The Chicago Blackhawks played last night and earned their seventh straight win but being a back-to-back is one of the reasons why this is merely a 7* play.

The Blackhawks are one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now but they'll face another streaking team in the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.

The Leafs have won six of nine but when you boil these two teams down, the Blackhawks have a huge edge in talent and caliber. The fact that the Leafs traded away a pair of key defensemen at the trade deadline could really hurt them for a contest like this.

The back-to-back situation isn't as much of a detriment to Chicago as you might think. They are 9-4 in the second of a back-to-back this season and are 7-3 in non-conference games as well. The Leafs are just 10-17 when at home with a total of 5.5 and 12-16 when facing a team with a winning record. Bet the Blackhawks 7* play.

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We are going to make a small play on what looks like fantastic value on the Ottawa Senators.

It's kind of flown under the radar because the Atlanta Thrashers are still somewhat claiming to be in the Eastern Conference playoff race - they are six points out of eighth place - but the reality has been much different. The Thrashers are a bad team.

Atlanta actually has just four wins in their last 21 games and sine starting the season 19-11-5, the Thrashers are just 7-16-6 since.

It's easy to look at the Ottawa Senators point total and to write this off as a loss for them but the Sens have been a different team recently. We documented throughout their horrid slump that some kind of spark or big change would have to happen for their fortunes to change and that came in the form of goaltender Craig Anderson. Acquired via a trade, Anderson has sparked the Senators and more importantly, kept them in every game.

He's 3-2-0 with Ottawa so far with a 1.19 GAA. The only two losses came to Boston (1-0) and at Buffalo (4-2). The Sens have topped Toronto, Philadelphia and Florida in that spell, outscoring those teams 10-2 in the wins.

Anderson is 4-1-1 in his career versus Atlanta with a 2.47 GAA. There is no way that the Thrashers should be favored by this much against anyone. Because of that value, take the Senators. 6* play.

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It seems like the Pittsburgh Penguins are a very polar team on the betting lines these days. For much of the season, they had been overvalued and every team you wanted to bet them, you had to pay a tax simply because of the brand name.

Nowadays, with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin out of the lineup, they are offering more value than you might think.

The Pens are clearly not the same team without Crosby and Malkin but they are by no means a bad team. There is still no denying that the Penguins are 17 points better than the Maple Leafs in the standings and also the fact that they trounced them 6-5 on Saturday.

The Pens are 13-8 on the road with a total of 5.5 whereas the Leafs are merely 9-17 when at home with a total of 5.5.

They key to this contest will likely be the style that the Pens play, which is crash the net. It's something that the Leafs talked about following their 6-5 loss but it's not something they can clearly address in a span of five days.

This is great value getting the better team, who has had more time to rest and has a better road record (17-14) than the opponent does a home record (14-18).

There is the revenge factor but the Leafs are only 7-13 this season when revenging a home loss versus an opponent. Bet the Penguins. 8* play.

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The Calgary Flames would be a top play save for the fact that this is the back end of a home-and-home series.

In all honesty, though, there is little reason to bet the Blues.

Not only have they been tanking it with losses in four of their last five, they have also been selling off their team at the trade deadline. Gone are Erik Johnson, Brad Boyes, Jay McClement and Brad Winchester.

On top of that, they are without "top" goaltender Jaroslav Halak, backup Ty Conklin was put on waivers (but he's still with the team as nobody claimed him) and third-stringer Ben Bishop is starting to see time.

It's tough to bet against the Flames right now who have won six of their last nine road games. They have also won nine of the last 12 meetings between the teams in St. Louis and goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff is 16-2-2 against them in the last 20 meetings with a 1.83 GAA.

Beyond all of that, we get the Flames, who have been playing really well over the last two months and are in playoff contention, as an underdog. This is great value. Bet the Flames. 8* play.

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Based on the value we are receiving in this contest, we have a top play with the Buffalo Sabres as they visit the New York Rangers.

Truth be told, this game should be much closer to a pick as the Sabres have been playing well since new ownership took over the team. They are 2-0-1 since Terry Pegula became the sole owner and while his introductory speech inspired the team, the front office's moves to boost the forwards unit at the trade deadline should give this team some more momentum.

Their only loss in the last three was a shootout loss to the Detroit Red Wings, so that's nothing to blush about.

The Rangers are not a good home team as they have lost five of their last seven at home. More over, they are battered with injuries as Marian Gaborik, Ruslan Fedotenko and Marc Staal are all out for this contest.

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has just one win in his last four versus Buffalo with a GAA of 3.20.

Combined with the fact that we are getting good value on the moneyline, bet the Sabres. 10* play.

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Two teams that are heading in opposite directions meet up on Sunday as the New Jersey Devils visit the Florida Panthers.

The Devils have won 16 of their last 20 while the Panthers have lost 13 of their last 18.

The reality is that both teams could be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline on Monday but the Panthers have already started while the Devils haven't pulled the trigger quite yet.

The Panthers have dealt away Cory Stillman and Bryan McCabe in the last week and their path is quite clear.

Florida has lost seven of their last eight at home.

This is a bit of a heat-check game for the Devils, who lost their latest outing in Florida, so we'll find out whether they'll keep their hot streak going. But against the lousy Panthers who have already begun to break the team down, bet the Devils. 7* play.

The Montreal Canadiens are coming off a tough loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs in their latest contest on Thursday but things will be different on Saturday.

For starters, goaltender Alex Auld started on Thursday and coughed up three goals before the Habs could even blink. To put it simply, the Habs are a much better team at home when Carey Price is in net. He has won 18 games at home and the Habs, as a team, only have 19 home wins.

He'll be in net on Saturday and he has won three of his last four against the Hurricanes while posting a GAA of 1.97. His time should be a bit easier as the Hurricanes will be without their best player, Eric Staal.

He left Friday's contest after taking a big hit and he looked like he suffered a concussion.

Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward has lost both games against the Habs this season while posting a GAA of 4.44. Throw in the fact that the Hurricanes have lost eight of their last 10 on the road, are playing on a back-to-back and are just 9-20 against a team with a winning record this season, and there's a good chance the Habs get back on the winning track tonight. Bet Montreal. 10* play.

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The Montreal Canadiens are a significantly different team at home versus on the road.

The Habs are 19-7-6 at home versus 13-15-1 on the road. More importantly, goaltender Carey Price has a record of 18-7-5 at home with a GAA of 2.15 versus on the road, where he is 10-13-1 with a 2.72 GAA.

The home-away splits in this series also further highlight the Habs home ice advantage. On the road, they have lost both games in Toronto this season. At home, they have won twice and Price has shutout the Leafs both times.

The Leafs have begun trading off parts as they will be sellers at the trade deadline while the Habs are getting healthy and making a run at a division title. Both teams are of different calibers right now. Bet the Habs. 8* play.

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The San Jose Sharks played last night and won a big game in Detroit, so this won't be a huge play for us. Nonetheless, we still have a matchup of two teams heading in opposite directions.

The Sharks are 13-2-1 in their last 15 games and their defense has been airtight. They have allowed just 1.81 goals per game over that span of 16 games and considering the problems the Pittsburgh Penguins are having on the offensive end, this will be a tough matchup for them.

The Penguins are without Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and in total, eight forwards. They have scored just 14 goals in their last eight contests. On top of that, they'll be without top defenseman Paul Martin on Wednesday as well.

Interestingly enough, Sharks captain Joe Thornton has a stellar record against the Penguins. Even dating back to his Boston days, he's 15-1-2 against them.

