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NHL Archive
Date	Match Up	Rating	Score	Result	Profit	Lead Time	Analysis
03-17-21	Blues -138 v. Kings		1-4	Loss	-138	19 h 47 m	Show
The listless Kings lost 4-1 to the Avalanche in Denver on Sunday and then couldn't get out of Denver due to a snowstorm causing Monday's scheduled matchup to be postponed until today. So this will be the Kings' first home game in 11 days. They draw the Blues in stop-the-pain mode. The Blues own the best road record in the West Division at 10-2-2. St. Louis, though, has lost a season-high four games in a row. Note, however, three of these defeats occurred in overtime. The Blues' last two games were against Las Vegas so this is a major drop in class. While the Kings have been dealing with traveling nightmares, the Blues have been on the West Coast since the end of February. St. Louis is more than ready, having been idle since Saturday. St. Louis also is getting healthier. Vladimir Tarasenko, the Blues' leading goal scorer from 2014-19, has produced four points in four games since returning from offseason shoulder surgery. Tyler Bozak is expected to play against the Kings. He's been out 21 games due to a concussion. There's also the possibility the Blues get back Jaden Schwartz from a lower-body injury. Meanwhile the Kings could be minus their leading scorer and key cog on their power play, Dustin Brown. He didn't play Sunday due to an upper-body injury and is questionable here.
03-17-21	Sharks v. Golden Knights -1.5	Top	4-5	Loss	-100	19 h 44 m	Show
Returning home from a six-game road trip, the Golden Knights were far from sharp when they hosted San Jose this past Monday. Sure enough Las Vega was flat. But the Golden Knights still managed to beat San Jose, 2-1. Now the Golden Knights are more rested and primed to destroy the opponent they hate the most. Las Vegas is the vastly superior team and won't lack motivation. The Golden Knights are third defensively giving up 2.2 goals per game. Marc-Andre Fleury is in the argument for best goalie this season. Las Vegas is a top-10 scoring team. The Sharks give up the most goals per game in the league at 3.5. They also allow the second-most shots on goal. Las Vegas has defeated San Jose five times in a row. The Sharks are 6-13 the past 19 times when playing on one day's rest. The Golden Knights have won 69 percent of their last 52 home contests. Kill spot here so I'm laying 1 1/2 goals on the puck line.
03-16-21	Ducks v. Avalanche OVER 5.5		4-8	Win	100	17 h 57 m	Show
Maybe it's because of missing steady injured defenseman Hampus Lindholm. Or it could be less than stellar goaltending. But Anaheim has been hemorrhaging defensively allowing an average of 4.6 goals during their last five games. Colorado has the offensive talent to take advantage especially with Nathan MacKinnon back in top form following an upper-body injury. The Avalanche have won three in a row firing off 133 shots on goal during this three-game win streak. However, they have only eight goals to show for it having come across some strong goaltending. That won't be the case here, not with how bad the Ducks have been defensively. The Avalanche won't be letting up either after blowing a two-goal lead when the teams last met 10 days ago in Denver. The Ducks pulled out a 5-4 overtime victory in that game. The Ducks have scored just two goals in their last three games - and that was playing the Kings and defensively-challenged Sharks twice. Trade rumors are swirling around the team. So I expect the Ducks to throw caution to the wind in this matchup knowing they can't stay competitive like they were during the first 1 1/2 months of the season by relying on defense and playing conservative. That doesn't work anymore for them.
03-16-21	Coyotes +1.5 v. Wild		0-3	Loss	-136	16 h 59 m	Show
I don't want to fully step in against a hot Minnesota Wild team, but I do believe Arizona is going to throw its best punch here. The Coyotes are desperate to avoid being swept three games by Minnesota. So I'm going to lay the juice and take a 1 1/2 goal cushion with the puck line. The Wild shut out the Coyotes, 4-0, this past Friday and followed that up with a 4-1 victory this past Sunday. Those scores are misleading, though. Both games were tied entering the final period. Can the Coyotes bounce back? They aren't some bottom-feeder. The Coyotes are a .500 team that won't lack motivation. They've shown a propensity to come through in these types of situations going 7-2 the past nine times when playing for the third time in four days. Arizona would be 10-5 in its last 15 games if given plus 1 1/2 goals.
03-16-21	Hurricanes v. Red Wings OVER 5.5		2-4	Win	100	15 h 28 m	Show
The Hurricanes defeated the Red Wings, 2-1, this past Sunday. Carolina is the No. 2 scoring team in the NHL averaging 3.4 goals per game. The Hurricanes had scored 3 or more goals in seven consecutive games until Sunday. Detroit ranks 29th defensively giving up 3.4 goals per game. So, yes, I'm expecting more goals from the Hurricanes in this one. But I'm also expecting Detroit to hold up its bargain in getting this total to go Over. The Red Wings entered Sunday's matchup against Carolina off a season-high six goal game against Tampa Bay this past Thursday. The Red Wings, however, strangely were passive for the first two periods before opening things up more in the third period when they scored their lone goal. Detroit coach Jeff Blashill ripped into his team for its lack of offense. Having Dylan Larkin back from injury is a huge plus for Detroit's offense. The combination of the Hurricanes' high-scoring attack and the Red Wings coming out with a stronger scoring mentality should push this total Over.
03-15-21	Sharks v. Golden Knights OVER 6	Top	1-2	Loss	-118	16 h 51 m	Show
Las Vegas has averaged 4 goals a game in going 3-0 versus the Sharks this season. San Jose ranks 31st defensively allowing 3.6 goals a game. Given their depth, which includes four strong lines, and deep hatred of the Sharks the Golden Knights should be good for at least four goals again. The Golden Knights have scored 3 or more goals in nine of their last 10 games, hitting five goals in half of those games. The Sharks have tallied 3 or more goals in six of their last eight games, scoring six goals in three of those games. Marc-Andre Fleury has been brilliant for Las Vegas leading the NHL in GAA at 1.181 and save percentage at .935. The 36-year-old Fleury, however, is carrying a high fatigue rating having started 15 of the last 16 games. He was saved from going on COVID-19 protocol after a false-positive Covid-19 test this past Thursday. At some point, the Golden Knights are going to need to give Fleury a rest day. Obviously it would be a major bonus to the Over if that came here.
