The Edmonton Oilers are ending a rough stretch of hockey on Saturday and fatigue could be a factor.

Prior to Saturday's contest, the Oilers had played 12 games in 10 different cities in 24 days. Saturday's contest will be their fourth game in six nights as well and the wear and tear is showing.

The Flames have dominated this series regardless, winning 12 of the last 13 matchups overall and five of the last six in Edmonton. Their goaltender, Miikka Kiprusoff, has won 11 of his last 12 outings against Edmonton with a 2.29 GAA. With good value on the board, bet the Flames. 8* play.

The Vancouver Canucks are red hot right now and are playing with a lot of confidence. Since starting goaltender Roberto Luongo went down with an injury, backup Cory Schneider has stepped in an taken control of the team. Even with a healthy Luongo, Schneider will continue to start for the Canucks.

He's posted a 0.79 GAA while winning five straight with two shutouts - one of those with a career-high 47-saves.

Meanwhile, Nashville Predators Pekka Rinne is in a five-game slump that's among the worst of his career. He's mired in a career-high five-game losing streak with a 3.44 GAA in that span. The Preds aren't helping him as they have scored two or less in five straight games.

The key for the Canucks seems to be their second line. Ryan Kesler has three goals and four assists during the five-game winning streak while David Booth had eight points in November after picking up just two assists in October.

The Preds have lost five of their last six overall. Bet the Canucks. 8* play.

The Washington Capitals lost in Dale Hunter's debut as head coach but they should be much sharper tonight now that they've had a full day to prepare under their new man.

The Capitals have won just five of their last 15 and have been desperately searching for a spark to turn things around. Firing their previous head coach Bruce Boudreau will help but a visit from the East-leading Pittsburgh Penguins should also wake them up.

The Caps are still a good team at home, going 8-3-1 so far this season. Meanwhile, the Pens are not nearly as strong on the road as they are at home. They are 6-6-2 when playing away. They'll also be without their top two defensemen Kris Letang and Zbynek Michalek tonight.

Bet the Caps tonight as they get back on the winning track. 8* play.

Even though the San Jose Sharks are coming off a loss, they have still won 12 of their last 16 games. After each of their last four losses, they have immediately bounced back with a win.

The Sharks have a good opportunity to do so on Monday night as they visit the STAPLES Center to face the Los Angeles Kings. The Sharks have won six of their last nine visits there and took care of the Kings rather easily in five games in the first round of the playoffs last season.

Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi has dominated the Kings for his career, going 6-1-2 with a 1.74 GAA against them. Even with a 3-2 loss in their latest outing to Vancouver, the Sharks have been stellar defensively and have allowed just 13 goals in their last eight games. That doesn't bode well for the Kings, who are having problems scoring right now. Bet the Sharks. 8* play.

The Philadelphia Flyers have lost two straight but they've got a good chance of ending that stretch when they face the New York Islanders on Wednesday.

The Isles are the lowest-scoring team in the NHL while the Flyers have scored more goals than any other team in the league. The Isles have been shutout in back-to-back games.

Rick DiPietro will be back in net for the Isles on Wednesday and he's struggled all season long. In his last outing, he was pulled after giving up three first period goals to the Boston Bruins. For his career, he is 7-14-0 against Philadelphia with a 3.34 GAA.

The Flyers have won 24 of the last 26 meetings between the teams overall and playing on the road shouldn't be a problem for them. They've actually played better away (6-2-1) than at home (5-4-2) this year. Bet the Flyers. 10* play.

Since starting 9-3-1, the Toronto Maple Leafs have hit a wall. They have just two wins in their last eight and they have struggled without their No. 1 goaltender James Reimer.

Jonas Gustavsson will get the call on Tuesday night and he's struggled against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He's 1-0-3 with a 2.92 GAA in his four starts against them.

While the goaltending has been suspect, the goal scoring has been absent as well. The Leafs have scored just 21 goals in their last eight games but seven of those goals came on Saturday against Washington.

Tampa Bay is 6-2-0 at home this season and their last home game was a loss, which was their first home loss in over a month. They are 11-1-3 at home in their last 15 against Toronto. Bet Tampa Bay. 7* play.

The St. Louis Blues have yet to lose in regulation (4-0-2) since head coach Ken Hitchcock took over the team and they've been particularly strong at home.

The Blues are 7-1-1 on the year at the Scottrade Center and they've won three straight there.

The key difference has been the goaltending as No. 1 netminding Jaroslav Halak has finally turned things around. After giving up 20 goals in his first six games, he's allowed just eight goals over his last six. The Blues have allowed just one goal in the second or third period in their last six games.

For his career, Halak is 5-1-0 against the Kings with a 1.76 GAA.

The Kings will counter with Jonathan Bernier, who is 1-2-0 with a 3.37 GAA on the season. He's only faced the Blues once and gave up four goals in the loss.

The Kings have lost three straight in St. Louis and 13 of their last 17. Bet the Blues. 7* play.

We'll join the hype for Sidney Crosby's return tonight against the New York Islanders but that's not the only reason for the play.

The Isles are a complete wreck right now and have yet to win on the road this season in six tries. They are also mired in a slump as they have just two wins in their last 13 games.

They've had all sorts of problems scoring goals this season as they have just 35 through 17 games. That is by far the lowest total in the league.

They'll have Anders Nielsen in net on Monday as Al Montoya and Evgeni Nabokov are both hurt while Rick DiPietro has struggled.

They won't be happy to see Crosby, who has 62 points in 33 games versus the Islanders.

The Pens have won seven straight against the Islanders at home and have won 11 of the last 14 meetings overall. This actually might be a bit cheaper than most people expect to pay when factoring everything. Bet the Penguins. 6* play.

The Chicago Blackhawks visit the Calgary Flames on Friday night and the two teams couldn't be at opposite ends of the spectrum right now.

The Flames have lost three of four and are one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL while the Blackhawks have won four straight and are the highest scoring team in the league.

The Flames have scored one goal or less in five of their last eight games while the Blackhawks have scored 21 in their last four. They are 10-0-2 in their last 12 when they score three goals or more and that shouldn't be a problem against Miikka Kiprusoff, who is 2-8-2 lifetime against them with a 4.02 GAA.

The Blackhawks have won 15 of the last 19 meetings between the teams and the Flames have just two wins in their last eight home games. Bet the Blackhawks. 10* play.

The Carolina Hurricanes - and goaltender Cam Ward - have been a disaster on the road this season, and there's little reason to believe they'll turn it around on Wednesday.

The Hurricanes have two wins in nine road games this season and a big reason for it has been Ward. Ward has given up at least three goals in six straight starts and was pulled in his latest start.

The Canadiens are coming off a loss but overall, they have turned around their season with a good 6-3-1 stretch in their last 10. Their goaltender Carey Price has keyed their turnaround as he has a 2.16 GAA this month after posting a 2.59 GAA in October. Price is 5-2-1 in his last eight starts overall.

The Canadiens took three of four meetings last season and with the Canes struggling, look for them to keep those trends going. Bet the Canadiens. 7* play.

The Detroit Red Wings have been a very streaky team this season and we'll ride the wave as they are hot right now. They won five straight to start the year, then lost six straight, and have now won four straight.

They'll face the St. Louis Blues and these teams have a long history of playing overs and with the Red Wings scoring the way they are right now, it's hard to bet against them. They've tallied 18 goals in their last four games.

St. Louis has played better under head coach Ken Hitchcock but they are still searching for their identity. Brian Elliott has played well for them but he's 0-2-0 with a 3.40 GAA against Detroit for his career.

As for the Red Wings netminder Jimmy Howard, he's won five straight starts against the Blues. Bet the Red Wings. 8* play.

The New York Rangers and New York Islanders enter Tuesday's game at complete opposite ends of the spectrum and we'll look for that to continue.

The Islanders are coming home after a fruitless road trip and they have now loss all six of their road games on the year. This is their first game back after a three-game road trip.

Meanwhile, the Rangers have won six straight. They allow the fewest goals per game in the NHL (2.0) while the Islanders have scored the fewest (29 in 14 games). The Rangers are 8-2 this season against a team with a losing record and have won 26 of the last 40 times they've visited Long Island (with two pushes). Bet the Rangers. 9* play.

The Edmonton Oilers have hit a wall after an impressive start and they'll find themselves in a tough spot on Sunday night.

It's the last game of their six-game road trip and they've lost three of their last four. They've looked a little overmatched in those games - especially the last two against Boston and Detroit.