The Penguins, even when healthy, haven't fared well against San Jose. They haven't scored more than two goals in any contest in the last eights years and they have just one win in the last seven meetings. Bet the Sharks. 6* play.

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The Buffalo Sabres had an emotional day on Tuesday even though they didn't play. Fans, media, coaches and players were on hand as Terry Pegula became the new owner of the team. Surprisingly, he broke down and had quite an emotional speech.

Both the Sabres and Atlanta Thrashers have been struggling of late as both come in on three-game losing streaks. But the Sabres should be more charged up to put forth a good effort in the first game under new ownership.

Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller is 4-0-1 in his last five home starts against the Thrashers while posting a GAA of 1.97. The Thrashers just aren't nearly as good in net as Chris Mason has a GAA of 3.50 in his last six overall while Ondrej Pavelec has a GAA of 3.60 in his last seven.

The Thrashers have lost five straight and seven of their last eight on the road. Bet the Sabres. 8* play.

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The New Jersey Devils and Dallas Stars couldn't be at more opposite ends of the spectrum right now. While we don't particularly want to lay this kind of juice on the road, given where the two teams are at we'll make a small play.

The Devils have won 15 of their last 18 contests and have been on fire. Forward Ilya Kovalchuk has 11 goals and eight assists in his last 18 games while goaltender Johan Hedberg, who will be in net on Tuesday, has won seven straight starts while allowing just eight goals in those games.

The Stars are beaten up and could be missing as many as six forwards. They will also be without defenseman Nicklas Grossman, who is one-half of the team's best defensive pairing. The Stars have lost eight of nine and nothing is going right for them.

Their goaltenders are letting them down too as Kari Lehtonen has allowed at least three goals in eight of his last 10 starts while Andrew Raycroft has allowed a whopping nine goals over the last 21 shots he's faced.

Bet the Devils. 6* play.

Tuesday night free play is up on my page at CappersPicks. Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt winning side.

The New York Islanders only have 53 points on the season, which is the second-fewest in the Eastern Conference, so it's easy to disrespect them.

At a closer look, they are actually 18-12-2 in their last 32 games and have been even better lately, winning six of seven.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, on the other hand, have started their fire sale as they have traded off veteran defenseman Tomas Kaberle and Francois Beauchemin, as well as forward Kris Versteeg. They are also coming off an ugly home loss on Saturday to the Ottawa Senators, who are the worst team in the conference.

Toronto is just 8-16 when at home with a total of 5.5 and the bottom line is that they are not the better team in this matchup and they don't deserve to be favored by this much. Bet the Islanders as this is great value. 7* play.

Tuesday night free play is up on my page at CappersPicks. Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt winning side.

The Philadelphia Flyers haven't lost consecutive games since December 28th and we won't bank on it happening on Sunday.

The Flyers lost their last outing in Carolina on Friday.

Even so, the Flyers have still won 15 of their last 20 games while the Rangers have just two wins in their last nine contests.

For the Rangers, this matchup is very simple: get good goaltending from Henrik Lundqvist or they are likely to lose. The problem for them is that Lundqvist has struggled against the Flyers as he's won just two of his last seven starts against them while posting a GAA of 3.00.

Philadelphia has won four straight and six of the last eight meetings between the teams. They are also 21-8 versus teams with a winning record compared to the Rangers, who are just 13-19 in that same scenario. The Flyers are also 12-3 versus the division.

Considering the Rangers play better on the road than at home, they may not have a noticeable home-ice advantage for this one. Bet the Flyers. 10* play.

We've been riding the New Jersey Devils for quite some time now. They have a slew of advantages in their Saturday contest with the Carolina Hurricanes but simply because this hot streak has hit double-digits, we'll scale back our unit play just in case.

Even so, it's surprising to see the Devils as an underdog in this contest simply given how these two teams have played recently. The Devils continue to get no respect from the odds makers.

The Hurricanes are a team that feeds on weak opponents but the Devils are anything but that anymore. They are 14-1-2 in their last 17 contests and have actually cut up the Hurricanes twice already in that streak.

Rest assured that the Devils will be focused for this contest as they believe they still have a shot at the playoffs this season and the Hurricanes are the team they have to hunt down. Two points is critical to them.

The Devils should get Martin Brodeur back on Saturday and he was 8-1-1 with a 1.92 GAA prior to getting hurt. If it's Johan Hedberg in net, Moose has won five straight and posted a GAA of 1.17 in that span.

The Hurricanes have just three wins in their last nine. They are also coming off an emotional win on Friday night when they retired former captain Rod Brind'Amour's number while defeating the top-ranked team in the East, the Philadelphia Flyers.

Simply put, it's tough to bet against the Devils right now especially with excellent value on the board. 6* play.

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The New York Islanders have been playing better recently but one thing that goes a bit unnoticed is that their defense hasn't been the section that has improved.

While their goal scoring has carried them, the Isles have still allowed at least three goals in eight straight games while giving up 15 in their last three.

The Los Angeles Kings are red-hot right now and even more importantly for this contest, their goaltender is leading the way. Jonathan Quick is 7-0-1 in his last eight starts with two shutouts and a GAA of 1.68. He's also won his last four starts against the Islanders while posting a GAA of 1.22 against them.

The Kings are 8-0-3 in their last 11 and 5-0-3 on their current 10-game road trip. They have won six straight in this series.

With a huge edge in net, bet the Kings. 7* play.

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The Philadelphia Flyers have almost every edge in this contest and this would be a top play save for one emotional lift that the Carolina Hurricanes will have on Friday night: retiring former captain Rod Brind'Amour's No. 17 jersey.

Truth be told, the Flyers are a significantly better team than the Hurricanes in almost every facet and they have shown that through their recent dominance.

The Flyers have won nine straight in this series and are 15-0-3 in the last 18 meetings overall.

Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward really struggles against the Flyers as he's won just once in his last nine starts against them while posting a GAA of 3.92. That won't cut it on Friday night.

The Flyers have won five of their last six and not only are they scoring goals, they are being stingy on their end of the ice too. They have allowed just 10 goals in the last six contests.

Carolina is just 7-19 against teams with a winning record this season while the Flyers are 4-1 in their last five versus teams below .500. Bet them on Friday night. 7* play.

On my page at CappersPicks I have a free play up on Weber State vs. San Jose St

The Detroit Red Wings played last night and won in Tampa Bay and they'll aim to keep their momentum going against the stumbling Florida Panthers.

This is simply a matchup of two teams of different calibers and as long as fatigue doesn't play a factor from last night, the Red Wings have all the edges.

A road game won't deter the Red Wings are they are 18-8-2 when away. They have won four of their last five away and 10 of their last 14.

Meanwhile, the Panthers have lost six of eight overall and six of their last seven at home. The Panthers are also just 9-13 when at home with a total of 5.5.

The Red Wings are 7-1-1 with two ties in the last 11 meetings between the teams in Florida. They haven't lost in regulation in Florida since 1996. Bet the Red Wings. 8* play.

On my page at CappersPicks I have a free play up on Weber State vs. San Jose St

This will only be a 6* play because of the juice we have to lay on the road, but truth be told, everything points to Boston's favor for this one.

The Senators are an absolute wreck right now with just two wins in their last 20 games. They have already begun to dismantle the team for parts as Mike Fisher, Brian Elliott, Jarko Ruuttu and Chris Kelly are all key veterans that were traded away within the last week.

Kelly was traded to the Bruins and he'll face his former team on Friday night.