03-15-21	Oilers v. Flames UNDER 6.5		3-4	Loss	-130	15 h 49 m	Show
Since no-nonsense coach Darryl Sutter has been behind the bench, the Flames are 2-0. The Flames beat the Canadiens 3-1 and 2-1 in those games. These low-scoring games weren't a fluke. The Flames have made a huge commitment to defend better with their forwards aggressively checking since Sutter took over. Despite the presence of superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers have scored 3 or fewer goals in seven of their last nine games. Edmonton, though, has been underrated defensively. The Oilers have given up an average of just 1.8 goals during their last five games. They haven't allowed more than two goals in each of their past five games.
03-15-21	Canucks v. Senators UNDER 6.5		3-2	Win	100	13 h 48 m	Show
He doesn't get much recognition, but Vancouver's Thatcher Demko has been one of the hottest goalies. He is 5-1 with a .952 save percentage during his past seven starts. If you discount a five-goal game by the Canadiens, the Canucks have permitted just five goals in their past four games. The Senators just held the Maple Leafs to three goals in a 4-3 Sunday victory behind backup goalie Joey Daccord. He was filling in for injured Matt Murray. The Senators produced a tremendous effort to protect Daccord from the Maple Leafs, who rank No. 2 in the NHL in scoring. Daccord should have an added boost of confidence if he has to be in net again. The Canucks rank 20th in scoring and are thin at center with Elias Pettersson and Tyler Motte out. Pettersson is Vancouver's third-leading goal scorer.
03-14-21	Hurricanes v. Red Wings +1.5		2-1	Win	100	12 h 41 m	Show
Yes, the Red Wings are a bad team. One reason for this is lack of depth. Detroit has been battered by injuries. Now, though, the Red Wings have gotten healthier. Their best center, Dylan Larkin, and defenseman Troy Stecher are back in the lineup. The Red Wings showed life with those two back in the lineup taking on powerful Tampa Bay during their last two games. The Red Wings lost 4-3 in overtime and then knocked off the reigning Stanley Cup champions, 6-4, this past Thursday. That was a season high in goals for Detroit. Here's an interesting quote from Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill: "... When we lost a number of guys, it hurt us, and when we've been healthy, we've played pretty good hockey overall." Backed by a 1 1/2-goal cushion on the puck line, I believe Detroit can hang in if not ambush the red-hot Hurricanes. Carolina could be in a letdown spot having won seven in a row. The Hurricanes have been relying on a highly effective power play unit to supplement their goal production. They may not get so many calls, however, being on the road. This is Carolina's first road game in 12 days. The Hurricanes have won seven in a row, but three of those victories came against the struggling Predators and three of their victories during their win streak occurred in overtime. Carolina also is going to be minus injured Vincent Trocheck. He's having a tremendous season leading the Hurricanes in goals with 13 and in points with 24.
03-14-21	Coyotes v. Wild UNDER 5.5		1-4	Win	100	9 h 45 m	Show
Sparked by outstanding goalie play, Minnesota is giving up just 2.2 goals per game during its last 13 games. The Wild face an Arizona squad that ranks 26th in scoring and takes the fewest shots on goal in the NHL. The teams just met two days ago in Minnesota and the Wild shut out the Coyotes, 4-0. That was the fourth straight road game the Coyotes have gone Under the total. Arizona has given up 2 or fewer goals in four of its last six games. Note this is an early start time so that's a plus, too, for the Under.
03-13-21	Oilers v. Canucks UNDER 6.5		1-2	Win	100	11 h 55 m	Show
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl draw all the headlines for Edmonton. They are superstars. But lost in the glare of the brilliance of those two players is an underrated Edmonton defense that has been playing quite well. The Oilers have surrendered just seven goals during their last four games. Edmonton draws a Vancouver attack that is heavily crippled. Out are Tyler Motte, Justin Bailey and Elias Pettersson. In addition, Brandon Sutter, Jay Beagle and Antoine Roussell missed Friday practice with injuries. Vancouver has scored 3 or fewer goals in eight of its last 10 games. So expect a tight-checking defensive game from the Canucks, who should be fired-up after an embarrassing 5-1 home loss to the Canadiens in their last game three days ago. Prior to losing to Montreal, the Canucks had given up just four goals in their previous three games - two of which came against the high-scoring Maple Leafs.
03-13-21	Golden Knights v. Blues OVER 5.5		5-1	Win	100	9 h 42 m	Show
The Golden Knights beat the Blues, 5-4, in overtime on Friday. That was with both team's going with their starting goalies. Now we're likely to see backup goalies, rookie Logan Thompson for Las Vegas and Ville Husso, who has a 3.48 goals against average, for St. Louis. Both teams are missing key defensemen, too. Alex Pietrangelo is out for Las Vegas and Colton Parayko is sidelined for St. Louis. The Golden Knights have scored 3 or more goals in eight of their past nine games. The Blues have permitted an average of 3.7 goals in their last seven games. The Blues, though, have scored at least three goals in six of their past seven games. They also have Vladimir Tarasenko rounding into top shape. He had a goal and an assist on Friday.
03-13-21	Canadiens v. Flames UNDER 5.5		1-3	Win	103	8 h 46 m	Show
Calgary took advantage of a tired Montreal team playing its third game in four days and without rest to edge the Canadiens, 2-1, at home this past Thursday night. Now the teams are back at it today. Expect another low-scoring game. Canadiens goalie Carey Price is playing his best hockey in the last several years stopping 105 of 109 shots during his past four games for a save percentage of .963. Price should be back in net after backup Jake Allen played Thursday. Montreal could only manage 18 shots on goal against Calgary two days ago. The Flames, showing the influence of new coach Darryl Sutter, controlled tempo with aggressive forechecking. The Canadiens will have more energy this time around, but the Flames look much better mentally and performance-wise under Sutter.
03-12-21	Golden Knights -108 v. Blues		5-4	Win	100	18 h 11 m	Show
This marks the Blues' first home game since Feb. 24. Being back in St. Louis, though, hasn't necessarily been good for the Blues as they are 1-6 in their past seven home contests. St. Louis draws an angry Las Vegas squad that was swept two games against the Wild in Minnesota. The Golden Knights haven't lost three in a row all season. It's step-up time for the Blues as in their last 19 games they've played just four teams - Sharks, Kings, Ducks and Coyotes. Those are the bottom-four teams in the West Division. The Blues are playing short-handed minus several key forwards, including Jaden Schwartz, and without their top defenseman, Colton Parayko. Las Vegas holds a strong goalie edge with Marc-Andre Fleury, who has been one of the three-best goalies this season. St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington is having a disappointing season. The Golden Knights have scored 3 or more goals in seven of their last eight games.