The Chicago Blackhawks are rolling right now after two straight wins and they have a multitude of weapons that are going to be a handful for Edmonton. For the Oilers, Ryan Smyth and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have combined for 16 goals on the year but the rest of the forwards have 12. If the Blackhawks can shut down the big two, they should be in good shape whereas the Oilers will have far more problems to deal with. Bet the Blackhawks. 7* play.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are streaking and the Carolina Hurricanes are at the opposite end of the spectrum. The Pens are 7-1-1 in their last nine while the Hurricanes have just two wins in their last nine games.

Carolina has shown little signs of life recently as they gave up four third period goals on Friday night to the New York Rangers - two very early in the third period - as they lost their fourth straight. Head coach Paul Maurice isn't exactly sure what to do in net as Cam Ward is struggling with a 5.02 GAA during the losing skid but the defense in front of him hasn't been particularly strong either.

The Pens also played on Friday night but they came away with an impressive win over the Dallas Stars, who are one of the best teams in the West. They have dominated this series against Carolina, winning three of the four meetings last season. The Hurricanes are also 0-3 on back-to-back days this season. Bet the Penguins. 7* play.

The Vancouver Canucks had three days to relax in Los Angeles before their game on Thursday night against the Kings and it looks like it served them well. They picked up the win over the Kings and now play in Anaheim on Friday night.

Almost everything is wrong with the Ducks these days as they have lost nine of their last 10. Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry only picked up his 10th point of the season in the team's latest game and he has just one multi-point game on the season. Only him and Teemu Selanne have more than 10 points for the Ducks.

They've averaged the fewest goals per game in the NHL, scoring just 29 through 15 games. They have just three in their last three games.

The Canucks have been on again and off again through many points of the season but they've spoken quite a bit about their team building time in Los Angeles.

It is a back-to-back situation, but given how sour the mood is in Anaheim these days and the fact that they don't seem to be listening to head coach Randy Carlyle, and the Canucks are worth a play at a very cheap price. 6* play.

We're going to have a value play on the Montreal Canadiens in this spot as the juice is a little too high for a Phoenix Coyotes team that isn't necessarily much better than Montreal.

The Habs have struggled to start the year but they have played well in Phoenix. They've won their last four games there and nine of the last 12 overall (with three ties). They're getting healthy as Andrei Kostitsyn might be back on Thursday while Scott Gomez is expected to return.

For Montreal, playing on the road isn't a bad thing as there is plenty of pressure to perform at home these days. Goaltender Carey Price has a better GAA on the road (2.02) than at home (2.97) this year. He's 4-0-0 with a 1.74 GAA against the Coyotes in his career. Bet the Canadiens. 6* play.

The Florida Panthers are off to one of the best starts in franchise history and we'll look for it to continue.

They are just rolling right now as goaltender Jose Theodore has a 2.16 GAA in his last four games while going 2-0-2. He's 5-1-1 in his last nine outings against Atlanta/Winnipeg.

The other reason for this pick is a bet-against the Jets. They just finished up their seven-game road trip and will be back at home for their first contest. They went 3-2-2 on the trip but lost the last three games. The goaltending for Winnipeg has combined for a 3.33 GAA and an .892 save percentage as well. Bet the Panthers. 8* play.

The Ottawa Senators recently upended the New York Rangers 5-4 in a shootout but the second meeting of the season between these teams should be quite different.

The Rangers have won four straight while the Senators have lost three straight. For the most part, the Rangers have been a better road over the last year or so, and that definitely shows in this series.

The Rangers have won five straight in Ottawa while outscoring the Senators 16-6. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is 6-0-0 with a 1.32 GAA against them in his last six starts there.

The Sens are slumping and Daniel Alfredsson is likely out again on Wednesday. When they beat the Rangers on October 29th, they were playing with plenty of confidence and climbed out of a 4-1 third period hole to win 5-4 in a shootout. The Rangers will tighten things up a big for this contest and they surely won't sleep on the Senators this time around. Bet the Rangers. 10* play.

The Minnesota Wild are on a four-game winning streak and have been playing better hockey than the Calgary Flames in general, so we'll take the value on Tuesday night.

The Wild have absolutely dominated this series as well as they have won three straight and 10 of the last 13 games against them. We'd prefer to see Josh Harding in net for the Wild, who has been outstanding this season, but Niklas Backstrom has played fairly well against Calgary in his career. He's 8-1-1 with a 1.11 GAA in his last 11 starts against Calgary.

Meanwhile, Miikka Kiprusoff has a 2.88 GAA while losing seven of his last 10 against the Wild. Bet the Wild. 6* play.

Josh Harding has provided steady neminding for the Minnesota Wild and that's fueled some confidence for the team. They've won three straight and host the St. Louis Blues on Saturday, who are on a back-to-back situation.

Brian Elliott has played well in net for the Blues but there is a chance we'll see Jaroslav Halak since they are playing on consecutive nights. Halak is 0-1-2 with a 3.42 GAA against the Wild in his career while Elliott was pulled after giving up three goals in just 13 minutes of action in his only start against Minnesota.

The Wild have won four of the last six meetings and given the way they are playing right now, should add to that trend. Bet the Wild. 10* play.

The Vancouver Canucks have their mojo going right now and a feeble Minnesota Wild team shouldn't stand in the way.

The Canucks have won two straight to climb above .500 and the key for them is that their offense is going. They've scored 12 goals in the last two contests and they are really clicking.

They've won four straight against Minnesota while outscoring them 16-5 in those games. They are 14-4-1 in the last 19 meetings between the teams.

We'll see backup Corey Schneider in net for the Canucks tonight but he has also thrived against Minnesota. He's 4-1-0 with a 1.67 GAA. Josh Harding will be in net for Minnesota and he's 0-3-0 against the Canucks with a 5.07 GAA. Bet the Canucks. 8* play.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are rolling right now and even on a back-to-back situation, they are good value play in Columbus on Thursday night.

The Blue Jackets have been an all-out disaster this season with just two wins in 12 games. The finesse system is out and now all of the sudden they are focusing on being aggressive, which won't work against a hard-working team like Toronto.

The Leafs offense is red-hot as Phil Kessel has 20 points this season (10 goals) and Joffrey Lupul is coming off a hat trick performance in New Jersey last night. Fatigue could be a factor, but the Leafs just have so much bounce in their step because of the early season success that they are relishing every outing. They have won three of their last four while scoring 15 goals in those games.

The Leafs are 5-1-2 against Columbus all-time and 2-0-1 at Nationwide Arena. Bet the Leafs. 8* play.

The Philadelphia Flyers bounced the Buffalo Sabres from the playoffs last season and that's going to be fresh in the Sabres memory tonight.

Buffalo has had a couple of lackadaisical efforts after a 5-1-0 start but last season's playoffs will serve as great motivation for tonight.

The Flyers goaltending situation has been in flux as Ilya Bryzgalov has struggled to start the season. He is coming off a good one-goal effort, but he was 0-4-1 with a 4.62 GAA in the five games before that. Bryzgalov struggled against the Sabres even before this current slump as his career record against them is 0-3-0 and he's posted a 4.23 GAA in those games.

The Sabres have a big edge in net with Ryan Miller, who has again been rock solid and has a 2.14 GAA through eight starts.

On top of that, the Flyers will be without a couple of key pieces as defenseman Chris Pronger is still out and forward Daniel Briere will miss tonight's game. Bet the Sabres. 7* play.

It's hard to understand why the St. Louis Blues are favored in this spot when the Edmonton Oilers have been the much better team this season.

The Blues are just 5-5-0 while the Oilers are 6-2-2 and are coming off a win of the previously undefeated Washington Capitals.

Everything is clicking for Edmonton right now as all of their youngster are scoring, but more importantly, they are getting very steady goaltending. Devan Dubnyk is 2-2-0 with a 1.98 GAA while Nikolai Khabibulin is 4-0-2 with a 0.98 GAA. The Oilers have allowed a league-low 14 goals this season.

The Blues come into this game with the league's worst power play while the Oilers have killed off 27 of 28 opportunities. That's going to further making it harder on St. Louis as they won't be able to rely on special teams. With great value in this spot, bet the Oilers on Sunday. 8* play.

The Colorado Avalanche have yet to get a home win this season but they'll have a good shot on Sunday as the Los Angeles Kings visit.

The Kings are finishing up a three-game road trip that was very quick, which might lead to some fatigue. They won 5-3 in Dallas on Thursday night, then flew to Phoenix on Saturday and lost 3-2 in overtime. Now they're on the road in Colorado on Sunday, which could leave them a bit vulnerable before they finally head back home.