Bruins netminder Tim Thomas has struggled recently but he'll have an excellent shot to bounce back against the lousy Senators. He is 13-3-0 in his career against them with a GAA of 1.47 with five shutouts. He has shutout the Senators in two of the last three meetings.

The Sens have lost 15 of their last 17 at home and nine straight. Meanwhile, the Bruins have won five of their last seven on the road, and have won four straight and seven of their last eight in Ottawa. Bet the Bruins. 6* play.

On my page at CappersPicks I have a free play up on Weber State vs. San Jose St

The New Jersey Devils are on a role and the odds makers are still not respecting them enough, which is why we'll aim to take advantage on Friday night.

The Devils have won 13 of their last 16 games and have been far more reliable than the New York Rangers, who have just two wins in their last eight.

Martin Brodeur is out for the Devils but backup goaltender Johan Hedberg has played very well recently. He is 11-5-2 this season with a 2.17 GAA but he's been even better recently. Hedberg has won five straight and posted a GAA of 1.47 in that span.

The Devils are 6-1 in their last seven versus teams with a winning record whereas the Rangers are just 2-4 in their last six versus a team with a losing record.

We'll stick with the hot hand and bet the Devils. 8* play.

On my page at CappersPicks I have a free play up on Weber State vs. San Jose St

The Phoenix Coyotes and Atlanta Thrashers are two teams heading in opposite directions.

The Thrashers have just three wins in their last 15 while the Coyotes have won five straight.

Overall in this series, the Coyotes have won 11 of the 13 matchups all-time the Thrashers could have a particularly tough time considering how well goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov has been playing.

Bryzgalov has won five straight while allowing just six goals in that span. His GAA is a sparkling 1.18 during his five-game winning streak and the Thrashers only wish their goaltender could play the same.

Ondreij Pavelec has hit the wall for the Thrashers as he has just one win in his last six games while posting a GAA of 3.51.

Bet the Coyotes on Thursday. 9* play.

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The New York Islanders have been red-hot recently and the Boston Bruins have been struggling, but those trends are going to change.

Anyway you cut it, even though they are playing better, the Islanders are still among the worst teams in the league while the Bruins are among the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

The Bruins have won nine of the last 11 meetings between the teams and goaltender Tim Thomas is 6-0-1 with a 1.57 GAA in that span. The Bruins will have a huge edge in net as the Islanders have had a franchise record six different goaltenders win a game this season.

The Isles are just 9-16 when at home with a total of 5.5. Bet the Bruins. 8* play.

Check out the free play on my page at CappersPicks tonight as well.

The Washington Capitals don't know which was is up and more and the Anaheim Ducks simply continue to climb up in the Western Conference standings. That leads us to a Ducks play on Wednesday night.

The Capitals are feeling a bit demoralized as they have gone from being a high-scoring, confident team that rides the top of the East standings to a defensive-minded team that can barely even score. If they don't find a solution, they might slip out of their playoff spot.

The Ducks have won 14 of their last 18 contests overall while the Capitals have lost three straight and six of their last eight. Worse yet, they only have three goals in their last three games.

The Caps are just 3-8 in non-conference games this season and have to travel all the way out West for this one. They also have just two wins in their last 10 games versus a team with a winning record.

The Ducks are 5-1 after shutting out an opponent in their previous game and are 11-5 after scoring four or more goals in their previous game. Bet them on Wednesday. 8* play.

Check out my page on CappersPicks for a free play today as well.

It's not often that we bet such a huge underdog in the NHL but there is great value with the Minnesota Wild tonight.

Aside from the fact that they played last night and that the Chicago Blackhawks have had three days rest to prepare, there really isn't any reason to lay this much juice with Chicago.

The Wild have won nine of their last 12 games while the Blackhawks are fading quickly. They have just two wins in their last eight. The bigger concern might be that those two wins came against the Edmonton Oilers and St. Louis Blues, who have been two of the worst teams in the NHL this season.

The Blackhawks are merely 16-13-0 at home this season, which is surprisingly average for a team that won the Stanley Cup last season. The Wild have won 12 of their last 17 road games so there really isn't much of a home ice advantage here. The Wild have won seven of their last 10 in Chicago as well.

This is just a sheer value play. The Wild are playing better right now, they play better on the road than the Blackhawks do at home and they have played well in this series. There is no reason to be laying such a high number with Chicago, so bet the Wild. 6* play.

Check out my page on CappersPicks for a free play today as well.

The Buffalo Sabres are playing very well right now and a matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday likely won't change that.

Very quietly, the Sabres have won 13 of their last 19 games and have gone from being dead-last in the Eastern Conference standings to being just two points out of a playoff spot.

What should help matters is the fact that they completely dominate their series with the Maple Leafs.

The Sabres have won 13 of the last 14 meetings overall and seven straight in Buffalo. Goaltender Ryan Miller, who got the night off last night (for the first time in 31 games), is going to be back in net and he has an all-time record of 24-8-0 against the Leafs. He's won 12 of his last 13 starts versus Toronto and has a 1.53 GAA in that span.

Bet the Sabres. 8* play.

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The New Jersey Devils are still cooking right now and don't expect their steady play to drop-off as they face a very important contest on Wednesday.

As crazy as it sounds, the Devils, who had just 10 wins in their first 41 games, are actually making a playoff push. They still have a long ways to go but the team they are chasing is in town Wednesday.

The Devils have won 12 of their last 15 and will welcome the Carolina Hurricanes, who are in eighth place in the East but have won just two of their last seven games.

The Devils will be without Martin Brodeur between the pipes but backup Johan Hedberg has been excellent of late. He's won his last three starts while posting a GAA of 1.28.

The Hurricanes are just 11-20 when facing a team with a winning record this season and while the Devils aren't above .500, they have been playing like it and that stat does hold merit.

The Devils may be lower in the standings but they are the better team right now. Bet them in this spot. 8* play.

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The Vancouver Canucks are the best team in the NHL right now and on Tuesday, they face a St. Louis Blues team that is really struggling.

There is going to be a huge different in net between the teams in this contest as Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo is 16-0-5 in his last 21 starts while the Blues netminder, Jaroslav Halak, has just one win in his last six starts and has posted a GAA of 3.62.

He was pulled midway through his last contest on Saturday when he gave up three goals in less than 30 minutes and before that, he had allowed at least four goals in six of his last nine starts.

The Blues have lost seven of nine and 13 of their last 17 overall and while their home record of 16-8-4 actually looks decent, they have actually lost six of their last eight at home.

The Canucks have won two straight in St. Louis and three of the last four meetings overall. The Canucks are rolling with wins in seven of their last eight and that momentum should continue. Bet the Canucks. 10* play.

There's really no reason to be betting in any spot right now, especially on Sunday when they are facing the Anaheim Ducks.

The Oilers have the fewest points in the NHL, which means they are the worse team in the league statistically. On top of that, they are the worst team at home with the lowest home-winning percentage and the fewest home wins.

On Sunday, they'll host the Ducks, who have very quietly won 13 of their last 17 games. Not many people are talking about them but they have climbed the standings in the West and are playing their best stretch of hockey this season.

They also will get back All-Star goaltender Jonas Hiller, who may between the pipes for this contest.

The Oilers choices in net are much worse as they can either go with rookie Devan Dubnyk, who is better on the road (one win in six home starts) or Nikolai Khabibulin, who has lost 14 straight starts.

The Oilers are also coming off a discouraging home loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. The Senators had just one win in their previous 17 games but the Oilers still couldn't capitalize.