03-11-21	Canadiens v. Flames -114	Top	1-2	Win	100	17 h 27 m	Show
Calgary is close to being in must-win mode and this spot sets up beautifully for the Flames. Montreal just beat the Canucks in Vancouver, 5-1, late Wednesday night. So Montreal didn't get into Calgary until the wee hours of the morning. This will be the Canadiens' third game in four days and they will be playing without rest. Backup goalie Jake Allen likely will be in net since Carey Price played Wednesday. The Canadiens lost key defenseman Ben Chiarot to injury in that victory. The Flames are six points behind the Canadiens for the final playoff spot in the NHL's North Division. So this is a crucial matchup for the Flames with a potential four-point swing at play. Calgary certainly isn't going to lack motivation and preparation. No-nonsense Darryl Sutter has taken over as coach at Calgary. This will be his first game behind the bench. Flames assistant coach Ryan Huska acted as the team's head coach during the last two games following the firing of Geoff Ward a week ago. The Flames lost those games to the Oilers and lowly Senators. Calgary hasn't played since Sunday. Sutter has put the Flames through intense practices in anticipation of winning this game and getting his underacheiving team on track. This is what Sutter was quoted as saying on Wednesday, "Montreal is in our division and they’re a very good hockey club. Right now, we’re behind them in the standings so we know the importance of tomorrow night and the bottom line is we’ll be ready for it.” I don't doubt him.
03-10-21	Coyotes v. Avalanche -1.5		1-2	Loss	-100	13 h 45 m	Show
Colorado has lost consecutive games to the Coyotes and Ducks both as a big home favorite. The Avalanche didn't have star center Nathan MacKinnon in either of those games. MacKinnon is set to return tonight and I look for the Avalanche to get short revenge on Arizona after losing, 3-2, to the Coyotes two days ago. This is Arizona's fourth game in six days and the Coyotes are playing in Denver's high altitude. So this game could get out of hand in Colorado's favor during the third period if not earlier. Until that Monday loss, the Avalanche had beaten Arizona six times in a row at home. The Coyotes' upset win against Colorado on Monday came with a price: Starting goalie Darcy Kuemper left early in the third period with an injury. He won't play today.
03-10-21	Coyotes v. Avalanche OVER 5.5		1-2	Loss	-100	13 h 43 m	Show
Colorado is averaging 3.5 goals a game during its last games. The Avalanche have done this minus their dynamic goal scorer Nathan MacKinnon for the past three games. The Coyotes are a slightly below average defensive team. They have surrendered 3 or more goals in 10 of their last 14 games. Arizona has averaged 3.0 goals during its past four games. The Coyotes catch Colorado short-handed on the blue line with defensemen Cale Makar and Bowen Byram both out due to upper-body injuries.
03-09-21	Predators v. Hurricanes OVER 5.5		2-3	Loss	-125	5 h 41 m	Show
Nashville has played four consecutive Overs. During this span, the Predators have scored 12 goals while giving up 18. The Predators are running into a Hurricanes squad that is averaging four goals per game during their last five games. Center Vincent Trocheck is having a career year for the Hurricanes with 22 points in 23 games, including 13 goals.
03-08-21	Kings v. Ducks UNDER 5.5		5-6	Loss	-128	19 h 40 m	Show
These two defensive-minded Southern California rivals meet again Wednesday. So expect a conservative, feeling-out type of matchup here where few chances are taken. The Kings rank 18th in scoring at 2.9 goals per game. That average shrinks to 2.1 in regulation during their past six games. The Ducks are 30th in scoring at 2.2 goals a game. They also rank in the bottom-four in shots on goal and power play efficiency. The Kings are a top-12 defensive team. LA and Anaheim met once this season with the Ducks winning, 3-1, on the road Feb. 2.
03-08-21	Blues v. Sharks OVER 6		2-3	Loss	-105	18 h 37 m	Show
Only the Sharks could score six goals - and lose. That's what happened when these two teams last met on Feb. 27. St. Louis edged the Sharks, 7-6. Now I'm certainly not expecting a repeat of 13 goals to be scored. But it's not overly optimistic thinking to believe at least six goals will be produced. San Jose, after all, is the worst defensive team in the NHL giving up 3.9 goals per game. The Blues also didn't have prolific goal scorer Vladimir Tarasenko for that game. Tarasenko made his season debut this past Saturday against the Kings and looked good playing on the first power play unit, firing off four shots and logging 16:25 of ice time. St. Louis already is a top-10 scoring team even missing Tarasenko, who was recovering from a shoulder injury. The Blues have scored 3 or more goals in each of their last five games. San Jose has one of the least effective goalie tandems in Martin Jones and Devan Dubnyk. The Sharks, though, dominated and flustered Blues goalie Jordan Binnington in that crazy Feb. 27 game scoring four goals on 19 shots before Binnington was yanked. An irate Binnington charged three Sharks players on his way off the ice. Don't think the Sharks have forgotten about that. St. Louis is below average defensively. The Sharks have been hit or miss lately on offense, but they have scored 4 or more goals in four of their last seven games.
03-08-21	Senators v. Oilers -1.5		2-3	Loss	-100	12 h 43 m	Show
Edmonton is 4-0 versus Ottawa this season. The Oilers are in a good spot to make it 5-0. Obviously the oddsmaker agrees making the Oilers a massive favorite. I can't lay that price, but I can turn this into a plus price by getting involved with Edmonton on the puck line. The Oilers beat the Senators by multiple goals in three of their four games. The Oilers draw the Senators after Ottawa just upset the Flames on the road, 4-3, in a shootout Sunday night. The Senators got away with being whistled for 10 penalties. It was just Ottawa's 15th away victory in its last 67 road contests. NHL points leader Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who ranks third in the league in points, are in line for huge performances. The Senators have the worst defense in the league surrendering 3.9 goals per game. The Senators are likely to start third-string goalie Joey Daccord, too. Matt Murray played last night and backup Marcus Hogberg is on injured reserve.