Colorado hasn't been bad this season; they've just had some trouble scoring goals at home. With the Kings a bit worn down, it should be a bit easier for them tonight so look for them to finally get their first home win at the Pepsi Center. Bet the Avalanche. 8* play.

The Washington Capitals have unquestionably been the better of the two teams this season and as a road underdog, they are worth a value play.

Vancouver has endured all kinds of turmoil throughout their 4-5-1 start to the season and they have just two wins in their last five. Goaltender Roberto Luongo is heavily criticized again as he has allowed at least three goals in five of his six starts this season. In his last outing, he was benched after giving up three goals on 14 shots.

The Capitals have only lost once this season, which was their latest outing in Edmonton. Overall, they've been solid as a rock and anytime we find them as an underdog, we'll probably have a small bet on them. Bet the Capitals tonight. 7* play.

The Los Angeles Kings will have their red-hot goaltender back between the pipes on Saturday night as they visit the Phoenix Coyotes and the way that Jonathan Quick has played, it's tough to bet against him.

Quick has allowed only eight goals in seven starts this season while going 6-0-1 with three shutouts. That puts his GAA on the season to 1.12.

Generally speaking, the Kings are the better team in this spot as they are 6-2-1 on the season while the Coyotes are just 4-3-2. Surprisingly, the Kings are actually 4-3 in their last seven visits to Phoenix.

With a cheap price and a hot goaltender, bet the Kings. 7* play.

The Detroit Red Wings have dominated the Minnesota Wild over the last few years and considering how the Wild are playing, another win is definitely possible.

The Wild are having problems scoring even with the additions of Devin Setoguchi and Dany Heatley as they average just 25.3 shots and two goals per game.

The Red Wings are 26-8-4 all-time with the Wild and are 6-0-1 in the last seven meetings. Goaltender Jimmy Howard is 7-0-1 with a 1.93 GAA in his last eight versus Minnesota. Bet the Red Wings. 7* play.

The Calgary Flames have already lost once to the St. Louis Blues this season but there's a good chance they win the second meeting: goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.

He didn't play in their first meeting and the Blues were able to abuse backup Henrik Karlsson.

But Kiprusoff has a long, steady track record against the Blues that we'll rely on tonight. He's won 18 of his 22 starts against them and his 1.94 GAA is the best against any one team in the Western Conference.

Last season, the Flames swept the four meetings while outscoring the Blues 14-3. Kiprusoff had a 0.75 GAA in those meetings.

Factoring that in with the cheap price on the home team, we're going to take Calgary. Bet the Flames. 7* play.

With the New Jersey Devils playing well these days, we'll take a value play with them on Thursday night as they visit the Phoenix Coyotes.

While the Devils are on the road, the Coyotes have had miserable home attendance recently with less than 7500 people seeing their last two home games.

Phoenix has had trouble scoring and that could be an issue against Johan Hedberg, who is one of the hottest goalies in the league. Hedberg has a 1.86 GAA and is coming off a shutout win over the Los Angeles Kings. On the season, Hedberg has allowed 11 goals through six games.

Phoenix has lost three of four while scoring just four goals in those losses. We'll look for the Devils to keep them miserable en route to a win. Bet the Devils. 7* play.

The New York Rangers are back home for the first time since playing a seven-game road trip, and fatigue could be a factor. We often talk about betting against teams in their first game home off a road trip and the Rangers were on quite a long one.

They traveled through three countries, six cities and 10 time zones. That's quite a bit.

Overall, they don't look a whole lot better than the Leafs to merit being a big home favorite. The Rangers were in fact a better team on the road than at home last year.

These are two, scrappy blue collar teams that look like mirror images of each other. Without much of a difference between them, take the value with the Leafs. 7* play.

The Montreal Canadiens are struggling, they are battling injuries and they won't get any sympathy from the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Habs have just one win in eight games to start the season and it might not get any better in the near future. These days, playing at home could be a detriment as the fans are getting very nervous.

The list of injuries includes Max Pacioretty, Scott Gomez, Jaroslav Spacek, Chris Campoli and Andrei Markov. The latter three defenseman are the big losses as the play in front of All-Star goaltender Carey Price has been sub par. He's been blitzed for 16 goals in four home games.

The Flyers have a lot of size and strength, and that's typically been a problem for Montreal. Philadelphia is 3-0-0 on the road this season and they'll take advantage of a reeling Habs squad tonight. Bet the Flyers. 10* play.

The St. Louis Blues earned a hard-fought home win on Saturday night and they might be a tad worn down as they face travel to Philadelphia to face the Flyers a night later.

On the season, St. Louis has proven to be a much stronger team at home than on the road as they have won two of three at home by a margin of 8-4 but they have lost three of four on the road by a combined score of 12-4. Their power play is struggling mightily these days as they have just one power play goal on the season on 25 man-advantage opportunities.

The Flyers are coming off an embarrassing 5-2 home loss to the Washington Capitals and they'll want to wipe the slate clean as quickly as possible. They have won six of the last seven times they've hosted the Blues.

Jaroslav Halak has struggled in net for the Blues this season posting a 4.18 GAA. If it's backup Brian Elliott, he's got a career record of 0-2-0 with a 5.86 GAA against the Flyers. Bet the Flyers. 7* play.

The St. Louis Blues are struggling, they are having problems in net and they have key injuries. Those factors will lead us to make a value play with the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night.

The Blues will be without Andy MacDonald, B.J. Crombeen, David Perron and Carlo Colaiacovo on Friday night, which will take a bite out of their lineup.

They haven't played particularly well to start the year, winning just twice in six games, and their special teams have been a wreck. They haven't scored a power play goal in their last 19 opportunities and are just one-for-24 on the year. Their penalty kill has been a wreck as they've allowed a power play goal in each game and have allowed a total of seven in 22 opportunities.

The Hurricanes have won three straight games and have played well lately. As a road underdog in this spot, bet Carolina. 7* play.

The San Jose Sharks have struggled to star the 2011-12 regular season with goal scoring being the highlight. Patrick Marleau and Logan Couture have yet to score while Joe Thornton didn't pick up his first point until the teams last contest.

Now they head to New Jersey to face the Devils, who have had a very positive start to the year. It took them 11 games to get three wins last year but under new head coach Peter DeBoer, they've already won three of their first four.

Star forward Ilya Kovalchuk has been shining with four points so far and he's getting plenty of ice time.

This betting line is based more on reputation opposed to how the teams are actually play, so with the Devils being a home dog we'll take the value. Bet the Devils. 6* play.

The Calgary Flames will host the New York Rangers on Thursday in what should be a grind-it-out type of contest.

Both teams don't play pretty hockey and both need to be scrappy to get their points. But the good news is that the Flames are at home for this game - and they definitely play better there - and the Rangers are once again on the road.

New York is coming off a win in Vancouver and they continue their season-opening road trip after starting in Europe, then coming over to Western Canada. By the end of it, they'll have played through 10 different time zones and that might catch up with them.

Getting back to .500 was important for the Flames and something they talked about last week before blowing that chance in Toronto. With a second opportunity to do it, they won't be as sluggish.

These teams don't square off a whole lot but the Flames have won five of the last seven as the host. Bet the Flames. 9* play.

The New York Rangers are an overrated team in our eyes and they've shown exactly as much through three games so far this season. They won't be an easy team to face on a nightly basis but overall, they are a few bricks short of a load.

They've lost all three games so far this season and have been forced out on the road plenty as Madison Square Garden is being renovated. After playing two games in Europe, they visited Long Island and took a loss on Saturday.

The Rangers have been one of the most undisciplined teams as they've averaged a whopping 20:40 penalty minutes per game.

That won't bode well against the Vancouver Canucks power play, especially with the Rangers on the road.

The Canucks should get a boost with the return of center Ryan Kesler tonight and that's going to expose their depth and the Rangers lack of it.

Not only might the Rangers be worn down, it's not as if they played well against the Canucks anyways. Vancouver has won nine of the last 11 meetings.

Henrik Lundqvist is 0-3-0 with a 4.59 GAA against the Canucks in his career. Roberto Luongo is 2-0-0 with a 1.50 GAA against the Rangers. Bet the Canucks. 10* play.

We'll be tempted by the value here with the Colorado Avalanche even though there is the red-flag of a road game.

For the Avs, this is their fifth straight road game and the final one of their trip. Later in the year, it will be a bigger concern but it's still early in the year so fatigue may not be as much of a factor.

The Avs have won four straight and have been talking about how excited they are to play their next game. This is a team that lost 38 of their final 49 games last season, but with good goaltending, they've been very confident.

