When that's the case, they're a tough team to beat.

St. Louis has played well recently too but they're not as hot when on the road. A recent 2-1 loss in Columbus indicates just that. They've lost six of their last seven visits to Chicago. Bet the Blackhawks. 8* play.

The Philadelphia Flyers are coming off a big 7-2 win at home but that was just their second in their last seven games. They've been a weak home team all season long (14-14) and haven't fared well at home in this series either. The Pens have won five of the last seven visits to Philadelphia.

These are two teams that have played very differently over the last month or so. The Flyers haven't won two straight since January 10th-12th while the Penguins haven't lost two straight in over a month. Bet the Penguins. 8* play.

The Calgary Flames are rolling right now with wins in four of their last six games. Neither of those two losses were in regulation.

The Flames have been playing well in all facets of their game including goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, who is 4-0-1 in his last five with a 1.74 GAA. He's won three of his last four meetings with Dallas while posting a 2.22 GAA.

As for Stars goaltender Kari Lehtonen, he's just 3-6-1 in his last 10 starts. He has a 3.06 lifetime GAA versus Calgary.

The Stars have just four wins in their last 14 games. Bet the Flames. 9* play.

The Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild have been heading in opposite direction, so we'll look for that to continue on Tuesday.

The Ducks have won 12 of their last 17 while the Wild have lost 20 of their last 25.

The Ducks don't have an impressive road record (7-11-7) but they've been much better of late, going 4-1-1 in their last six away games. Meanwhile, the Wild enter on a four-game losing streak having scored just five goals in those games.

Anaheim is playing with plenty of confidence right now; Minnesota is not. Bet the Ducks. 7* play.

The San Jose Sharks play great in this series and with Tomas Vokoun not getting the start tonight, the Sharks are definitely a play.

Vokoun is 10-1-1 in his career against the Sharks while Michal Neuvirth is 0-3-0 against them with a 3.37 GAA.

The Sharks have won 15 of the last 16 meetings between the teams and their goaltender, Antti Niemi, is 3-1-0 lifetime against Washington with a 1.98 GAA. Bet the Sharks. 8* play.

The Buffalo Sabres have finally started playing well and they'll have a good chance to keep momentum going on Friday. The Sabres are 4-0-1 in their last five games and that's mostly in part to the play of goaltender Ryan Miller.

Miller has posted two shutouts in his last three starts. When he's playing well, the Sabres are hard to beat.

The Dallas Stars will make the trip on Friday and they will be in a back-to-back situation and it will also be their third game in four nights. Fatigue surely could be a factor. The Stars are 0-9 this season on back-to-back days. Bet the Sabres. 10* play.

The Winnipeg Jets have gone sour since the flip of the calendar to 2012 and they aren't likely to have much success in Washington on Thursday. The Jets have won just six of their last 17 games overall and have had plenty of problems scoring.

The Jets have just eight goals in their last seven games. They've struggled on the road all season long but the Capitals have 19 home wins, which is the most in the Eastern Conference.

Tomas Vokoun will be in net for the Caps and he's 16-5-0 at home this season with a 2.07 GAA. Bet the Capitals. 10* play.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been awful all season long and now they are really coming apart at the seams. They've lost six of seven, which is nothing new to them, but now their heart and soul player Rick Nash is rumored to be wanting out.

The Blue Jackets could be having a fire sale in the coming weeks as the NHL trade deadline approaches. They are the worst team in the league and have a number of veterans that are attractive to other teams.

Bet against them on Tuesday when they face the Wild, who are 3-1-1 in their last five. 9* play.

The Colorado Avalanche are sinking these days and the Vancouver Canucks aren't likely to relent. Colorado has scored just 10 goals in their last 20 games and Vancouver is the wrong opponent for them to snap out of it.

The Canucks are currently holding a shutout streak of longer than 167 minutes over Vancouver, which has spanned more than two games.

Overall, Vancouver has won five of their last seven trips to the Pepsi Center and 11 of the last 14 meetings overall. Bet the Canucks. 7* play.

The Minnesota Wild seem to have turned things around recently as they have won two of their last three games. They had a two-game winning streak going but blew a 4-1 lead over the Nashville Predators in their latest outing. While the loss was discouraging, just the fact that they were up 4-1 on what is one of the best teams in the NHL right now is a good sign.

The Colorado Avalanche are slumping right now and have scored just 19 goals in their last 10 games. The Wild have won six of their last seven at the Pepsi Center and 10 of the last 14 meetings overall. 7* play.