03-07-21	Senators v. Flames OVER 6		4-3	Win	100	11 h 32 m	Show
Calgary is coming off a 3-2 loss to Edmonton on Saturday. The Flames fired 36 shots on goal and had a season-high 40 hits in the game. If the Flames play like that against the Senators, they should light up the scoreboard. Ottawa gives up the most goals in the NHL at 3.8 per game. The Senators also are the third-worst at killing off penalties. Goalie Matt Murray has thus far been a huge disappointment for Ottawa. Ottawa has been idle the past two days. The Senators have fresh legs and should come after the Flames, who have given up 3 or more goals in each of their last five games. The Senators have scored at least 3 goals during eight of their past 10 games. Before falling to the Oilers last night, the Flames had played the Senators four straight games. In those games, there were 7, 9, 6 and 10 combined goals scored.
03-06-21	Blues v. Kings UNDER 5.5		3-4	Loss	-111	12 h 20 m	Show
The Blues and Kings have met three times since Feb. 22. The scores of those games were 3-0, 2-1 and 3-2 in overtime last night with the Blues winning. St. Louis won Friday's game with backup Ville Husso in net. So the pattern is set. The Blues have to play more conservative due to their multiple injuries, while the Kings stick to their tight in the neutral zone game plan looking to win a low-scoring game. It worked for the Kings in their 3-0 and 2-1 victories against the Blues during the past 12 days so they have no reason to change. We're expected to get both team's "A" goalies, too. Jordan Binnington has a .918 saves percentage against the Kings this season, while LA netminder Jonathan Quick is a dominant 2-0 with a 1.51 GAA and .952 save percentage versus St. Louis this season.
03-06-21	Wild v. Coyotes +136		2-5	Win	136	10 h 53 m	Show
Arizona outshot and outhit Minnesota during their home game on Friday night. You wouldn't know that by the score, though. The Wild embarrassed the Coyotes, 5-1, leaving Arizona coach Rick Tocchet fuming. Tocchet ripped a bunch of his best players following the game, although he didn't name names. Still, the message got across. So I'm going to get behind the home 'dog Coyotes in this spot. Arizona's record hasn't been very good this season. Keep in mind, though, teams have played funny schedules because of the pandemic. The Coyotes, for instance, have met the Golden Knights and Blues 11 times already. That has been 48 percent of their games. Las Vegas and St. Louis rank first and second, respectively, for most points in the eight-team West Division that features the Wild and Coyotes.
03-06-21	Jets v. Canadiens OVER 5.5		1-7	Win	100	4 h 20 m	Show
The teams just met two days ago and there were seven goals scored in the Jets' 4-3 overtime victory. It was the 10th time in the last 14 meetings between the two teams that the Over has cashed. If you take out a 4-0 loss to the Canucks, the Jets are averaging 4.2 goals in their last five games. Winnipeg is the third-highest scoring team in the NHL averaging 3.4 goals per game. The Canadiens rank seventh in scoring, averaging 3.2 goals. Montreal has scored 3 or more goals in four of its last five games.
03-06-21	Panthers v. Predators +126		6-2	Loss	-100	6 h 49 m	Show
The Predators have been disappointing this season. But I see them playing with a great deal of urgency in this rapid revenge scenario. Florida built up 3-goal leads twice against the Predators this past Thursday and had to hang on to win, 5-4. Following this matchup, the Panthers travel to Carolina for a Sunday game against the Hurricanes. Carolina nipped the Panthers, once in overtime and once in a shootout, before Florida beat Nashville two days ago. The Panthers could get caught looking ahead to that double revenge game against the Hurricanes on Sunday, while the Predators have their own revenge spot right here. Nashville has been looking better lately winning four of its last seven games, while the Panthers are 3-4 in their last seven games.
03-05-21	Golden Knights v. Sharks OVER 6		5-4	Win	100	12 h 10 m	Show
Anytime I see a total of 6 or lower on a Sharks game my immediate lean is to the Over. That's the case here. The Golden Knights rank 13th in scoring averaging 3.1 goals a game. They have four good lines to keep the pressure on the Sharks, who are the worst defensive team in the NHL giving up 3.8 goals a game. San Jose has surrendered at least 3 goals in 16 of its 20 games this season. The Sharks have permitted 4 or more goals in half of their games. The Sharks are capable on offense. They were averaging 4.7 goals in their last four games until getting shut out, 4-0, at home by Colorado two days ao. The Sharks would like to atone for getting blanked with a big offensive performance. This has become a fierce rivalry. These teams dislike each other very much. So running up a score could happen if one team breaks out to a big lead.
03-05-21	Lightning -1.5 v. Blackhawks		3-4	Loss	-100	10 h 43 m	Show
The Blackhawks are at least two levels, if not three levels, behind the defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning. The Blackhawks, though, played a spirited game on Thursday giving the Lightning all they could handle before falling, 3-2, when Tampa Bay scored with one second left in overtime. The Blackhawks blew a 2-0 second period lead. Tampa Bay should be more prepared this time around while the Blackhawks could be mentally down playing right away again without rest. The Lightning have defeated Chicago now five straight times on the road. The Lightning are 43-16 (73 percent) the past 59 times following a victory. Andrei Vasilevskiy has been the best goalie in hockey this season. He could get the call again. If not I'm fine with Tampa Bay backup goalie Curtis McElhinney. Likewise, Chicago could turn to backup goalie Malcolm Subban since this is a back-to-back spot. Subban surrendered five goals to the offensively-challenged Red Wings in his last start six days ago.
03-04-21	Senators v. Flames -1.5		3-7	Win	130	15 h 31 m	Show
Calgary has been idle since returning home from three games at Ottawa. The Flames went 1-2 in those games with the last occurring in a 5-1 loss this past Monday. I want the rested Flames going for me in this revenge spot especially now they're getting back forward Derek Ryan and starting goalie Jacob Markstrom. The latest loss to Ottawa put Flames coach Geoff Ward's job in jeopardy. So I believe the Flames are primed for a big effort. This will be the Senators' third game in four days. They are 0-6 the past six times in this type of situation. They also have lost 10 of the past 13 times in Calgary. Ottawa has been a terrible road team losing 51 of their last 65 away contests.
03-04-21	Red Wings +1.5 v. Hurricanes		2-5	Loss	-100	12 h 30 m	Show
OK, at even money plus 1 1/2 goals I can get involved with the Red Wings given this anti-Carolina situational spot. The Hurricanes just concluded a five-game road trip this past Tuesday night. They are riding a three-game win streak. This is their first home game since Feb. 22. It's easy for the Hurricanes to suffer a concentration lapse and letdown with the Red Wings as their opponent. Carolina also is carrying a high fatigue rating. The Hurricanes will be playing their sixth game in nine days. The teams split two games in Detroit to open the season in January. Most of this handicap is a fade on Carolina, but the Red Wings would be 8-5 in their last 13 games if getting 1 1/2 goals, while the Hurricanes would be 1-4 in their last five games if laying 1 1/2 goals.