They are clicking on offense, scoring 17 goals in their last four games.

Toronto has also looked good to start the year, going 3-0 with all three wins coming at home. But it's worth noting that their three wins have come against teams (Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary) that have a combined record of 3-9-1. As an underdog, bet the Avs in this spot. 6* play.

It's definitely a little more than we'd like to lay in this situation on the San Jose Sharks but after getting shutout on Friday night, there's a good chance they bounce back on Saturday.

The Sharks have been one of the best rebounding teams in the NHL over the last few years, going 19-11 in the last three years after scoring one goal or less in their previous game. They are also 117-78 playing back-to-back days over the last 15 years.

The Blues are going to be a shorthanded on Saturday as Andy McDonald is out, which adds to a quickly-growing list of injuries that includes David Perron, B.J. Crombeen and Carlo Colaiacovo.

We could see Antti Niemi back in net for the Sharks and he was 2-1-0 with a 2.35 GAA against the Blues last season. If it's Thomas Greiss, he picked up a 4-2 road win against the Blues last season in his only start against them.

Meanwhile, Jaroslav Halak is 0-2-0 with a 5.23 GAA in his last three against the Sharks.

The Sharks have won 20 of the last 26 in this series. Bet the Sharks. 8* play.

The Colorado Avalanche are on the road for their fourth straight game but that may not matter given their current mood. They've been really confident to start the season and the reason for it has been steady goaltending.

After losing their season opener to the Detroit Red Wings, the Avs have gone on the road to shutout the Boston Bruins 1-0, handled the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2, then smoked the Ottawa Senators 7-1.

It's a bit of a rough stretch for them to be on the road again but it's early in the season, so it may not be as much of a factor.

They're catching the Habs at the right time as they haven't played well in their last two games are pressing too much with injuries mounting. Mike Cammalleri is out and their blue line has been hit hard as Jaroslav Spacek and Chris Campoli will miss tonight's game, which is on top of Andrei Markov being sidelined as he has yet to play this season.

Carey Price is 0-2-0 with a 3.05 GAA against Colorado for his career while Semyon Varlamov is 3-0-1 with a 1.45 GAA against the Habs. Bet the Avalanache. 6* play.

As a home underdog, we are going to take a shot with the New York Islanders to take care of their biggest rivals tonight.

The New York Rangers have had a week off in between games after playing in Europe last week and you have to wonder if there is some rust, as the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks displayed on Friday night.

The Rangers may not be that good of a team overall as they have some top-end talent in Brad Richards, Marian Gaborik and Henrik Lundqvist, but they really don't have much depth anywhere.

The Islanders are feeling great about themselves after rolling the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1 and while they lost four of six in this series last season, their two wins came at home. Lundqvist gave up nine goals in his two starts on Long Island while losing both.

The Isles have been steady defensively this year and goaltender Al Montoya has played well. With their confidence up, bet the Islanders as a home dog on Saturday. 6* play.

The Montreal Canadiens might be a little shorthanded tonight with Mike Cammalleri and Jaroslav Spacek out, but they're still a much better team than the Calgary Flames.

The Flames have yet to get a win this season with losses to Pittsburgh and Calgary. In each game, they gave up five goals and that will lead to another loss if they do it again tonight.

Overall, the bigger problem for the Flames is scoring as they really don't have that depth that Montreal offers. While the Flames have the best player on the ice - Jarome Iginla - it's still fair to question how healthy he is as back spasms kept him out of the preseason and he's had just two shots on goal through two games.

The Habs have their home opener tonight and that should make a difference for goaltender Carey Price, who played much better at home than on the road last season. The Canadiens have won five of the last six meetings at home in this series. Bet the Habs. 8* play.

The New York Islanders are hungry for some respect and they'll likely earn some as the season continues, but right now there's little reason to buy into them - especially when they are such a small underdog.

So far this season, they were shutout at home by the Florida Panthers (2-0) and they hung on to beat the Minnesota Wild (2-1) at home.

This won't be an easy contest for the Tampa Bay Lightning, who are in the midst of a five-game road trip to start the season as their home stadium (St. Pete Times Forum) is being renovated. They beat Carolina to start, then loss to the Cup champs Boston on Saturday night, and then lost in a shootout to Washington on Monday. They've had a couple of days off to refresh and get back on track.

We're not sure of the goalies in this meeting quite yet but it looks like it will be Al Montoya for the Islanders and either Dwayne Roloson or Mathieu Garon for the Lightning. If it's Roloson, he'll be looking for a bounce-back effort and he should be focused against the Islanders, the team that didn't want him last year and let him go to Tampa Bay. He proved he's got plenty left in the tank and he'll want to show up his former team. If not, Garon is 3-0-1 with a 1.81 GAA in his career against Long Island. Bet the Lightning. 8* play.

On paper, the Pittsburgh Penguins are the better team because of quality and depth, and we'll look for that to translate on the ice as they're on the board with a cheap price tag.

The Penguins have played well to start the season, winning five of season preseason games and then storming into to Vancouver and winning on opening night. Rogers Arena is typically a tough place to play and the Pens got the job done, and they'll have some momentum coming into this contest.

For the Flames, this is their opener and we'll see if playing a game helps out the Pens. They're on the road for the second time in three nights, but it's early in the season so that won't be as much of a concern. They've won four straight overall in this series and three of their last four in Calgary.

Bet the Pens to keep it rolling with their second win of the season. 8* play.

We're going to look at some value offered with the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night as the NHL season gets underway.

There's a couple of reasons for it. For starters, Montreal was (last year) and will be (this year) a better team than Toronto in the Eastern Conference. Secondly - and possibly more importantly for the early part of the 2011-12 season - the Habs have carried over a lot of roster consistency from last year whereas the Leafs have made changes and may need to feel their way out through the early part of the season.

The two teams split the six games they played last year but one key is that the Habs won three of four starts when Carey Price played, posting a GAA of 1.01 and two shutouts. As a road dog, we'll take the value on a small play. 6* play.

The Vancouver Canucks get a bit of a boost with an extra day off in between Games 5 and 6. This time, as the Stanley Cup finals shifts back to Boston, not many people are expecting the Canucks to get the job done on the road but an extra day off might just be what the Canucks need.

They are 13-6 this season, and 121-77 since 1995, when playing on two day's rest. They were even better on three or more days rest this season, which shows that their coaching staff knows how to adjust and coach the team up when there is more time to prepare.

The rest should be particularly beneficial to the Canucks not only because it breaks the momentum of a series heading back to the venue when Vancouver really struggled, but it also gives them a chance to refresh before the biggest game in the history in the 40 years of the franchise. Players like the Daniel and Henrik Sedin, who are rumored to be more injured than they are letting on, or players like Ryan Kesler, who might be playing through a groin strain, will benefit significantly from the extra day off. So will the Canucks defensive pairings, which have been remade on the fly throughout the series.

The scary part for Boston is that Vancouver has yet to play their best game. To date, Tim Thomas has outplayed Roberto Luongo, the Bruins power play has been better than the Canucks power play (which hasn't provided anything) and the Sedins and Kesler have been non-factors. If any of those things break in the Canucks favor in Game 6, this series will be over. With an extra day off, expect a couple of those things to go their way and the Canucks to seal the deal. 8* play.

Based on sheer value, the Boston Bruins have to be the play in Game 5.

Right now, all of the momentum is on their side after winning Games 3 and 4 at home. They have gotten into the head of Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo and at the same time, their goaltender, Tim Thomas, has stifled the Vancouver Canucks.

The bottom line for this contest is that it's a coin flip, yet there is a huge amount of juice to lay with the Canucks. With the amount of value offered up on Boston, who was statistically a better road team than home team in the regular season, they are the play. They came close in Games 1 and 2, and with momentum on their side, they can pull this one out. 6* play.

For the Boston Bruins, Game 3 is quite literally, do or die. The numbers are so vehemently against their favor when they fall into an 0-2 hole in a series (just one win in last 28 times that's happened - and that one win came this year against Montreal) and an 0-3 is basically a nail in the coffin.

With that in mind, expect Game 3 to be their best punch. The Bruins are likely a bit nervous, but aren't panicking too much because they have yet to lose on home ice in this series. Their two losses came on the road, so everything is still on serve.

The Bruins offense has been pathetic to start the series but a return home might be just what the doctor ordered. Truth be told, Boston has yet to put forth their best effort in the series and we haven't seen much from guys like Patrice Bergeron, Tyler Seguin and Nathan Horton. The home crowd might inspire them some.