Edmonton is 5-19 when at home with a total of 5.5, 1-7 in their last eight versus a team with a winning record and 2-5 on back-to-back days. Bet the Ducks. 9* play.

The San Jose Sharks have been playing far better than the Florida Panthers of late and the only reason this won't be a bigger play is that this is a heat-check game for the Sharks.

The Sharks have won nine of their last 11 games but are coming off their first regulation loss in nearly a month.

Truth be told, that loss came to the New Jersey Devils, who are one of the few teams in the NHL that is hotter than San Jose right now so that type of a loss isn't necessarily a bad sign.

The Sharks are clicking at both ends of the ice right now. On offense, all of their offensive weapons have finally woken up and they are virtually all in rhythm right now. As for the goaltending, Anti Niemi has been on fire as he has gone 8-1-1 over his last 10 games with a 1.88 GAA.

The Florida Panthers are just a weak team right now. They have just two wins in their last 11 games and while many of the contests are close, that doesn't really matter much. They have been losing a lot. Bet the Sharks. 7* play.

The juice is a bit higher for Nashville than we would like for this contest but all other aspects of this matchup point to a Predators win.

The Colorado Avalanche are simply awful right now. They have lost six straight and eight of their last nine games. Believe it or not but they are now actually 15th in the Western Conference.

The Avs will be playing on back-to-back days after a 3-1 loss in Columbus last night and they have won just eight of their last 32 back-to-back situations. They are also just 2-6 in their last eight versus a winning team.

Peter Budaj is expected to be in net for the Avs and he's really struggled on the road this season. He's 8-3-2 at home with a 2.74 GAA but on the road, he's 4-6-1 with a 3.40 GAA.

The Predators are 12-5-6 at home this season and are coming off of an embarrassing 4-0 shutout loss to the Edmonton Oilers. They are going to be much sharper in this one to avoid another disappointing outing like that.

The Preds are the better team, they are more rested, they have a huge edge in net and are playing better right now. Bet Nashville in this spot. 8*

The Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes are simply in two separate tiers in the Eastern Conference and combined with the scenario, it makes the Flyers a decent play at home.

The Hurricanes just don't play well against elite competition as they have just seven wins in 24 games when facing a team over .500 this year. That's not good news considering who their opponent is on Thursday.

The Flyers are the top team in the Eastern Conference and have won 12 of 15 games in 2011. On top of that, the Flyers dominate this series, winning 14 of the last 17 games including eight straight.

The biggest problem for Carolina is that their top goaltender, Cam Ward, typically gets blitzed when he faces the Flyers. Ward has just one win in his last nine games versus the Flyers while posting a GAA of 3.24.

Meanwhile, the Flyers have won six of seven at home while holding their opponents to two goals or fewer in those victories.

The Flyers have won both matchups this season, winning the latest meeting 8-1. The only thing that keeps this from being a top play is the juice. Bet the Flyers. 9* pick.

To put it plainly, we simply can't pass up the value in this contest.

The New Jersey Devils are red-hot right now and there is little reason to bet against them. After losing 31 of their first 41 games, they have just three losses in the last month and just one in regulation, going 10-1-2.

The odds makers still don't believe in them, which is partially why we're getting them as an underdog here.

In that time, though, the Devils have defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning (twice), the Philadelphia Flyers, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New York Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens. That's a good stretch of teams.

The Toronto Maples are playing well right now, winning four of five, but they aren't to be mentioned in the caliber of those other squads. Taking a closer look at their four wins, they have beaten Florida, Atlanta, Carolina and the New York Islanders. Not exactly a who's who.

The reason this isn't a bigger play is because the Devils are on the road and the Leafs have won seven of the last 10 meetings. The Devils are also without top goalie, Martin Brodeur.

Even so, there doesn't look like there is much that is going to slow the Devils momentum. The Leafs are just 3-9 after a win by two or more and are 8-14 at home with a total of 5.5. As an underdog, we are getting the better team. Bet the Devils. 7* play.

The Ottawa Senators are the worst team in the NHL right now and the Calgary Flames are red-hot. This doesn't really need much explanation beyond that.

The Senators are an absolute disaster right now as they have lost 16 of their last 17 games. Their current losing streak is at 10 games. They are a veteran team that really doesn't have any spark in them and until they fire the head coach, Cory Clouston, they are going to be a wreck.

Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames had a heat check recently and they passed the test. They won six straight but then suffered a shootout loss to the Los Angeles Kings. They quickly bounced back in their most recent contest with a win over the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks.

Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff is 6-0-1 with a 1.79 GAA in his last seven starts overall and he's 6-1-0 with a 2.23 GAA in his last seven versus Ottawa.

Calgary has won seven of the last eight meetings between the teams and the last four at home. Bet them in this spot. 10* play.

The Dallas Stars have been struggling recently but it's important to note their recent level of competition.

The Stars are just 1-5-0 in their last six games but four of those came against division leaders (three on the road) and the other game was against the Calgary Flames, who are playing at a high level right now.

The Stars are still atop the Pacific Division but Wednesday's contest is going to be crucial to them. Only five points separate first and last in the conference and the Coyotes are just two points behind.

The Coyotes are coming off of back-to-back shutouts and are just 1-5 after blanking their opponent in the previous game. They are also 4-12 after a win by two goals or more.

The key here is that the Stars are back at home playing against a mid-level team opposed to the elite competition they have faced. This is far more manageable and they'll get the win. 8* play.

The San Jose Sharks are playing their best hockey of the season and there is no reason to bet against them right now - especially since we only have to lay -120.

The Sharks have won eight of their last nine games and their only loss was in a shootout. They are coming off of back-to-back shutout road wins over the Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins. They'll face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night, who have also won four of their last six but clearly are not the same caliber of team.

The Blue Jackets are just 9-13 when facing a team with a winning record while the Sharks are 13-7 when facing a team with a losing record. The Jackets previously defeated the Sharks in San Jose and the Sharks are 6-1 this season when revenging a home loss against an opponent.

Both teams played last night and the Sharks are 23-13 in their last 36 back-to-backs while the Blue Jackets are 18-26 in their last 44 back-to-backs.

Take advantage of the low line and bet the Sharks here. 8* play.

This is simply a matchup of two teams in different tiers in the Eastern Conference.

While both are playing well, the Sabres have just 53 points and are trying to hop up into the race for the eighth and final playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Lightning have 18 more points and are second in the conference.

The biggest difference on Tuesday could be home ice advantage. The Lightning are one of the best teams in the league at home and they have the fewest home losses.

Buffalo has actually won 17 of the last 20 meetings in the series but the Lightning had been a bad team up until this year. So far this season, the Lightning have won both meetings.

Tampa Bay has won seven of their last eight games and are 6-2 in their last eight versus a team with a losing record. Those hot streaks will continue. Bet the Lightning. 8* play.

The St. Louis Blues are a disaster right now, winning just three times in their last 13 games. It's hard to believe that this was a quality playoff-contending team last year but in 2011, they can't find themselves. Doing it in Tampa Bay will be even tougher.

The Lightning have the second-most home wins in the Eastern Conference and the fewest home losses in the NHL. More importantly, they are coming off a home loss on Friday and they rarely lose back-to-back at home.

The difference in this game should come in net. Jaroslav Halak, the Blues No. 1 goaltender, is coming off an atrocious month and he's won just three of his last 10 starts. He'll likely be back on the bench as Ty Conklin fills in after earning a win on Friday. The Blues have given up 12 goals in their last three road games.