03-04-21	Jets v. Canadiens OVER 5.5		4-3	Win	100	3 h 55 m	Show
I think anything less than six goals is too short of a total for this matchup. The Jets rank sixth in the NHL in scoring, while Montreal is the eighth-highest scoring team in the league. The teams met twice during the last week of February and the Jets averaged four goals per game in the two games. The Over has cashed in nine of the last 13 meetings between the two clubs.
03-03-21	Avalanche v. Sharks OVER 6		4-0	Loss	-101	9 h 1 m	Show
No surprise that there were eight goals scored when these teams met two days ago in San Jose with the Sharks winning, 6-2. The Over is 12-2-1 the last 15 times the Avalanche have played in San Jose. The Sharks have tallied 19 goals in their last four games. Colorado has permitted an average of 4 goals during their past four games. The Avalanche are without key defenseman Cale Makar. The Avalanche have some dynamic scorers led by Nathan MacKinnon. San Jose is last in the NHL on defense surrendering 3.8 goals a game.
03-02-21	Canucks v. Jets -129		2-5	Win	100	15 h 35 m	Show
Jets minus $1.32 hosting Canucks The Jets are the superior team and I see them getting it done at home after being blanked, 4-0, in Winnipeg by the Canucks on Monday night. Winnipeg had won four in a row - two against the Canucks - until losing last night. The Jets seemed overconfident, perhaps because of that win streak, as they fell behind 3-0 in the first period. Winnipeg came back to fire 15 shots on goal in the third period, but the game had been decided by then. If the Jets come out with more urgency - which they should do in this rapid revenge spot - they should be fine. Vancouver is 3-8 in its last 11 road games. The Canucks were 1-9 at Winnipeg before last night's game. The Jets take to the road for 12 of their next 14 games following this matchup. So they can't afford not to pick up two points with a home win here. The Canucks return to Vancouver for five games following this one so their concentration might not be at peak efficiency.
03-01-21	Avalanche v. Sharks OVER 6		2-6	Win	100	16 h 42 m	Show
I don't want to overreact to the Sharks' last game, a 7-6 home loss to the Blues this past Saturday. But it's hard not to. Only the Sharks could score six goals - and lose in regulation. San Jose has 13 goals in its last three games and only one victory to show for that. It's because the Sharks have the worst defense in the NHL. They have permitted 3 or more goals in 15 of their 18 games this season. Colorado is giving up an average of 3.2 goals during its last four games. So it's not difficult envisioning each team giving up three goals apiece. That actually would be an improvement for the Sharks since they give up 3.9 goals per game. The Over is 11-2-1 the last 14 times these teams have played each other in San Jose.
02-28-21	Red Wings v. Blackhawks -159		2-7	Win	100	11 h 46 m	Show
A few things about the Red Wings' 5-3 upset road win against the Blackhawks on Saturday: The Red Wings scored their first power play goal in 15 games. Not only do the Red Wings have the worst power play in the NHL, but they also are the worst at killing penalties. Chicago had just one power play opportunity. It was Detroit's second consecutive victory. The Red Wings have not won three in a row all season. The Blackhawks played their backup goalie, Malcolm Subban. He isn't very good. Chicago's starting goalie, Kevin Lankinen, is a rookie-of-the-year candidate. The Red Wings played without their most dynamic offensive player Dylan Larkin. He's out again today. Tyler Bertuzzi also remains sidelined for Detroit so the Red Wings are without two-thirds of their top line. Detroit ranks 30th in scoring averaging two goals a game. Even with that victory, Detroit is 12-45 in its last 57 road games. It was the first time in five tries this season the Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks. They are 2-8 in their past 10 games versus Chicago. Despite the loss, the Blackhawks have won eight of their last 11 games. So, yes, I want the Blackhawks going for me here.
02-25-21	Canadiens -120 v. Jets		3-6	Loss	-120	7 h 51 m	Show
This will be Montreal's first game under new coach Dominique Ducharme after Claude Julien was fired after the Canadiens lost a second straight one-goal game to the Senators two days ago. I'm expecting a lot of energy from the Canadiens to mark the event. Winnipeg last played at home back on Feb. 13. The Jets haven't scored more than three goals in regulation during nine of their last 10 games. Montreal averages 3.4 goals a game, seventh-best in the league. The Canadiens rank No. 1 in shots on goal.
02-25-21	Blackhawks v. Blue Jackets -122		2-0	Loss	-122	6 h 54 m	Show
I want the Blue Jackets going for me in this short revenge spot. Columbus came back from a late 5-3 deficit against Chicago two days ago, but lost 6-5 in a shootout. It was just the Blackhawks' third win in 14 tries as a road 'dog. The Blue Jackets' defense should be improved with Michael Del Zotto back in the lineup after missing Tuesday's game with an injury. The Blackhawks are going with backup Malcolm Subban in goal. That's another plus for Columbus.
02-25-21	Devils -107 v. Sabres		4-3	Win	100	6 h 49 m	Show
Twice within the last six days Buffalo defeated New Jersey on the road. Yet the Devils are favored at Buffalo in this one. What does that tell you? It tells me the oddsmaker regards the Devils in higher esteem than the Sabres. New Jersey has quick double revenge and catches the Sabres playing their first game in Buffalo since Feb. 16. The Sabres are 0-3 in their last three home games, outscored by seven goals during these losses. They also are 0-5 the past five times as a home 'dog.
02-23-21	Blackhawks v. Blue Jackets -115		6-5	Loss	-115	6 h 6 m	Show
The price is low enough to back the Blue Jackets against the Blackhawks, who have lost 18 of the last 24 times they've been a road 'dog. Chicago has fattened its record by going 4-0 against the hapless Red Wings. Columbus coach John Tortorella ripped his team following a 4-2 home loss to Nashville this past Saturday. The Blue Jackets haven't played since. They should be raring to go. Rookie goalie Kevin Lankinen has been a revelation for the Blackhawks with a 2.42 GAA and .927 save percentage. I'm expecting some regression, though. The Blackhawks aren't good defensively and they have a lot of youth. Lankinen has given up five or more goals in two of his last four games. Columbus has scored at least three goals in seven of its last nine games.