The Edmonton Oilers have just four wins in their last 21 games and should have a tough time getting back on the winning track on Monday. The San Jose Sharks visit and they're in a need of a win themselves.

San Jose has lost three of four but they have played some tough competition recently. Those three losses came against teams with at least 60 points on the season whereas the Oilers have just 38.

The Sharks are 15-5 against teams with a losing record this year and after playing Vancouver, Ottawa and Chicago in the last week, facing a beaten up, downtrodden Oilers squad should be much more manageable. Bet the Sharks. 8* play.

The Winnipeg Jets have struggled recently with losses in seven of their last 10 games. On top of that, they find themselves on the road on Monday playing in a place that's tougher to play than you would imagine.

The Hurricanes are surprisingly 6-1-1 in their last eight at the RBC Center and have been far more competitive at home than on the road.

The same can be said about the Jets, who have just seven wins in 23 road games this season. They have just eight goals in their last five away games. Bet the Hurricanes. 8* play.

The Calgary Flames have picked up some steam with a 4-1-1 stretch while the Edmonton Oilers are a complete wreck with just five wins in their last 24 games.

Given the way the teams are trending, we'll take Calgary.

The Oilers injuries continue to pile up as they might be without Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Cam Barker, Ryan Whitney and Tom Gilbert. That's a lot for any team to take - let alone one of the thinnest teams in the league.

The Flames have won the first three meetings of the season and the Oilers have scored just four goals in those games. Bet the Flames. 9* play.

The Anaheim Ducks are playing with a lot of confidence these days with wins in five of their last six games. They're even coming off a win over the West-leading Vancouver Canucks, so all appears to be going well for them after an ugly first half.

Their offense is clicking right now as they've scored 25 goals in their last six and their goaltending has been stellar, giving up just eight goals in that span.

The Phoenix Coyotes have struggled mightily on the road with losses in seven of their last eight away games. Bet the Ducks tonight as they are playing very well right now. 9* play.

The Ottawa Senators are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now with wins in eight of their last nine games. They'll host the struggling Winnipeg Jets on Monday, which should allow them to keep momentum going.

The Jets have been a brutal road team all season long as they give up 3.57 goals per game on the road (fourth-worst in the NHL) compared to just 2.22 at home. Chris Mason will be in net on Monday and he's 1-2-0 on the road this season with a 3.00 GAA and a .884 save percentage. At home, he's 4-1-0 with a 1.65 GAA and a .938 save percentage. He's 2-4-0 against Ottawa with a 2.90 GAA.

The Sens have been playing much better recently because of their goaltending. Craig Anderson is 8-0-1 in his last nine starts while posting a 1.66 GAA. He's 7-1-2 with a 2.46 GAA in 11 career meetings with the Jets.

The Jets have lost five of six while scoring just nine goals in those six games. They have three wins in their last 12 road games. Bet the Sens. 10* play.

The Calgary Flames have played well at home recently going 10-0-1 in their last 11 at the Scotiabank Saddledome. They should be particularly fired up on Saturday night as the Los Angeles Kings visit as former head coach and general manager Darryl Sutter now coaches the Kings.

The Flames should also get a spark from the acquisition of forward Mike Cammalleri, who was slumping in Montreal this season. Cammalleri previously had an 80-point campaign with Calgary back in 2008 and should give the team a big boost.

Miikka Kiprusoff will be in net for the Flames tonight and he's dominated the Kings recently. He's 10-0-1 with a 1.71 GAA in his last 11 starts versus the Kings. Bet the Flames. 8* play.

We'll take advantage of the value on the Ducks tonight as they have shown signs of life recently. On the whole, they have just three road wins on the season and have been one of the worst teams in the league. But the truth is they have the talent and we've been waiting to see if they can wake up and perform or whether the slump will continue.

Recently, they've gone 3-0-1 in their last four games and their offense has come to life. They lost 1-0 in Calgary in overtime on Thursday night but they'll still feel good about themselves considering the Flames are 10-0-1 in their last 11 home games.

The Oilers have four wins in their last 20 games and suffering through a ton of injuries. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Ryan Whitney, Jordan Eberle and Cam Barker are all out, which removes the top two offensive weapons and top two defensemen out of the lineup.

With the Ducks being a dog in this spot, this is good place to take a flier. Bet the Ducks. 7* play.

The Edmonton Oilers have just four wins in their last 19 games - two of them coming against losing teams - so there is no real reason to be betting them. They've nosedived since their 8-2-2 start and things aren't getting any better for them.