For Tampa Bay, midseason pickup Dwayne Roloson has been excellent at home. He gave up four goals in the Lightning's 5-2 loss to Washington on Friday but when you look at the bigger picture, that was an aberration. He posted back-to-back shutouts before that and Tampa Bay had allowed just six goals in their previous six games. Roloson is 8-3-1 (with two ties) against St. Louis with a 1.47 GAA.

The Lightning will bounce-back. Bet them in this spot. 10* play.

We were aiming to have the Calgary Flames as an 8* or 9* pick in this spot but the value on the line undoubtedly makes this a top play.

The odds makers have been slow on the uptake with the Calgary Flames, who have actually won six straight games. That's the longest current winning streak in the NHL. During each of those wins, Calgary hasn't been favored by more than -135 in any contest.

But the Flames have actually been playing good hockey much longer than these six games. They are 12-3-3 since Christmas and have climbed back into the Western Conference playoff race.

The Kings are playing better as well as they have won four of five but they are still just 11-13-1 on the road this season. They are 1-3 in their last four away.

They particularly struggle at the Saddledome where the Flames have won 10 straight against the Kings. The Flames have also won eight of 10 in this series overall. Bet the Flames. 10* play.

The Dallas Stars are in a tailspin right now and they are allowing goals at an unhealthy pace. That's bad news considering they are facing the highest-scoring team in the NHL on Saturday.

The Flyers have won seven of nine and lead the league in goals with 176. Their goaltender, Sergio Bobrovsky, is 7-1-0 in his last eight starts with a 2.18 GAA.

Meanwhile, the Stars have lost four of their last five and have allowed 25 goals in those games - the most in the NHL in that span.

Goaltender Kari Lehtonen is 1-3-0 with a 3.89 GAA. He's 0-9-1 lifetime against the Flyers with a 3.75 GAA. There's a good chance that he might not even be in net. If it's Andrew Raycroft, he doesn't have a win since January 9th.

The Flyers are 19-7 when facing a team with a winning record; the Stars are just 15-13 against teams above .500 and 1-3 in their last four. Bet the Flyers 9* play.

The Vancouver Canucks may be the top team in the NHL according to the point totals but they know that losing at home to the defending Stanley Cup champs would send a different message.

But it's not like the Canucks will have to go out of the norm to produced a focused effort; they've been one of the best teams in the NHL since they last defeated the Chicago Blackhawks back in early December.

The Canucks have won four straight games while outscoring their opponents 19-3 in that span. They have also won 23 of their last 32 games, which is astounding.

The Blackhawks won twice against Vancouver early in the season but the Canucks were a very different team then. They have lost two of three and it shows how different the caliber of these teams seeing the Canucks atop the standings in the West while the Blackhawks are in eighth place.

This is a statement game for Vancouver. Bet the Canucks. 8* play.

The New Jersey Devils are the worst team in the Eastern Conference but they are one of the hottest in the NHL right now. They found their stroke before the All-Star break and it has continued after it.

The Devils have won eight of 10 - if you can believe it - and many of those wins are credible. They have wins over the Tampa Bay Lighting (twice), Philadlephia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins - all of whom are among the best teams in the NHL.

The Florida Panthers have been really struggling overall and they really struggle in New Jersey as well.

Overall, the Panthers have just one win in their last eight games. In New Jersey, the Panthers have lost 10 of the last 12 meetings.

The Devils already smoked the Panthers once during this current hot spell (5-2) and have outscored them 39-19 in those 12 meetings.

The only thing that keeps this to an 8* play is because the Devils are on a back-to-back situation after beating the Rangers in New York last night. To be honest, though, sometimes when a team is hot they can't wait to play their next game and the back-to-back situation may not be so much of a detriment. Bet the Devils. 8* play.

After a brief pre-All-Star slump, the Vancouver Canucks are back on track and are once again the top team in the NHL. We get some great value with them on Wednesday night as they visit the Phoenix Coyotes with both teams being in a back-to-back situation.

The Canucks came out of the All-Star break and smashed the Dallas Stars 4-1 last night whereas the Phoenix Coyotes may come into this contest in a different mood. Phoenix was up 3-0 in San Jose last night but managed to lose 5-3.

The Canucks have now won three straight by a combined score of 13-3. Better yet, they rested No. 1 goaltender Roberto Luongo last night, which means he'll be between the pipes in Phoenix. He is 7-0-2 with a 2.07 GAA in his last nine road starts. He has a 1.95 GAA versus Phoenix while playing for the Canucks.

There isn't exactly a home ice advantage in this contest as the Coyotes are 10-9-5 at home while the Canucks are 15-7-4 on the road. More so, the Coyotes have lost four straight at home while being outscored 17-10 in those contests. Coyotes netminder Ilya Bryzgalov has been in net for all four of those games and has posted a GAA of 4.05.

It's a great value play in this spot as we don't have to lay much with the Canucks who are the better team overall, the team with momentum and home ice advantage isn't as much of a concern than it normally is. Bet the Canucks. 9* play.

The Florida Panthers are a fading outfit in the Eastern Conference and we're going to expect that to continue when they visit Montreal on Wednesday.

The Panthers have lost four of the last five meetings between the teams in Montreal. Worse yet, the Panthers have just one win in their last seven games.

Montreal is a significantly better team at home (16-6-4) than on the road (12-12-1) and they are going to be real confident heading into this contest. The Habs won last night in Washington after they were down 2-0 at the start of the second period.

Florida also played last night and lost to the hapless Toronto Maples Leafs. Florida is just 3-7 in back-to-back contests.

Montreal is 9-4 at home this season when the total is set at five, which indicates they play well in low-scoring home games. Goaltender Carey Price is 16-6-4 at home with a 2.30 GAA. He should lead them to another, low-scoring win on Wednesday. Bet the Canadiens. 8* play.

It's becoming harder and harder to come up with reasons to back the Ottawa Senators these days.

The Senators have just one win in their last 14 games and it's not getting better. It's getting worse. On Tuesday night, they were topped in New Jersey 2-1 and posted a season-low 16 shots. They've now lost seven straight and it isn't any better at home.

Ottawa is a paltry 9-14-4 at home (or simply 9-18 to bettors) and has just two wins in their last 15 at home. No. 1 goaltender Bryan Elliott has lost his last 11 home starts.

Not that the Red Wings are having problems scoring but they'll get a boost from Dan Cleary, who is expected to be back in the lineup on Wednesday. He has been out since December 26th and has posted 16 goals in 35 games this season.

Detroit is a quality road team (15-7-2) and they should make quick work of the Sens on Wednesday. 10* play.

The Philadelphia Flyers are tied for the best record in the NHL. It's not often we get them as an underdog, so we'll take advantage tonight.

Without a doubt, Tampa Bay is a legit opponent - particularly at home - but the Flyers love playing tough competition. They have won 18 of 24 games versus teams above .500.

Philadelphia is the highest-scoring team in the NHL and that will likely be the problem for Tampa Bay tonight. Last time these teams met, Tampa Bay escaped with an 8-7 win. Philadelphia is 14-6 this season when revenging a loss against an opponent.

Dwayne Roloson will be between the pipes for Tampa Bay and while he's fared well at home this season, the 41-year-old hasn't faced an offense of this caliber.

Bet the Flyers as a dog tonight. 6* play.

We're going to make a value play on the better team in this spot, which is the Boston Bruins.