02-22-21	Wild v. Sharks +133		6-2	Loss	-100	12 h 51 m	Show
I'm not buying the Sharks as a home 'dog to the Wild just because Minnesota has won two in a row. Those two victories happen to come against the Ducks, who have the worst offense in the NHL. Minnesota is getting healthier. But the Wild are not at full strength and their players haven't had nearly enough playing time together to be fully in sync yet. Until defeating Anaheim, 5-1, this past Saturday the Wild were averaging 1.5 goals during their last four games. The Sharks are 2-1 in their last three games, coming off a confidence-building, 5-4, road win against the Blues from Saturday night. This is just San Jose's third home game of the season. The Sharks have played a tough schedule drawing the Blues, Avalanche and Golden Knights for seven of their 16 games. This mark's Minnesota's fourth game in seven days. The teams split a two-game series in Minnesota earlier this season. The Sharks have defeated the Wild in six of the past eight meetings.
02-21-21	Flyers v. Bruins UNDER 5.5	Top	3-7	Loss	-110	16 h 27 m	Show
Colorado defeated Las Vegas, 3-2, on Saturday. I mention this because that game holds importance to this matchup and is a reason why I like the Under. The Avalanche-Golden Knights game was played outdoors on a golf course in Stateline, Nev., which is near Lake Tahoe. That game started during the day and had to resume at night after around an eight-hour delay. The reason for this was melting snow causing bad ice conditions as there were no clouds and unseasonably warm temperatures. Players had trouble with their balance and were falling down. There was one goal scored in the first period. The Flyers and Bruins will meet in this same venue with similar weather conditions. Realizing this, the NHL moved the start time back from late morning West Coast time until 4:30 p.m. West Coast time. So there still should be sun and daylight for at least the first period. This is going to make the ice more sticky and slower than normal compared to indoor rinks, which the players are used to. Note, too, the site of this game is in high altitude up in the mountains so attacking players are likely to run out of breath sooner. Philadelphia is missing much of its offense with Claude Giroux, Travis Konecny, Jakub Voracek, Oskar Lindblom and Scott Laughton all out because of COVID-19 protocols. The short-handed Flyers have managed just nine goals in their last four games, an average of 2.2 goals per game during this span. The Bruins should play with great intensity having lost their last two games. They've scored just 10 goals in their past five games, an average of 2.0 goals a game. Boston will be minus David Krejci, its second-best center. He suffered a lower-body injury in Boston's last game.
02-20-21	Wild v. Ducks UNDER 5.5		5-1	Loss	-125	13 h 37 m	Show
As long as the oddsmaker keeps putting up a 5 1/2 total on this matchup, I'm going to keep going Under. That was the case when the teams met two days ago with Minnesota winning, 3-1. The Ducks are the lowest-scoring team in the NHL averaging fewer than two goals per game. They rank in the bottom-three, too, in shots and power play. The Ducks held a 5-3 two-man advantage against the Wild on Thursday and their power play unit not only didn't score, but didn't get off a shot during this time frame. The Wild are a below average offensive team ranking 23rd in scoring. They have the league's third-worst power play unit. Minnesota is an average defensive team, which is enough to stop the punchless Ducks especially with defenseman Jared Spurgeon back in the lineup from an upper-body injury. He played well in Thursday's game. The Under is 12-3-1 in the Ducks' last 16 games.
02-20-21	Lightning -145 v. Hurricanes		0-4	Loss	-145	7 h 39 m	Show
The combination of the price on the Lightning dropping and the Hurricanes announcing they will be starting third-string goalie Alex Nedeljkovic is enough to push me into laying this price with Tampa Bay. The Lightning have been idle since Monday when they were upset at home by the Panthers, 6-4. Tampa Bay is anxious to atone for that defeat. The defending Stanley Cup champions are averaging 4.3 goals in their last nine games and have star Steven Stamkos back in their lineup. Nedeljkovic has a 3.23 goals against average and an .886 save percentage. Carolina is playing for the third time in four days and second in two days. The Hurricanes defeated the Blackhawks, 5-3, on Friday. Tampa Bay has won 68 percent of his last 103 road contests.
02-20-21	Lightning v. Hurricanes OVER 6		0-4	Loss	-123	5 h 54 m	Show
Tampa Bay is averaging 4.3 goals in its last nine games. The Lightning are the No. 1 scoring team in the NHL and will be facing Carolina's third-string goalie Alex Needlijkovic. The Lightning should have fresh legs having last played on Monday. Carolina has scored four or more goals in nine of its last 11 games. That's boosted the Hurricanes into being the league's No. 3 scoring team. However, the Hurricanes also have allowed at least three goals in each of their past 10 games. So it's not difficult envisioning more than six goals being scored.
02-18-21	Wild v. Ducks UNDER 5.5		3-1	Win	100	13 h 3 m	Show
My first look is to the Under when the Ducks are involved especially when the total is above 5. That's the case here. The Ducks are last in scoring at a puny 1.9 goals per game. They rank in the bottom three in shots and power play. However, they have the eighth-best defense and fourth-best penalty killing unit. It's a big reason why the Under is 11-3-1 in the Ducks' last 15 games. Minnesota played for the first time in two weeks this past Tuesday and looked out of sync in a 4-0 loss to the Kings. The Wild still have multiple players in COVID-19 protocol. They lacked chemistry against the Kings. Minnesota has scored only five goals in regulation during its last four games. The Wild are below average on offense with the league's worst power play. They are an average defensive club. So I find it difficult envisioning these two teams reaching six goals in this game.
02-18-21	Sharks v. Blues OVER 5.5		2-3	Loss	-135	11 h 24 m	Show
After playing seven consecutive games against Arizona, the Blues drop down in defensive class and get the Sharks. San Jose ranks 29th defensively giving up 3.7 goals per game. The Sharks have permitted three or more goals in 11 of their 14 games this season. The Blues rank seventh in scoring at 3.4 goals a game. However, their defense has been disappointing ranking 20th allowing 3.1 goals a game. St. Louis ranks in the bottom-five in penalty killing. The Over has won in five of the Blues' last six home games. The Sharks have been down defensemen Erik Karlsson and Radim Simek. Karlsson has been a huge disappointment this season. The Sharks are better off now with star defenseman Brent Burns running point on their power play than Karlsson.