The bottom line is this should be Boston's best effort. They haven't been far off in the previous games but with a bit more intensity and the home ice advantage, they should get on the board here. 8* play.

The Vancouver Canucks may have dropped Game 3 in this series, but they should still feel pretty good about themselves.

They coughed up 10 power plays to the San Jose Sharks in Game 3, which is a large part in why the Sharks were able to win the game. Three of their four goals scored came on the power play. As a matter of fact, if the Canucks can stay out of the penalty box, they'll have a good chance to win because six of the Sharks nine goals in this series have come on the power play.

Even with 10 power play opportunities in Game 3, the Sharks barely hung on to win 4-3. As they have all playoffs long, they failed to play well with a lead and put games away.

Vancouver is the better team here and if they stay out of the box, they'll get the win. 6* play.

The San Jose Sharks are going to give their best effort on Friday night but if we've learned anything about the Canucks this year it's that when they get rolling they are tough to beat.

The Sharks will play hard on Friday but they still have no answers for the Canucks. All four of their lines are clicking right now - including the Sedin Twins - and the Sharks simply don't have the speed on defense to match. The Sharks are more of a physical team up front and the Canucks have big, strong defensemen to match.

That puts a big burden on Sharks netminder Antti Niemi, who has not been up to the task. The Canucks have won five of the six meetings this season with the only loss coming in overtime. The Sharks have all sorts of mental hurdles to overcome and have now lost eight straight Western Conference finals games.

The Canucks will win one of the next two games in San Jose and really put the screws to the Sharks, so them being an underdog in Game 3 and likely Game 4, we'll bet it in Game 3 and come back to it in Game 4 if it doesn't cash. The way San Jose is playing right now, it might cash in both games. Bet the Canucks. 6* play.

The general consensus seems to be that the Boston Bruins will bounce back in Game 2 but the reality could be very different.

They can't seem to solve Tampa Bay's 1-3-1 alignment, which clogs the neutral zone, and they don't have an answer for the Lightning speed in transition.

The Lightning are very similar to the Montreal Canadiens both with their power play and penalty kill, and we've already seen how much of a problem that is for Boston in Round One.

That's even more emphasized without Patrice Bergeron in the lineup for Boston, who is not only one of their best offensive weapons (and crucial to the power play) but he's also a great faceoff center and a key to their penalty kill. The Bruins power play has been atrocious all postseason long and they are having trouble accomplishing anything five-on-five. Bet the Lightning. 7* play.

While the media is playing it up that all the pressure is on the San Jose Sharks, the reality is that they have outplayed the Detroit Red Wings in every game throughout this series - including their two losses.

The difference in the last two games has been that - just as in Round One - when the Sharks played flat, the Red Wings took advantage.

The Sharks were in the same position in Round One, when they blew a chance to close out the Los Angeles Kings on the road but followed up with a strong road effort to seal the deal. This game should be closer to a PICK and with good value, bet the Sharks. 6* play.

At a higher price, it didn't offer a whole lot of value betting the Boston Bruins but as it has come down throughout the morning, there is a decent enough price to play that at.

While the Philadelphia Flyers will be desperate to avoid elimination in Game 4, the simple facts remain the same. A couple of their best players are not healthy and the edge in net has been far too significant for Boston.

Often time, goaltending provides - or removes - confidence from a team. That is exactly the case in this series as Boston has been fueled by big saves from Tim Thomas while the Flyers have looked deflated each time they let in a goal.

Last year, the Flyers climbed out a 3-0 hole and shocked the Bruins by winning four straight. The Bruins will be far more conscious of that this year and they'll put an extra-focused effort tonight. Bet the Bruins. 7* play.

History has a tendency of repeating itself.

In the second round of the playoffs last year, the San Jose Sharks won Games 1 & 2 against the Detroit Red Wings by exactly one goal. In Game 3 of the series, the Sharks went to Detroit, came from behind to tie the game in the third period and win it in overtime.

The exact same pattern has played out in this year's series and we'll look for the patterns to continue.

The Red Wings are too good of a team to get swept at home on their own ice. They have played better incrementally game-by-game and Friday's effort should be their best yet.

The urgency won't be as strong with the Sharks as they know they are in the driver's seat. Detroit will bring their best performance yet and live one more day. Bet the Red Wings. 10* play.

It's tough to have any faith in the Washington Capitals right now as they probably have little faith in themselves.

Looking back to the first round of the playoffs, they had a tough time erasing the eighth-seeded New York Rangers and now they simply haven't matched up well against Tampa Bay. While all three games have been close, the Lightning's offensive units have been able to dictate and do a little bit more damage.

In net, goaltender Dwayne Roloson has outplayed Michal Neuvirth.

The bottom line is the pressure is squarely on the Capitals and head coach Bruce Boudreau and it simply feels like too big of a hole for them to dig out of. If Tampa Bay gets an early goal in this game, they should be able to complete the sweep and advance to the next round.

The fact that this game is a back-to-back situation doesn't really help Washington, who needs to regroup and break Tampa Bay's momentum. Bet the Lightning. 6* play.

The Philadelphia Flyers goaltending has clearly been a problem for them all playoffs long and it doesn't look like there is a solution. In Game 1 against Boston, the Flyers gave up seven goals and were never really in the game.

Without any answers, not much should change for Game 2. The Bruins are going to continue to be relentless and they are just going to keep throwing pucks at the net. With a Vezina Trophy winner in their own net, they are confident that they can beat Philadelphia any time, any place.

The scary though here is that Boston scored seven goals in Game 1 and still went 0-for-5 on the power play. The scoreline could have been worse. As a road underdog for Game 2, bet the Bruins. 6* play.

The Detroit Red Wings were rusty, they weren't very physical and they were completely outplayed in Game 1.

Even so, the general feel is that they blew Game 1 as the San Jose Sharks came from behind to steal it.

The Red Wings are going to come out with far more intensity in Game 2 and this contest should be far more wide open.

It's hard to see this team going down 0-2 and having to climb out of a big hole to come back. Bet the Red Wings. 8* play.

The Boston Bruins have been a better road team than home team all season long, and it was once again evident in the first round of the playoffs. Getting them as an underdog on the road in Game 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers is great value.

The Bruins were 2-2 at home in Round 1 and were 2-1 on the road. In Philadelphia, they have won six of their last nine games there and 19 of their last 31.

The key to this series will be Philadelphia's goaltending and their offense. As per usual, their offense has to had the feeble goaltending but Boston's trade deadline acquisition of Tomas Kaberle may end up being a key to this series to help neutralize the Flyers offense.

The Flyers were a wildly inconsistent team in the first round and Boston just needs a solid defensive effort, and to throw a few pucks at the Flyers net and they can come away with a win in Game 1. 7* play.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals play in the same division, so they have squared off many times and are very familiar with each other.

Even though Washington is rested and Tampa Bay's first round series extended to seven games, there is little reason to lay this much juice with Washington.

While the Capitals are the top team in the conference, there really isn't a big difference between them and Tampa Bay. Given how goaltender Dwayne Roloson played in the first round, the Lightning will have plenty of confidence heading into this series. With such great value, bet the Lightning. 6* play.

Road teams have won four of the five games in this series and following the history, road games haven't really be a concern in this series. The Bruins are 7-6 in their last 13 trips to Montreal. On the season, Boston had more road wins than home wins.

There has been two days off since the last contest and the Bruins are 7-2 on two days rest this season.

The Habs are a bit banged up and could be without James Wisniewski and David Desharnais. Wisniewski could be the bigger loss as the Habs are already thinned out on the blue line while Desharnais has provided a good offensive spark.

In a series where the margins have been razor thin, that could be enough. Bet the Bruins. 9* play.

While the fans and media have already hit the panic button for the Vancouver Canucks, there's nothing to panic about just yet. Yes, they have lost two ugly games to the Chicago Blackhawks - blown out in both - but they are still the better team. If they plan smart and steady, they should be in line for the series win.

The good news is that there has been two days off since the last contest and that should be enough to break the momentum in this series and give the Canucks an opportunity to rebound.

On the season, the Blackhawks are just 11-12 when playing on two days rest while the Canucks are 10-5.

The last two games have been uncharacteristically bad for Vancouver as they have given up soft goals, power plays galore, breakaways and put no pressure on Chicago. With an extra day to regroup, we'll see a version of the Canucks closer to the ones that won the first three games. Bet the Canucks. 7* play.

The Philadelphia Flyers are coming off a tough loss in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals and it could be a crucial one. They've now lost home-ice advantage twice in the series and the Buffalo Sabres are going to take advantage this time.