On several levels, the Bruins should be a small favorite in this contest, starting with the fact that they have won 10 of the last 12 meetings between the teams.

The Bruins have been much better away from home (15-6-4) than at it (13-9-3), so they'll be comfortable playing on the road here. They should have a big edge in net too as Tim Thomas has been outstanding this season while Cam Ward is just 1-6-0 in his last seven starts against Boston while giving up 21 goals.

Lastly, Carolina just doing play well against winning teams. They are in the playoff hunt but that's because they feed off of the weaker teams they face. Against teams with a winning record, Carolina is just 7-16 this year.

The Bruins are 5-1 when they have played with three or more days rest this season and 20-12 over their last 32 in the same scenario. Bet them in this spot.


7* play.

This is a matchup of two of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference but at a closer look, there is a reason why New Jersey is a huge favorite tonight.

The Devils, who have been atrocious most of he season, put forth an incredible 6-1-1 spell prior to the All-Star Break. They outscored opponents 29-16 in those eight games.

The Senators are a complete wreck right now. They'll be happy to be on the road because they have loss seven straight at home (and their starting goalie, Brian Elliott, has lost 11 straight at home) but it's not like the road has treated them any better. Ottawa is 8-11-4 when away from home.

The bigger problem is their horrendous slump right now. The Sens have lost six straight and have just one win in their last 13 games. They have just nine goals in their last six games.

Until head coach Cory Clouston gets fired, there's no reason to be the Senators. Bet the Devils in this spot. 8* play.

Very quietly, the Calgary Flames are playing their best hockey of the season right now with a 5-1-1 stretch. They will extend that streak of solid play when the St. Louis Blues visit on Wednesday and head into the All-Star Break with momentum.

The Blues have won just two in their last 11 games and for them, the train has clearly come off the tracks. At the Scotiabank Saddledome, the Blues have just three wins in their last 10 games.

For the Flames, everything is clicking right now. They are a veteran team that has finally found it's scoring touch at the offensive end with several players catching fire. At the same time, goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff has stopped 64 of the last 68 shots he's seen and he's dialed in right now.

Kiprusoff is 14-4-2 lifetime versus the Blues with a 2.17 GAA.

The Blues have just one road win in their last five and have scored just 15 goals in their last six games overall. They aren't doing much of anything right as their penalty kill has allowed eight goals in the last 26 opposing power plays while their own power play has just three goals in its last 32 opportunities.

Bet the Flames. 10* Play.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are stumbling as the All-Star Break approaches while the Tampa Bay Lightning are picking up the pace. That should make for a one-sided affair on Tuesday night.

The Maple Leafs have lost five of six and are giving up goals at an alarming pace. They have allowed a player from their opposing team to score hat-tricks in two of the last three games and in the third, Carolina's Brandon Sutter came close with a two-goal effort. That's bad news for them considering they have to face Steven Stampkos of the Lightning on Tuesday, who leads the NHL in points and goals (38).

In total, the Leafs have allowed 26 goals in their last six games, which is a 4.3 per game average.

The Lightning are an excellent home team as their four regulation home losses are the fewest in the NHL. Overall, they are 11-1-1 in their last 13 home games. It should also help that they have defeated the Leafs twice this season, outscoring them by a combined score of 8-3 while score four goals in each contest.

The Lightning are a perfect 7-0 this season when playing at home with a total of 6. They'll stay perfect after tonight. 10* Play.

Few contests scream "mismatch" as much as this one.

The Edmonton Oilers are the worst team in the NHL and are have lost 13 of their last 15 games. The Nashville Predators are surging up the Western Conference standings and have won nine of their last 11.

The Preds netminding has been a big key as goaltender Pekka Rinne is 8-1-0 in his last nine with a 1.44 GAA. Meanwhile, the Oilers allow more goals per game than any other team in the NHL.

The one thing that keeps this from being a top play is the home ice advantage, although it isn't much of one in this game. The Oilers are just 1-5-1 in their last seven at home while the Predators have won six of their last eight on the road.

The Preds have also won 14 of the last 16 meetings between these teams, including seven of the last eight in Edmonton. Bet the Predators. 9* play.

The Boston Bruins haven't lost on the road in regulation in more than a month and they'll try to keep their mojo going against a sluggish Colorado Avalanche team.

Boston is 14-5-4 on the road this season, which is a stark contrast to their 12-9-3 record at home. Clearly, they are more comfortable away.

Colorado is just 13-9-3 at home this season and have just three home wins in their last 10. Overall, the Avs have just five wins in their last 14 games.

The difference here will be goaltending as the Avs netminders simply don't compare. Craig Anderson is 1-5-1 with a 3.58 GAA in his last seven starts in Denver. If Peter Budaj is in net, he's given up 24 goals in his last seven games.

For Boston, Tim Thomas is 12-1-4 on the season with a sparkling 1.83 GAA on the road this season. Bet the Bruins here. 7* play.

The Montreal Canadiens are not a great road team but given the circumstances of this matchup, they offer great value at just -125.

The Ottawa Senators are pretty much tapping out right now. They have lost 10 of their last 11 games and their only win came against the New York Islanders, who have the second-fewest amount of points in the NHL.

While some people will argue that the Sens have home-ice advantage on Friday night, that's hasn't been an advantage for them whatsoever of late. They have lost 12 of their last 15 home games and their nine home wins is the fourth fewest in the NHL.

The Sens just can't score goals right now. They have just 15 in their last 11 games and they desperately miss forward Jason Spezza. Not surprisingly, this entire bad spell over their last 11 games coincides with his injury on December 26th. Their power play is just 2-for-33 without Spezza and has no goals over their last 21 man-advantages.

The bottom line is that this is direct bet-against Ottawa. They played on Thursday night and were routed 6-2. They are just 3-6 in back-to-back situations this season and just 5-9 versus their division.

Montreal has won five of seven, and is 10-4 versus divisional opponents this season. Bet them here. 9* play.

The general consensus in a home-and-home series is to bet against the team that won the first of the two contests but in this spot, we're going to bet for a sweep.

The Boston Bruins have been playing well of late but interestingly enough, they are a team that has fared better away from home this season. They are 13-5-4 on the road and just 12-8-3 at home after Monday's 7-0 win over Carolina.

The Hurricanes have played well recently minus that lopsided loss but the key for them is that they are feasting on teams with a losing record. They are 7-2-2 in their last 11 but only three times have faced a team higher in the standings than them.

The Hurricanes are just 6-14 this season when facing a team with a winning record.

The Bruins are 6-1 after shutting out an opponent and have won 11 of the last 17 matchups between the teams.

As a side note, the line keeps dropping on the Bruins as more bettors take the Hurricanes to bounce back. If you're so inclined, wait closer to game-time and you should get the Bruins at EVEN money or as an underdog.

9* play.

The Los Angeles Kings are fading; the Dallas Stars are rolling. We'll lay the small juice with the Stars to keep momentum on their side.

The Stars have won five of six with their only loss being a 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Rangers in that span. Overall, they are 14-6-4 at home this season while the Kings are just 9-11-0 on the road, and have lost seven of their last nine contests overall. In those seven losses, the Kings have just 15 goals.

Dallas is peaking right now as the team has responded to some positive front office moves. While the reports are suggesting the team has financial problems, the front office still picked up Jamie Langebrunner and signed defenseman Trevor Daley to a contract extension, and the player on the ice have noticed and responded well.

Meanwhile, the Kings can't find their identity right now as they continue to juggle lines and try to find ways to score goals. Bet the Stars in this one. 8* play.