02-18-21	Predators v. Blue Jackets -123		0-3	Win	100	10 h 44 m	Show
Nashville is 0-7 the last seven times it has been an underdog. The Predators are a 'dog here. They catch a frustrated and angry Blue Jackets squad. Columbus has gotten better since dropping its first two games of the season - to the Predators. The Blue Jackets are 5-5 in their last 10 games, but off an embarrassing, 7-3, road loss to the Hurricanes this past Monday. Columbus is anxious to put that defeat behind it and also has double revenge against Nashville. The Predators have gone 4-9 since sweeping the Blue Jackets. Aside from Flip Forsberg, the Predators have no scoring threats. They have scored two or fewer goals in five of their last seven games and now rank 29th in the league in scoring at 2.3 goals a game. The Blue Jackets have scored three or more goals in all but one of their last seven games. Nashville hasn't had a chance to get its offense on track either having been idle since Saturday. The Predators were supposed to play two games against the Stars in Dallas, but those were postponed due to bad weather and power outages.
02-17-21	Jets v. Oilers UNDER 6.5	Top	2-3	Win	100	16 h 25 m	Show
The Jets edged the Oilers, 6-5, in a wild offensive showing this past Monday. Neither coach nor players from both teams were happy about that. So I'm expecting far better defensive performances, conservative game plans and more sustained checking. Winnipeg is a top-10 defensive team. Prior to Monday's matchup against the Oilers, the Jets had surrendered just nine goals in their last five games. Edmonton has yielded just three goals in its last three games previous to the Jets' game of two days ago.
02-17-21	Blackhawks v. Red Wings +120		2-0	Loss	-100	14 h 52 m	Show
The Blackhawks are the better team, but not that much better. Chicago was extremely fortunate to nip the Red Wings, 3-2 in overtime, this past Monday. Chicago is 3-0 versus Detroit this season. The Red Wings are improving, though, especially defensively. They have allowed just 2.1 goals per game in regulation during their past six games. The Blackhawks are 5-1 in their last six games. They could easily be 1-5 in those games having won four of those matchups in overtime and the fifth by two goals scoring an empty-net goal in the final minute. Just one goal determined the winner in nine of the Blackhawks' last 11 games. The other two games were decided by two goals with one occurring on an empty net goal in the final minute. This is a triple-revenge spot for the Red Wings. They outplayed the Blackhawks in their last game two days ago. I look for Chicago's luck to run out this time.
02-16-21	Wild v. Kings +123	Top	0-4	Win	123	16 h 34 m	Show
If there's a non-West Coast team the Kings most would like to beat it probably is Minnesota. The Wild beat the Kings twice in heart-breaking fashion earlier this season in LA winning both, 4-3, in overtime. The teams then met twice in Minneapolis in late January. The Kings got a split in that series. Now the Kings have a golden opportunity to gain a measure of revenge from those two earlier home defeats to the Wild. LA should be ready and energized, having last played on Thursday. That's nothing compared to the Wild, though. Minnesota has been out of action for the past two weeks due to COVID-19. The Wild are going to be without many of their regular players. The list of those who are include goalie Cam Talbot, defensemen Ian Cole, Jonas Brodin, Brad Hunt and Carson Souch. Forwards Nick Bonino, Victor Rask and Nico Sturm also are out. So the Wild will be rusty and short-handed. Minnesota has managed just one goal in three of its last five games. The Kings have suffered a lot of close losses this season, but they are capable, having won games against the Blues and Avalanche.
02-16-21	Capitals v. Penguins OVER 6.5		3-1	Loss	-109	6 h 31 m	Show
These teams have gone Over the past seven times they've met with the latest being this past Sunday when the Penguins won, 6-3. Nothing has changed. Same mediocre goalies, same Capitals defense that ranks last in the NHL, same Penguins attack that has produced 13 goals the past three games. Neither team plays it safe. Attack is constant, one of many reasons to believe each team is good for at least three goals apiece. The Capitals have scored three or more goals in 10 of their last 11 games. They are No. 2 in scoring per game and have the league's best power play percentage. The Penguins' top line of Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust ripped the Capitals for four goals and eight points in Sunday's game. They are primed to have another huge performance against a defense giving up 3.8 goals per game.
02-15-21	Flames v. Canucks +115		4-3	Loss	-100	16 h 1 m	Show
The Canucks ended their six-game losing streak with a 3-1 win against the Flames two days ago. It was the Canucks' best game of the season and the close score was not indicative of how much Vancouver dominated. The Canucks outshot the Flames, 43-18. I see the Canucks riding the momentum of that victory to beat the Flames again at home. Vancouver must build on this win if it hopes to have any playoff chance. The Canucks have won four of their past five home games. Calgary is likely to be without Mikael Backlund, who suffered a lower-body injury in Saturday's game. Backlund is the Flames' fifth-leading scorer and leaves the team thin at center.
02-15-21	Jets +123 v. Oilers		6-5	Win	123	15 h 10 m	Show
Edmonton is due for regression. The Oilers have played the Senators in four of their last six games, beating Ottawa all four times. The Senators have the fewest points in the NHL. The Jets and Oilers split two games in Winnipeg earlier this season. The Jets outshot and outscored the Oilers in that series. Edmonton is 4-4 at home. The Oilers last played on Thursday when they beat Montreal, 3-0. Being idle for a full three days at this juncture of the season is too long and can take a hot team out of their rhythm. The Oilers may be fat, rusty and happy. Not so with Winnipeg. The Jets fell to the lowly Senators, 2-1, this past Saturday giving up the winning goal with nine seconds left on a stupid turnover deep in their own end. The Jets are anxious to put that embarrassment behind them. They have defeated the Oilers in eight of the past 11 meetings, including four of the last five times in Edmonton.
02-15-21	Islanders -140 v. Sabres	Top	3-1	Win	100	14 h 30 m	Show
The Islanders have picked up their game going 3-1 in their last four games with the lone loss during this span coming in a shootout loss to the Penguins following a late Pittsburgh goal in regulation. The Islanders have their confidence back up after upsetting the Bruins in their last game, 4-2, this past Saturday. Because of COVID-19, the Sabres have yet to play this month. Buffalo finally is back in action, but will be without defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen, Jake McCabe and Brandon Montour along with forwards Dylan Cozens and Tobias Rieder. All are in COVID protocols. The Sabres have a losing home record. They entered their long layoff having allowed at least three goals in five of their last six games. The Islanders have dominated this series winning eight of the past 10 times.