The Flyers have struggled on defense without the services of Chris Pronger and he's out for the series along with forward Jeff Carter. There was some hope that he'd return and give the team a boost but that was dashed prior to Game 5.

The Flyers have an issue in net as well. They started the series with Sergio Bobrovsky, then Brian Boucher took over and in Game 5, he was benched for Michael Leighton. So who's in net for them now?

Meanwhile, Ryan Miller has been phenomenal for Buffalo and should carry them home.

The Sabres have gotten under the skin of Philadelphia and they haven't been sure how to handle it. Buffalo has been a little more physical with them and at times, Philadelphia has become undisciplined with their responses. With a short line on Sunday, bet the Sabres to win and move on to the next round. 7* play.

The Phoenix Coyotes have been brutal in their Eastern Conference quarterfinals with the Detroit Red Wings and Wednesday's Game 4 should be their last.

They simply have no answers.

At first, their special teams were brutal. Now their five-on-five play sucks. And through it all, goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov has been unreliable.

Since scoring the opening goal of the series, the Coyotes have yet to score in a five-on-five situation again. The Red Wings deep group of forwards has blitzed the Coyotes blue line, which has been short-staffed without Derek Morris. Bryzgalov has no given 47 goals in his last 14 games against Detroit.

Both teams play better on the road than at home and combined with the fact that NHL is again rumored to be moving the Coyotes franchise out of Phoenix - at the worst possible time - the Coyotes won't have much of a home-ice advantage.

Detroit is a veteran team that knows the opportunity at hand and values the potential playoff rest. They'll put the Coyotes to bed tonight. 9* play.

The Anaheim Ducks have been weakened by bad goaltending in their series with the Nashville Predators and it won't get any better on Wednesday. On top of that, they'll be without forward Bobby Ryan for a second straight game and that's going to catch up with them again.

Ray Emery had a decent effort in Game 2 but was sub par in Game 3. He's allowed seven goals in his two outings and isn't getting much help from his blue line either.

The key to this series was the Predators scoring and the Ducks goaltending. With the Preds finding goals rather easily and the Ducks struggling to receive quality goaltending, the Predators should eventually put this away.

In Game 4, the Ducks are without All-Star Bobby Ryan for the second game of his suspension and the loss will be felt once again. The Preds are 5-2 in the last seven home meetings between the teams and that should extend on Wednesday. Bet the Predators. 7* play.

The San Jose Sharks were undisciplined in Game 2 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series with the Los Angeles Kings, which is why they took the loss. They should bounce back on Tuesday.

The Sharks are 9-2 on the year when revenging a home loss to an opponent and 11-5 a loss by two goals or more.

They were whipped on special teams as the Kings typically sluggish power play scored twice in the first period to basically seal the deal early on. Meanwhile, the Sharks typically strong power play went 0-for-5.

The Sharks were a good road team all season long and if they stay out of the penalty box, they should be able to steal back home-ice advantage. 8* play.

The Detroit Red Wings have dominated their series with the Phoenix Coyotes so far and there is little reason to believe things will be different.

The Red Wings had 26 road wins this season, which is second most in the NHL and both of these teams - and goalies - played better on the road this year, which could end up hurting the Coyotes in this matchup.

There's also the issue that the Coyotes are still a couple thousand tickets short of having a sellout at home, so they won't even have a full crowd supporting them.

The Red Wings have a slew of offensive weapons and the Coyotes simply don't have the defenseman to match. Keith Yandle, the Coyotes top man, hasn't been reliable without his pair Derek Morris, who has missed two straight games and is day-to-day with an upper body injury. Ed Jovanovksi might also miss the contest, which further just piles on for the Coyotes.

The Coyotes will be fired up but they have too many flaws right now. Bet the Red Wings to take a 3-0 chokehold. 7* play.

The Boston Bruins have dug themselves a hole going down 0-2 in the series against the Montreal Canadiens but the reality is that Boston was actually a better road team than home team this season.

The Bruins were 24-12-5 on the road this year versus 22-13-6 at home.

This is really do-or-die for the Bruins in this series and we're not going to overvalue home-ice advantage. The Bruins were favored by too much (on the moneylines at home) but at a PICK, they are worth a shot as the urgency is there for them and these are two virtually equal teams. Bet the Bruins. 7* play.

While the Chicago Blackhawks will definitely give their best effort against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday in Game 3, it might not be enough. Chicago has been just a step behind in Games 1 and 2, and with the pressure mounting on them and easing on Vancouver (since they have a 2-0 series lead), the Blackhawks might not be up to the task.

While they are the defending Stanley Cup champs, they have played a lot of hockey over the last two seasons and might just be wearing down. The Canucks have been extremely physical with them in the first two games and the Blackhawks have not been able to match them.

The Canucks won more road games than any other team in the NHL this season and they are 16-5 in their last 21 road games with a total of five. Bet the Canucks as a dog. 7* play.

The Nashville Predators will catch a big break in Game 3 (and Game 4) as the Anaheim Ducks will be without star forward Bobby Ryan, who is suspended for two games.

The Ducks rely on their top-line for scoring while the Predators prefer to play low-scoring, defensive affairs, so this will be a huge boost for Nashville.

The Preds have scored seven goals in two games against the Ducks. The Ducks goaltenders have been average at best. With home-ice advantage, the better goal in net and the Ducks lacking one of their best weapons, bet the Predators. 8* play.

Writeup coming shortly. 9* play.

In a coin flip series, we'll take the value with the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night.

The Preds are a dangerous team because they have a hot goalie and they have been playing playoff hockey for a good month now.

They have won nine of 12 heading into the playoffs and Pekka Rinne was stellar in March, going 9-3-2 with a 1.91 GAA. Against the Ducks this season, Rinne is 3-0-0 with a 2.21 GAA.

The Ducks are hot too but they have some issues in net. Jonas Hiller and Ray Emery are doubtful for Game 1, which leaves the duties to Dan Ellis. The Predators have a big edge in net in that case. Bet Nashville. 7* play.

The Vancouver Canucks have several advantages on the ice in this matchup - in net, with momentum, in talent - but the real reason for this bet is because this is a statement game for them.

The Chicago Blackhawks are the defending Stanley Cup champs and they have ousted the Canucks in each of the last two postseasons. For Vancouver, this will give them a chance to exorcise their demons and to send a clear statement to the rest of the NHL that they are for real.

At home, with the better goaltender and more momentum, bet the Canucks to prove their point. 9* play.

The Phoenix Coyotes offer great value on Wednesday night as they head to Joe Louis Arena to play Game 1 of their series against the Detroit Red Wings.

These two teams squared off in the first round of the playoffs last year and the Coyotes ended up winning twice at Joe Louis in that series. Furthermore, the Red Wins have struggled at home since December, winning just 10 times in 23 outings in front of their home crowd.

Detroit will also be without leading scorer Henrik Zetterberg for at least Game 1 and that should be a big key.

While most people perceive this series to be a mismatch, the truth is that the Coyotes were only five points worse than the Red Wings this season and they surely won't be intimidated. Take the value. 7* play.

The Dallas Stars got life on Sunday when the Chicago Blackhawks lost in the early afternoon and gave allowed them a window of opportunity to make the playoffs.

If the Stars win this contest, they will qualify for the playoffs and push the Blackhawks out of the eighth and final playoff spot.

The Stars are playing well right now as they have won four straight. They have also won six straight in their series against Minnesota.

Meanwhile, the Wild have just three wins in their last 14 games with two of those coming against Edmonton and one against St. Louis.

The Stars have more on the line and are the significantly better team right now. Bet them on Sunday. 10* play.

The Atlanta Thrashers earned a surprising win on Thursday (in the eyes of some) as they managed to upset the New York Rangers 3-0 at Madison Square Garden. The result really helped the Carolina Hurricanes as they now control their own destiny as far as the 2011 NHL playoffs go.

The Thrashers have been a horrible team of late but what was overlooked in their win on Thursday is that they have a great track record against the Rangers. For whatever reason, they have their number going 13-3-3 in the last 18 meetings.

Carolina has had much more success as they have won six of their last eight home meetings with the Thrashers. The Thrashers are just 3-11 this season when playing on back-to-back nights. Bet the Hurricanes. 10* play.

The Nashville Predators will have a chance to clinch a playoff spot and they should be able to against an Atlanta Thrashers team that has thrown in the towel.

The Thrashers have just 14 wins in their last 43 games and a large reason for that is the struggles of goaltender Ondreij Pavelec. Pavelec has just five wins in his last 23 starts while posting a GAA of 3.27 in his last 25 outings.