Washington comes into this game with a 24-12-3 record vs. the Panthers who are sporting a 18-20-1 record. The Caps at this price is great value. Washington are 7-1 in the last 8 meetings vs. the Panthers. Washington is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Florida. Florida is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games, Florida is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home, Florida is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Washington. Washington hasn

The New Jersey Devils continue to struggle and it doesn't look like there is an end in sight.

The Devils have lost 13 of their last 15 games and a matchup with the Philadelphia Flyers isn't likely to end their woes.

The Flyers have won 13 of the last 19 matchups between the teams and have defeated Devils goalie 13 of the last 16 times. On the season, New Jersey is just 3-13 against teams with a winning record.

When it comes to divisional play, the Flyers have dominated their division, winning nine of 11 games. For New Jersey, it's been the opposite as they are 1-8 inside their division.

Bet the Flyers in this matchup. 8* play.

Love the Thrashers tonight.

Atlanta 21-15-6 vs. Florida 18-17-2. Atlanta has lost five of seven, but both wins have come in its last three contests.

A value play - plus money on the better team. Panthers only 8 home wins, third-fewest in the East, 3-6 SU in its last 9 games at home. For Atlanta Pavelec and Byfuglien are on fire for the Thrashers right now.

Last time out for Atlanta, they were a 4-3 winner as they battled the Canadiens on the road. Moneyline bettors who got the Thrashers at +110 were rewarded.

Ondrej Pavelec stopped 47 shots to raise his record to 14-8-4 this season with a 2.14 GAA. The 23-year old has faced the Panthers three times in his career, going 2-1 with a .935 save percentage.

The Thrashers enjoy playing at the BankAtlantic Center as they have posted a 16-11-5 record there.

8* play.

The Carolina Hurricanes have dominated the Florida Panthers in their recent meetings in Raleigh and that should continue on Monday.

The Hurricanes have won six of the last seven at the RBC Center and 28 of the last 38 meetings overall.

The Hurricanes have been scoring goals in bunches recently, which has led to a three-game winning streak. They have 14 goals in their last three and their power play is 5-for-12 in that span.

They should catch a break on Monday as Panthers backup goaltender Scott Clemmensen is expected to make the start. He is just 1-6-2 lifetime against the Hurricanes with a 3.52 GAA. For the Canes, Ward has won his last three starts while giving up just six goals in those games and his GAA at home this season is a sparkling 2.27.

The Hurricanes have won seven of their last 10 and should be fresh for this contest. Florida played on Sunday night and is just 2-5 in back-to-back games this season. This will also be their third road game in four nights. 10* play.

How much have the Dallas Stars caught oddsmakers off guard this season?

Well, despite being 12-5-1 at home and leading the Pacific Division, they

The Kings come into Thursday night winners of 4 of their last 5. The Flyers have won 3 of their last 5 but I feel are headed in the opposite direction, UNTIL they prove me wrong.

You see I watched the Flyers play the Canucks on Tuesday night and that's pretty much all I needed to see to tell me this team is just not clicking right now. Phili laid an egg in Vancouver.

Losing a 6-2 decision and also losing trusted defenseman Kimmo Timonen to injury, though no word yet on how long he'll be out.

The Flyers will also be without tough man Jody Shelley for a 2 game suspension for sucker punching Canuck D-man Andrew Alberts.

Phili has more injury woes as well. They're without Ian Laperriere, Chris Pronger and Matt Walker.

For the Kings Anze Kopitar is heating up with 5 assists in his last 2 games and leads the Kings with 24 assists. Kopitar now has six multi-point games in his last 10 contests.

Throw in the fact that the LA Kings have posted a 13-2-1 mark at the Staples Center and I love the Kings on Thursday night at a relatively affordable price.

Phili brings the 4th best offense into this game, but will be matched by the Kings 2nd best defense, and 3rd best in the league at limiting opponents shots on net. Plus the 4th best Power play. This will be the difference. Throw in the fact Los Angeles is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games as well.

Both teams do fairly well ATS, but the Kings enjoy the comforts of home and the x-factor Jonathon Quick in the pipes make this a no brainer for me.

Take L.A.

Second meeting of the year between these two. The Lightning earned a 4-3 overtime victory in Montreal on Oct. 13. Ryan Malone scored the winner in overtime after the Canadiens jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period.

Montreal looks to avoid another loss on its trip Thursday night. They've dropped 4 of the first 5 on this road trip, falling 3-0 to Washington on Tuesday. Montreal captain Brian Gionta has only one goal and is a minus-5 on the team

New York won its last outing, a 7-2 result against the Islanders on December 27. New Jersey lost its last outing, a 4-1 result against the Maple Leafs on December 26, and have lost 5 straight games.

New York is 21-14-2, and New Jersey is 9-24-2.

NYR has won both of its meetings with the Devils, outscoring New Jersey 6-1 so far this year.

The Rangers have just one regulation loss over the last six games after they pasted the Islanders 7-2 on Monday. Long Island boy Matt Gilroy scored 2 goals as the Rangers peppered the NYI net with 52 shots on goal.

The last thing the Devils needed right now is a visit from the Rangers who have won 10 of their last 14 trips to New Jersey. With Sunday

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NESN, FSFL - The Bruins snapped out of a recent funk with an inspired effort against Atlanta. They were feisty and explosive on the offensive end of the ice. They looked great. Boston not only won 4-1 but the Bruins took the physical play to the Thrashers, while also continuing to lead the NHL in scoring defense. I really like this situation here tonight. Don

The Nashville Predators square off with the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night, and we'll be taking the Preds.

Nashville has played very well at home of late, earning at least a point in 13 of their last five contests at the Bridgestone Arena. They are coming off of back-to-back losses, but those two were to the Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks - two quality Western Conference teams.

Nashville has fared well against teams with a losing record, winning seven of 10 games against teams below .500. Meanwhile, Ottawa is just 5-12 when facing a team with a winning record this season.

Since starting the season 9-7-1, the Senators are just 5-10-3 (or 5-13 in the eyes of bettors). They are 2-6 in their last eight road games as well.

The Predators are in a great spot to bounce back and get back on the winning track tonight. 9* play.

Razor's 8* Friday NHL Grand Theft Profit$
Buffalo Sabres (13-14-4) vs. Florida Panthers (13-16-0)
BankAtlantic Center - 7:35PM ET

The Buffalo Sabres are getting healthy, so it's no surprise that they are experiencing one of their best stretches of hockey.

In recent games, the Sabres have inserted Drew Stafford, Tim Connolly and Rob Niedermayer back in the lineup after all of them missed time with injuries. Stafford returned on Wednesday and potted a hat trick in the Sabres 3-2 win over Boston.

The Sabres are 4-1-1 in their last six and now head to Florida, which is a place they have had plenty of success. The Sabres have won six of their last seven in Florida and netminder Ryan Miller always plays well against them. He's 8-2-0 in his last 10 against the Panthers with a GAA of 1.99.

He, too, recently came back from a groin injury and since he's been back, he's 5-2-1 with a 1.98 GAA.

On the flip side, Panthers goalie Tomas Vokoun has really struggled against Buffalo. He's 1-6-1 with a GAA of 3.11 in his last eight starts against Buffalo.

Take the Sabres in this contest. 8* Play.