They'll be without their two best goal scorers on Wednesday as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle are both out. That's on top of their top three defensemen being out (Ryan Whitney, Cam Barker and Tom Gilbert). This is not a team that had enough talent or much depth to begin with and now they're really short handed.

The Devils are in a back-to-back situation, which is why they aren't favored in this game, but at EVEN money, they're a good value play. 9* play.

The Washington Capitals are a reasonably-priced home favorite on Wednesday night, so they are worth a play.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled mightily as they have lost five straight and scored just one goal in each of their last four games. They're in tough these days as Sidney Crosby is out, as is Jordan Staal and defensemen Kris Letang. Leading scorer James Neal is playing through a broken foot.

The Caps have been a reasonable bet at home all season long as they are 14-5-1 at the Verizon Center. They've won four straight at home while the Pens have been lousy on the road going 10-9-2.

The Pens are also 6-13 against teams with a winning record this year and 2-7 after losing by two or more in their previous game. Bet the Caps. 9* play.

The Calgary Flames have just one win in their last six, and they've been in a miserable slump. That lone win came against the Minnesota Wild, who are playing even worse than them these days.

On Tuesday, the New Jersey Devils visit and the Devils have been a strong team recently. They've won three of the four meetings with Calgary.

The Flames are just 2-11 against Eastern Conference teams and a slew of injuries might not help those numbers. Eight players are injured - including Alex Tanguay and Scott Hannan - and the team's third-leading scorer, Rene Bourque, is still out serving a suspension. As a road dog, bet the Devils. 8* play.

The Minnesota Wild can't get off the mat as they have lost 11 of their last 12 and can't seem to figure out what's wrong.

While the Wild are the coldest team in the league, the Sharks are the hottest with an 8-1-1 span in their last 10.

The Sharks should have an edge in net as Antti Niemi has won four of five starts against Minnesota while posting a GAA of 1.61. The Wild have been giving up an average of 31.8 shots per game over their last 10 and the Sharks have averaged 35 shots per game over their last eight, so whoever is in net for the Wild can expect to have a busy night. Bet the Sharks. 10* play.

The Montreal Canadiens haven't played well recently but they get a very winnable game on Saturday when the Tampa Bay Lightning visit.

The Lightning have just two wins in their last 11 road games and they've given up 45 goals in those contests. The Habs main flaw has been goal scoring but if they can get another shoddy performance from Tampa Bay, they'll have a great chance to win.

Their offense will get a boost from the return of Brian Gionta, who has led the team in scoring over the last couple of seasons. He's been out since December 8th. Take the Habs. 8* play.

The Los Angeles Kings have played well since head coach Darryl Sutter took over and have yet to lose in regulation since. The key for them has been the improved goaltending of Jonathan Quick, who is 5-0-2 in his last seven with a 1.20 GAA. He's also dominated Columbus with six wins in his last seven starts against them while posting a 2.20 GAA.

The Blue Jackets have just one win in their last nine overall and they have just four wins in 19 road games this season. Bet the Kings. 9* play.

The Florida Panthers have struggled recently with just four wins in their last 12 games. That includes a 3-2 loss in New York on Thursday night and the Panthers are just 1-4 this season in back-to-back situations. They are also 12-26 in their last 38 back-to-back games.

They don't fare well in new Jersey either as the Devils have won 10 of the last 13 meetings in New Jersey. The Panthers come into this game on a five-game road losing streak as well. The Panthers are also 1-5 this season on the road when the total is set at five. Bet the Devils. 10* play.

Writeup coming shorty. 9* play.

The Vancouver Canucks thrive in meetings with the San Jose Sharks, so we'll look for them to keep up their strong play in San Jose on Wednesday night.

Overall, they have won 13 of 16 games and goaltending has fueled the surge. Roberto Luongo has a sparkling 1.68 GAA in December. Against the Sharks, the Canucks are 8-1-1 in the last 10 meetings including four wins in their last five visits to HP Pavilion.

Given how good the Canucks are playing these days, taking them as an underdog, is great value. 8* play.

The Buffalo Sabres have been a better road team than home team all season long, so there's some value betting them on Wednesday night.

The Devils have been playing well recently but their goaltending has been weak. They've allowed at least three goals in five straight games and that's going to catch up with them. As for the Sabres, Ryan Miller has allowed no more than one goal per game in five straight starts against the Devils.

With Jochen Hecht and Brad Boyes back in the lineup for Buffalo, they earned a win over Washington on Monday. Look for them to keep momentum going with a win on Wednesday night as well. 8* play.