The Predators should have a huge edge in net where goaltender Pekka Rinne is 8-2-1 with a 2.17 GAA in his last 11 starts.

The Predators have won seven of their last nine and are clearly the better team in this matchup. Bet Nashville. 9* play.

The Colorado Avalanche are coming off a win in their latest outing but that was just their fifth in 31 contests. They have been in a serious nose-dive and they have not even been competitive recently.

The Calgary Flames are fighting for their playoff lives and could very well be eliminated with a loss. But they have won two of three and both of those wins were inspirational come-from-behind wins, so the Flames should have some pep in their step.

The Flames have won 12 straight against teams with a losing record, which means a win on Sunday against a slumping Avs team is right up their alley. The Flames have won four straight over Colorado while outscoring them 21-7.

There shouldn't be much of a home-ice advantage as the Avs have lost 12 of 14 at home. Bet the Flames. 9* play.

The Anaheim Ducks can clinch a playoff spot on Sunday and can simultaneously put the Dallas Stars out of their misery.

The Stars have just one win in their last nine games and are going up against a Ducks team that has 12 wins in their last 16.

The Ducks have scored at least four goals in each of the four meetings with the Stars this season. Meanwhile, the Stars have had a tough time scoring recently as they have just four goals in their last four games. The Ducks are 10-2 in their last 12 against teams with a losing record. Bet them to win and clinch a playoff berth on Sunday. 8* play.

It's just really tough to go to the window - or click away - and bet the Montreal Canadiens right now. They are in a big slump overall, but what's caused the slump has been poor offense and weak goaltending.

Overall, they have lost four of five and they have scored just five goals (one empty netter) in those five games. They simply can't buy a goal right now. Meanwhile, goaltender Carey Price has been anything but reliable of late as he is 1-5-0 in his last six starts with a GAA of 3.86. He has been pulled in each of his last three road starts.

On top of that, Montreal has a horrible history in New Jersey. They have just four wins in their last 33 games there and given their scoring woes, those numbers aren't likely to improve against a solid defensive team. Bet the Devils. 7* play.

There are few good reasons to be the Colorado Avalanche these days and even fewer when they are facing a playoff team.

The Avs have won just one of their last 10 home games and have just three wins in their last 26 games overall. Meanwhile, the Predators have won eight of their last 10 and they generally play pretty well against Colorado.

Preds goaltender Pekka Rinne is 7-2-0 in his last nine starts against Colorado while posting a 2.01 GAA against them in the three meetings this season. The Preds have won all three of those games while scoring at least four goals in each of those games. Overall, they have won seven of the last 11 against Colorado.

The Avs are just mailing in their efforts nowadays while the Predators need this game. Bet Nashville. 9* play.

The New York Rangers suffered a tough loss on Wednesday night but they have a good shot to rebound on Thursday.

The New York Islanders have just two wins in their last eight games and as they have been all season long, they are again battered by injuries.

The Rangers have had some trouble scoring recently, notching just two goals in their last four, but they haven't had any such problems against the Islanders this season. They have notched 25 goals in five games while winning four of them. Overall, they have won six of eight on Long Island and 12 of the last 17 in this series overall.

Both of the Rangers goaltenders have excellent track records against the Islanders and the big key to this game is that the Rangers simply need it more. They are just three points up on the Carolina Hurricanes for the final playoff spot while the Islanders have nothing to play for. Bet the Rangers. 9* play.

The Edmonton Oilers were already one of the worst teams in the NHL and now they are mired in one of their worst slumps of the season.

The Oilers have lost nine straight and even though they scored four goals in their latest outing, have still scored just 11 goals in their last nine games combined.

The Los Angeles Kings are hot right now as they have won seven of their last nine games and are in the thick of a playoff race right now. They need this game and that will ensure that they come with a focused effort.

While the Kings will be without leading scorer Anze Kopitar for this game, the Oilers are missing several of their leading scorers for this contest. Because of the juice, this is a small play but nonetheless, bet the Kings. 6* play.

Save for the three matchups this season, the Buffalo Sabres have been dominating the Toronto Maple Leafs for quite some time.

Goaltender Ryan Miller has 24 wins in 34 games against Toronto - including four shutouts - and he should be a key reason why they win on Tuesday. Miller was the NHL's first star of the week as he has registered two shutouts and three wins in his last three starts.

The Sabres are simply the better team right now and they have more on the line. They have won 11 of their last 17 games including a 4-0-1 stretch in their last five.

The Maples Leafs are back home after a three-game road trip and they are 0-4 on the season when playing three or more consecutive road contests. They are also 12-20 when at home with a total of 5.5. Bet the Sabres. 7* play.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have been awful lately and there is little reason to believe they will turn it around on Sunday when the best team in the NHL visits.

The Blue Jackets have lost 12 of their last 14 games and will now face a Canucks team that has won nine of their last 10 games.

The Canucks have a milestone they can hit on Sunday as they will be aiming for their 50th win of the season.

Blue Jackets top netminder, Steve Mason, has one win in his last nine starts with a 3.28 GAA. He' struggling and if the Canucks get to face backup Mathieu Garon, they've blitzed him for nine goals in two meetings this season. Bet the Canucks. 9* play.

The Edmonton Oilers are once again in a big slump as they have lost eight straight. The problem for them these days is that they can't even score goals. They have just seven goals in their last eight losses and they have scored more than one goal just once in that span.

The Calgary Flames are fighting for a playoff spot and they are only two points out. They simply can't afford to flop in situations like this if they want any realistic shot of making the postseason.

Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff is 8-1-0 in his last nine starts against the Oilers. If the Flames have any pride whatsoever, they are going to roll over the Oilers rather easily. 9* play.

The Ottawa Senators have been scrappy lately but the Washington Capitals are of a different caliber.

The Capitals have won 10 of their last 11 games and with one more win, can tie the Philadelphia Flyers atop the Eastern Conference. It's a big boost of confidence for the Capitals if they can achieve that as they have been through some trying times this season transforming into the defensive mold but now they are playing with plenty momentum.

The Sens played last night in New York and the game went to a shootout, no less. It will be their third contest in four nights whereas the Capitals come in on two days rest.

Washington feasts on teams with a losing record as they have won 11 of their last 12 against teams below .500 and are 23-9 against them overall this season. Bet the Capitals. 8* play.

Following a 1-2-2 stretch, the San Jose Sharks are back in the winning column, winning four straight and cruising towards the playoffs.

During that four-game win streak, the Sharks have scored 20 goals and are clicking at the offensive end right now. The same can't be said for the Los Angeles Kings, who have scored just 20 goals in their last 10 games.

The Kings could be in even more trouble on Thursday as they will be without forward Justin Williams, who is their leading scorer. He was recently lost for the season with a dislocated shoulder.

The Sharks have won 12 of their last 17 against teams with a winning record and are 3-1 on the road this season with a total of 5 or less. They have also won five of their last eight trips to the STAPLES Center. As an underdog on the moneyline, bet the Sharks. 6* play.

The Vancouver Canucks usually struggle at Joe Louis Arena but with the Detroit Red Wings being beat up right now, the Canucks should be able to take advantage.

The Red Wings could be without Pavel Datsyuk and Johan Franzen, who both missed the team's most recent contest on Monday, while Todd Bertuzzi and Jiri Hudler are more likely to be out as well.

While Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard is 2-1-0 against Vancouver this season, he has posted a GAA of 3.57 in those three contests.

Detroit has not been a reliable home team recently as they have just one win in their last five at home. The Red Wings have won just 19 of 35 home games this season. Bet the Canucks. 8* play.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming off of a rough outing on Sunday and now they have a quick turnaround to face the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.

Although both teams will play in the playoffs this year, the Red Wings have more urgency for this win as they are trying to fend off the San Jose Sharks, who are chasing them for the No. 2 seed in the conference, and the Chicago Blackhawks, who are chasing them for the division lead.

The Red Wings are coming off a 3-1 loss on Saturday night and they tend to be a strong bounce-back team. They are 9-4 after scoring one goal or less in their last contest and 10-4 when losing by two or more. The Red Wings are 11-4 in non-conference games as well.

The Pens could be without pesky forward Matt Cooke, who will likely be suspended for the contest after yet another dirty hit on Sunday. Bet the Red Wings. 8* play.

The Phoenix Coyotes have won five straight and have climbed into the fourth seeding in the Western Conference standings. Even so, they find themselves as a home underdog to the struggling Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks are coming off their worst out of the season, which was a 5-0 loss to the Dallas Stars on Thursday. Starting goaltender Corey Crawford was pulled for the second time in five games after allowing three goals on 10 shots and he's given up at least three goals in six straight outings.