The Razor's 6* Thursday NHL IcePack Beatdown!
Columbus Blue Jackets (16-11-3) vs. Edmonton Oilers (11-14-5)
Rexall Place - 9:35PM ET

The Columbus Blue Jackets had a late night in Vancouver on Wednesday and now they have a very quick turnaround before playing in Edmonton on Thursday night, throw in the fact that they're a struggling hockey team right now with only winning 2 games in their last 10.

The Blue Jackets clawed back from two separate one-goal deficits against the Canucks last night only to lose in overtime. The Blue Jackets have won just 14 of their last 37 back-to-back situations and they are 23-53 in their last 76 road games where the total is set at 5.5. Edmonton is 11-4 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Columbus.

Steve Mason is expected to get the start Thursday. He is 9-8-1 with a 3.06 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage this year. Edmonton will counter with veteran Nikolai Khabibulin, who is 7-11-2 with a 3.49 GAA and .986 save percentage on the campaign.

This is the last game of the Blue Jackets Canadian West Coast trip and its their third game in four nights, and fourth in six. The Oilers should be a bit fresher and they'll get the job done at home. 6* Play.

Razor Ray's NHL All-Canadian Can Of Whoop-A$$!
Toronto Maple Leafs (12-14-4) vs. Calgary Flames (13-15-3)
Scotiabank Saddledome - 9:35PM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs might be in a bit of tough spot on Thursday when they visit the Calgary Flames. They are coming off a big revenge win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night and have another one coming up against Vancouver on Saturday. Sandwiched in between is a Flames contest at the Saddledome, which is a place the Leafs haven't had much success.

With the win in Edmonton, the Leafs have just four road wins on the year. In those 13 road games, they have been outscored by a margin of 1.3 goals per game.

On top of that, the Leafs don't fare well in non-conference contests either as they are just 13-28 in their last 41 against the West. Or more recently TOR are 2-9 in their last 11 vs. Northwest. Head to head the home team in this series is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings.

Toronto is likely to start Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who is 8-6-2 with a 2.67 goals-against average in 17 games this campaign. Miikka Kiprusoff has posted 3 shutouts and a 2.73 GAA in 26 outings for the Flames this season despite an 11-14-1 record. The former Vezina Trophy recipient has faced the Maple Leafs seven times, going 4-1-1 with one goose-egg and a 3.14 GAA.

Calgary have won their last 2 matchups vs. the Leafs, and Calgary has won their last 5 games at home and should push that streak further with a win tonight. 7* Play.

Razor's 10* Wednesday NHL ATS Wipeout! (Pho/NJ)
Phoenix Coyotes (14-8-6) vs. New Jersey Devils (8-19-2)
Prudential Center - 7:05PM ET

The New Jersey Devils are the worst team in the NHL and they should have their hands full with a very good Phoenix Coyotes squad on Wednesday. The Devils might be at home but Phoenix has actually played very well on the road this year. They have the best road winning percentage among Western Conference teams and they have won six of their last seven away from home. In that span, they have given up just 12 goals. That figures to be a problem for the low-scoring Devils, who have just 53 goals on the season (two of which were credited from shootout wins). Coyotes netminder Ilya Bryzgalov is 6-1-2 in his last 10 starts and he hasn't allowed more than three goals in any of those games. Bet the Coyotes in this game as the Devils are hapless.

10* Play.

Razor's Thursday NHL Grand Theft Profit$
San Jose (14-9-4) vs. Buffalo (11-13-4)
HSBC Arena, Buffalo, 7:00 PM ET

The San Jose Sharks had a big win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night and given how much they had to work for that game - and how hard they have had to work on the current road trip - they should be ripe for the picking on Thursday night.

The Sharks will be playing their third game in four nights and their fifth game in eight nights when they visit the Sabres on Thursday.

They don't have a good history in Buffalo as the Sabres are 10-1 SU in its last 11 games when playing them at the HSBC Arena in the last eleven meetings. After struggling for most of the season, Buffalo has gone 3-1-1 in its last five games to move into third place in the Northeast Division. Recent history is also on the Sabres side. They've won two straight in their home uniforms, including a thorough 5-0 rout of the Columbus Blue Jackets last Friday. Home Sweet Home.

The key here is this is the last game for the Sharks of a five-game road trip and they should be itching to get back home. Throw in the fact that Buffalo is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home and this will be a tough matchup. Plus the Sharks following game is a meeting with the Chicago Blackhawks, who are the reigning Stanley Cup Champions and also knocked the Sharks out of the playoffs last year. Forgive the Sharks if they are looking ahead.

Ryan Miller will be between the pipes for the Sabres with his 9-7-3 record and 2.43 GAA. For the Sharks we're hearing Antti Niemi will start in this one. He's sporting a 5-6-1 record and a not-impressive 3.33 GAA.

This is the first of two meetings between the teams. They will meet again in San Jose on Jan. 6, 2011.

Bet the Sabres to continue their home dominance against a road-weary Sharks team. 7*

Wednesday Night NHL ATM $$ Withdrawal
Anaheim (14-13-3) vs. Vancouver (14-8-3)
Rogers Arena - 10pm EST

The Vancouver Canucks have played very well at home this season and we are going to back them even with a big line on Wednesday night.

This is the second of four meetings between the teams. They last faced each other on Oct. 13, when Anaheim earned a 4-3 victory at the Honda Center

The Canucks were 30-8-3 at home last season and are 8-3-1 at home this season. Furthermore, they are 4-2 SU against the Ducks in their last six visits.

The Ducks are just 5-7-2 on the road this season and one of those five wins came in the 10th-round of a shootout last night in Edmonton. We went against the Ducks last night in our free play here at CappersPicks, but that won't stop us from firing against them tonight. The Ducks are 15-26 in their last 41 back-to-back situations.

Key Note: Cory Schneider the Canucks backup netminder (American Hockey Leagues MVP last year) is expected to be in the nets tonight for Vancouver. Schneider has yet to lose in regulation this season. The rookie netminder has posted a 3-0-1 mark with a 2.08 goals-against average. It's looking more and more like backup Curtis McElhinney (2-2-1) would net his sixth start of the season tonight for the Ducks.

Bet the Canucks on the ML tonight, you'll be glad you did.

Top Play 10*

Detroit Red Wings (17-4-1-1) vs. Los Angeles Kings (14-10-0-0)
When: 10:30 PM ET, Saturday, December 4, 2010
Where: Staples Center, LA

I know the Wings come into this game a confident bunch as they're looking for their fourth straight road win, but there is a substantial DOWNGRADE in the Wings goal tonight as 38 year old Chris Osgood goes between the pipes in place of Jimmy Howard. He hasn't even seen action since October 30th, and he is 2-8 in his last 10 starts.

Jonathan Quick will be in net tonight for LA, and he's coming off a win vs. the Panthers on Thursday. His stats for this year are NICE. He has posted a 12-5 record with one shutout, a 1.92 GAA and a .928 save percentage in 17 games.

Quick has won two straight meetings with Detroit as well.

The Kings had lost four games in a row and seven of eight before beginning their four-game homestand with a 3-2 triumph over the Panthers. I believe this win will show the Kings have turned the corner on their losing ways this season, and to be there at the end you have to rack up wins in December and January. The "MEAT" of the NHL Schedule.

Remember they were a playoff team last year, and by all accounts they will be a playoff team again this year. They'll get up for this game tonight.

LA is 9-2 at home this year, and Detroit is 7-3 on the road.

Next up for Detroit a home date with San Jose, on Monday, and for LA a home game vs. Calgary on Thursday.

It's only fair that I show some love to my favorite sport on a Saturday night. I love how this matchup sets up for a home team play on the Kings.