The Carolina Hurricanes have been brutal this season and have lost 11 of their last 14. On the other hand, they're host a New Jersey Devils team that was playing it's best heading into the Christmas break. The Devils have won seven of nine entering Monday and they've played great in this series as well.

The Devils have won eight of 10 in this series. In Monday's game, they won't have to deal with Jeff Skinner, who is out with a concussion. Bet the Devils. 10* play.

The Phoenix Coyotes have been a bad home team this season as they have just seven wins at home, which is the second-fewest in the Western Conference. They have lost three of their last four at home as well.

Compounding their problems is that they could be without starting goaltender Mike Smith, who is day-to-day.

The St. Louis Blues are 5-1-1 in their last seven and their goaltenders have been outstanding since Ken Hitchcock took over the team. Jaroslav Halak has a 1.75 GAA while Brian Elliott leads the NHL with a 1.52 GAA.

The Blues are the better team and should have an edge in net. Bet them in this spot. 8* play.

Writeup coming shortly. 9* play.

Writeup coming shortly. 8* play.

The Dallas Stars are finishing up their season-high five-game road trip and they might be a little worn down on Friday night. Their trip has dragged them across the entire country, starting on the West Coast in San Jose and Los Angeles, and now finishing up in New Jersey.

The Stars will be playing back-to-back on the road on Saturday after playing Friday night in Long Island. It's also their third game in four nights.

The Devils are hot right now and have won four of five. Their offense is playing well as Ilya Kovalchuk has five goals and five assists in those five games.

Goaltender Johan Hedberg is 7-2-1 in his last 10 against Dallas with a 1.60 GAA. He'll be in net on Friday night as the Devils retire Scott Niedermayer's jersey on Friday night. 9* play.

The Dallas Stars have played well in their last two road games and the goaltending of call-up Richard Bachman has been the key. He's stopped 71 of the last 72 shots he's faced and has fueled the Stars to back-to-back wins.

Now they'll take on the Islanders on Thursday with some revenge in mind. The Stars were up 2-0 on the Isles in their December 3rd meeting but collapsed and lost 5-4. They allowed four goals to Matt Moulson in that game so needless to say, slowing him down will be crucial.

The Isles have allowed 24 goals in their last six games and the Stars are 8-2-1 in their last 11 at Long Island. Bet the Stars. 10* play.

The Minnesota Wild are the best team in the NHL right now and have been on fire lately - even while playing on the road - so they offer decent value at virtually a pick on the road in Winnipeg.

The Wild have won seven straight while outscoring opponents 24-12 in that stretch. Goaltending has keyed their outstanding play and Niklas Backstrom is 7-1-0 in his last eight with a 1.98 GAA.

They are playing with plenty of confidence right now and will continue to do so on Tuesday night. Bet the Wild. 7* play.

The Calgary Flames have been playing well of late, going 6-1-1 in their last eight. Their best players are being their best once again as goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff is 6-0-1 in his last seven starts while Jarome Iginla has found his scoring touch.

Kiprusoff loves playing against Nashville as he has three career shutouts against them, which is the most he has against any one team. He is 14-4-1 against them in 19 matchups against them with a 1.97 GAA.

Meanwhile, Preds starter Pekka Rinne is 1-5-2 in his last eight against Calgary. With the Flames being such a big dog and them being the better team right now, take the value. Bet the Flames. 6* play.

The Philadelphia Flyers have been an excellent road team all season long as their 9-3-1 away record stands as the best in the NHL.

On Wednesday, they'll visit the First Niagara Center, which is a place that they've had plenty of success recently. The Flyers have won eight of their last 11 visits to Buffalo and have dominated goaltender Ryan Miller. Miller has just two wins in his last nine against Philadelphia with a 3.15 GAA in the process.

Buffalo has struggled at home this season, winning just once in their last six and are 6-8-1 in their own confines this season. With good value on the Flyers, bet them tonight. 8* play.

The Washington Capitals are a complete mess right now as they can't seem to get on the winning track. They've now dropped nine of 12 and firing head coach Bruce Boudreau has not had the desired impact.

So far under new head coach Dale Hunter, the Caps are just 1-3-0.

They've been brutal on the road all season long as their 4-8-0 record is the worst away record in the East. They've lost five straight road games and Alexander Ovechkin has no points and a -11 rating during the that span.

Sens goaltender Craig Anderson is 4-1-1 with a 2.65 GAA in his last six against Washington while Caps goalie Tomas Vokoun is 4-11-0 in his career against Ottawa with a 3.21 GAA. Bet the Sens. 8* play.