The Coyotes should have a big edge in net as Ilya Bryzgalov has won his last four starts while posting a GAA of 1.50.

Blackhawks are 1-4 in their last 5 overall. Blackhawks are 0-4 in their last 4 road games. Coyotes are 4-0 in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a losing road record. Coyotes are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.

The Coyotes offer good value on the betting line in this case and with momentum on goaltending on their side, they are the play. Bet the Coyotes. 7* play.

The New York Rangers have won four of five overall, but they still don't deserve to be laying this much juice at home.

The Rangers are a very mediocre team at home as they are just 16-16-3 at Madison Square Garden this season. Even after winning two straight at home, those are the only two wins they have in their last six in their own confines.

The Habs fare pretty well in this series as they have won five straight over the Rangers and eight of the last 11 overall. In the three wins this season, the Rangers have mustered just three goals.

Habs All-Star goalie Carey Price is playing very well on the road right now as he is 5-1-0 with a 1.33 GAA in his last six away.

This is great value for the Habs considering they are the better team and the Rangers don't have a dominant home-ice advantage. Bet the Canadiens in this contest. 6* play.

The New Jersey Devils have a cheap price tag on Friday night, which means we'll tail them once again.

The Devils are coming off of a loss but that was just their third regulation loss in their last 25 games. Meanwhile, the Thrashers have been the complete opposite and while they have won two straight, those are their only two wins in their last 13 games.

Examining those two wins, the Thrashers defeated the equally-inept Florida Panthers in overtime and then blew a 2-0 lead against the Carolina Hurricanes only to come back in win in overtime as well. They aren't exactly dominating Stanley Cup contenders.

Another key for them is that they could be without Dustin Byfuglien, who is not only their best defenseman but their best player overall.

There are few good reasons to bet against New Jersey right now and even fewer to bet on Atlanta. Bet the Devils. 7* play.

Free play posted on my page at CappersPicks on the Boston Celtics vs Philadelphia 76ers matchup.

The St. Louis Blues had been in a nosedive prior to a home-and-home series with the Columbus Blue Jackets and nobody should be convinced that they have turned things around after a pair of less than impressive wins.

The Blues had been called quitters by their fans and media prior to this series and two overtime victories against the Blue Jackets, who are a non-playoff team, doesn't do a whole lot to inspire betting confidence.

The Blues still have just three wins in their last 10 and now welcome the Montreal Canadiens, who have won five straight.

The Habs should be inspired to put forth a good effort in this game after one of their key contributors, Max Paciorretty, was severely injured in the team's last win on Tuesday. He took a big hit from Zdeno Chara and suffered broken vertebrae. His career could be over and the Habs might use that as an emotional lift.

But even if they don't, this is a matchup of a playoff contender and a potential division leader versus a team that has nothing to play for and has been seen mailing in their efforts recently. Bet the Canadiens. 7* play.

Check out my posted free play on my page at CappersPicks on the Georgia Tech vs Virginia Tech ACC matchup.

We'll make a small play on the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night simply because of the excellent value.

The Sens may be the worst team in the East by points but they have been far better than the Florida Panthers of late.

Since the Sens acquired goaltender Craig Anderson, they have won five of eight games and he's posted a GAA of 1.49. Meanwhile, Florida has just six wins in their last 24 games.

Even though they a five-game losing streak against Chicago on Tuesday, the Panthers were outshot 39-15 in that contest. They haven't won back-to-back games since January 11th-15th.

Ottawa has won 14 of their last 17 visits to Florida and the Panthers top goaltender, Tomas Vokoun, has just three wins in 13 starts against them with a GAA of 3.46. That's his worst record and GAA against any one team. Bet the Senators. 6* play.

Check out my posted free play on my page at CappersPicks on the Georgia Tech vs Virginia Tech ACC matchup.

The Buffalo Sabres have won five of their last seven and are playing fairly well right now but there is good reason to believe that their winning ways take a turn on Tuesday.

For starters, this will be their third road game in four nights as part of a season-high seven-game road trip. Their last two wins took a lot out of them as they had to battle back from two goals down to beat Philadelphia on Saturday, then they fought tooth and nail with the Minnesota Wild to earn an overtime win on Sunday.

The Sabres don't fare particularly well against Pittsburgh as they have lost five straight overall and four of their last five in Pittsburgh.

Goaltender Ryan Miller has just two wins in his last 12 starts against them while posting a GAA of 3.57. Meanwhile, Pens goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has won seven of his last eight versus Buffalo while posting a GAA of 2.23.

On top of that, the Pens are 16-9 when at home with a total of 5.5. Bet Pittsburgh. 7* play.

This is a straight-up value play on the Columbus Blue Jackets simply because there is no sane reason to be betting the St. Louis Blues right now.

Both teams enter this contest having lost four straight but the Blues are simply mailing in their efforts while the Blue Jackets have been on the road playing good competition.

The Blues latest loss was a 5-2 setback on Saturday when they allowed the New York Islanders to have six odd-man rushes and breakaways. After the game, leading scorer David Backes basically said that St. Louis is not a good place to be right now for anyone, which is a startling comment to make considering he's one of the leaders of the team.

The Blues have just one win in their last eight games and have been nosediving since a trade deadline sell-off.

The Blue Jackets aren't exactly world-beaters but they still have an outside shot at the playoffs. They are at least trying.

The Blues are 6-18 after allowing four or more goals in their previous game and they are simply a team you can't bet on any longer. For that reason, bet against them and take some value with the Blue Jackets. 7* play.

This is a fairly cheap price on the Washington Capitals considering the scenario for this contest.

The Capitals are the far better team than Florida and they have far more to play for.

The Caps could get back into first place in their division and can get back into third place in the Eastern Conference with a win on Sunday. Winners in five of their last six, there's an excellent chance they pull it off.

Meanwhile, Florida has just five wins in their last 21 games and after a 4-0 shutout loss on Thursday, the press questioned the team as to whether or not they have quit on the season. Considering they lost again on Saturday night, it's a fair question.

The Panthers are just 4-8 in back-to-back situations and are 5-13 after a division game. Meanwhile, Washington is 7-1 in their last eight against teams with a losing record and they have won five of their last seven in Florida. Bet the Capitals. 9* play.

The New Jersey Devils don't have a great history at Long Island but they are playing so well right now that we are going to overlook it.

They continue to win games at a torrid pace as they are 19-2-2 in their last 23 contests. The key for them in this contest will be goaltending and considering how their two netminders are performing right now, it's tough to bet against them.

Martin Brodeur has allowed just six goals in his last six starts and is expected to start on Sunday.

The Isles played on Saturday and earned a win but are just 5-10 when playing on back-to-back days. Meanwhile, the Devils are 8-2 in their last 10 when facing a team with a losing record.

Bet the Devils in what should be another tight win for them. 7* play.

The Philadelphia Flyers are mired in a three-game losing streak, but this is still a really cheap price to take a team that is much better than the New York Rangers.

Truth be told, the Flyers have been a tad lackadaisical as they have had a comfortable lead atop the Eastern Conference standings but now that their lead has shortened, they are going to wake up.

They have won the first three meetings between the teams this season and have owned goaltender Henrik Lunqvist. He has a GAA of 3.69 against them this season. The Flyers have outscored them 15-6 in the three contests.

The Rangers haven't fared any better recently as they have just five wins in their last 16 games. They are also just 14-22 against winning teams this season.

The Flyers are 22-9 when facing a team with a losing record and 14-3 against their division opponents. With a cheap price on the Flyers, bet them on Sunday. 8* play.

We get a cheap price on the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night as they face a team that is struggling mightily.

The Phoenix Coyotes have lost five straight and are slipping up at arguably the worst time of the season. They are going to be desperate on Saturday night but it's been that way for five straight contests and the results haven't come.

A key factor for this game will be Detroit's latest road effort where they lost 3-1 in San Jose. The players talked about putting forth a much better effort on the road and this should be a bounce-back game for them.

They tend to play well after sluggish efforts and are 8-3 following a game where they scored one goal or less. They are also 10-3 following a loss by two goals or more and they are also 20-12 against teams with a winning record. Phoenix is 4-13 following a divisional game.

The Red Wings have won their last four in Phoenix and goaltender Jimmy Howard is 4-0-1 against them with a 2.14 GAA. Bet the Red Wings. 7* play.

Check out my free play today for the UCLA vs. WSU matchup on my page at CappersPicks.