02-14-21	Capitals v. Penguins OVER 6.5		3-6	Win	100	7 h 53 m	Show
Both teams know no lead is safe especially in this matchup. That may be a trite cliche, but it fits the handicap here. The Penguins are an aggressive, risk-taking team. They don't play things safe. Neither do the Capitals, who relentlessly attack no matter how many goals they may be down. The Penguins have reason to stay on the attack: They rank last defensively giving up 3.7 goals a game. The Penguins are a bottom-four penalty killing team that has failed to adequately replace Matt Murray in net. There have been seven or more goals scored in eight of Pittsburgh's last 11 games. Washington is the fifth-highest scoring team in the NHL with the No. 1 power play in the league. The Capitals have scored three or more goals in nine of their past 10 games. The Capitals, however, rank 28th on defense permitting 3.6 goals a game. They've given up 16 goals in their past three games. Each team should have plenty of energy. The Capitals have been idle for the past week due to COVID-19. They are finally up to full strength. The Penguins last played on Thursday. This marks just their third game in nine days. There's also an Over history here as each of the past six meetings have gone above the total.
02-13-21	Hurricanes v. Stars OVER 5.5		4-3	Win	105	12 h 28 m	Show
The teams just played one another two days ago. There were 69 shots on goal and eight goals scored with Carolina winning, 5-3. The Hurricanes are the ninth-highest scoring team and rank third in the league in shots on goal. Carolina is averaging 4.1 goals in its last seven games. The Stars are the 11th-highest scoring team in the NHL with the league's fifth-best power play percentage. Another reason I favor at least six goals being scored is the goalie situations. The Hurricanes are going with veteran James Reimer as Petr Mrazek is out indefinitely with a thumb injury. I expect Reimer to get worse and worse the longer he has to keep playing. Meanwhile 34-year-old former backup goalie Anton Khudobin is off to a slow start for Dallas giving indications that his stellar playoff performances from last season may have been a fluke. Opponents have scored 17 goals the past four games Khuodbin has been in goal. The Hurricanes have scored 13 goals in the three games they've faced Khudobin this season.
02-13-21	Bruins v. Islanders +122		2-4	Win	122	12 h 55 m	Show
The Bruins are good. But they've also been lucky. They've won their past four games all by a single goal, including nipping the Rangers, 1-0, on Friday. This marks the end of Boston's seven-game road trip. It's the Bruins' third game in four days and first time this season they are playing without rest. Boston was 1-4 in that role the past five times last season. The Islanders are the Islanders. They remain a tough out. They are well-coached and strong defensively ranking sixth. The Bruins have first-hand evidence of that losing to the Islanders, 1-0, in the team's initial meeting this season on Jan. 18. The Islanders should be in a foul mood after blowing a lead with 30 seconds left in regulation this past Thursday, which cost them a 4-3 shootout home loss to the Penguins.
02-13-21	Golden Knights v. Sharks OVER 6		3-1	Loss	-125	10 h 32 m	Show
The Sharks have some decent scorers and attacking defensemen. They also have a porous defense and are terrible in net. The result has been 67 percent of their games have gone Over this season. I see another Over in this matchup. It's the Sharks' first home game of the season - and they draw Las Vegas. This already has become a heated rivalry. A lot of penalties, both teams going all out and the possibility of running up a score would not surprise me in this matchup. Despite being shut out 1-0 by the Ducks in their last game this past Thursday, the Golden Knights rank No. 2 in the NHL in scoring at 3.7 goals. Until that defeat, the Golden Knights had scored 4 or more goals in each of their last four games. The Sharks rank 28th defensively. They've permitted 3 or more goals in seven of their last eight games. Goalie Martin Jones has been horrendous this season. He's likely to be in net again for the Sharks because backup Devan Dubnyk is dealing with a lower-body injury.
02-12-21	Blues -135 v. Coyotes		4-1	Win	100	19 h 45 m	Show
The Blues were mid-sized to heavy home favorites in each of their last three games - all of which came against the Coyotes. Arizona defeated St. Louis in each of those contests, winning those matchups by a combined four goals. The latest occurred this past Monday with Arizona nipping St. Louis, 4-3, in a shootout. Now, four days later, the two teams meet in Arizona. Nothing has changed my viewpoint that the Blues are the better team. St. Louis dominated 5-on-5 action this past Monday outshooting Arizona, 43-26, while recording 21 hits showing its effective physical style of play. So what's been the problem for the Blues? Special teams. St. Louis was 1-for-12 in power play chances the past three games, while Arizona scored on four of 13 power play opportunities during this span. The Blues have had three days to work out their special teams issues. They have beaten the Coyotes 10 of the last 13 times in Arizona and are 6-1 the last seven times they were road chalk.
02-11-21	Flames v. Canucks +132		3-1	Loss	-100	14 h 60 m	Show
Saddled with a five-game losing streak and last in the league defensively, Vancouver is getting no respect. This is a huge game, though, for the Canucks and they are back home after six consecutive road games. They've been idle since Monday. Calgary is slightly below average both offensively and defensively. The Flames have a losing record in their last nine games. They also are 2-4 on the road, while the Canucks are 4-2 at home. Vancouver has double-revenge having lost in mid-January to the Flames, 3-0 and 5-2. Both of those games were in Calgary. The Canucks have firepower. The key for them is defensive improvement. I believe that will happen here. During their current losing streak the Canucks played the Jets, Canadiens and Maple Leafs. Winnipeg ranks ninth in scoring, Montreal is the highest scoring team in the NHL and Toronto has scored the fourth-most goals. Now the Canucks are dropping down in class. The season has gone on long enough where the Canucks' many new faces are more acclimated. This is their spot.
02-10-21	Bruins v. Rangers OVER 5.5		3-2	Loss	-112	16 h 29 m	Show
The Bruins have scored three or more goals in six of their last seven games. Their offense has become more deadly with the return of star David Pastrnak, who has scored five goals and eight points in four games. Boston should have plenty of energy and fresh legs, too, having been idle since Friday. I'm not sold either on the Rangers' goalies. The Rangers are off a 2-0 home loss to the Islanders. The players talked about stressing offense following that loss. Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov played very well in that game stopping several breakaway shots. Prior to their 2-0 defeat to the Islanders, the Rangers had averaged 3.5 goals in their past four games. The Over has cashed in six of the Bruins' last seven visits to the Rangers.
02-09-21	Sharks v. Kings OVER 5.5	Top	4-3	Win	100	14 h 36 m	Show
The Sharks averaged 3 goals per game in their last two games both against the Ducks, who have the eighth-best defense in the NHL. Now the Sharks drop down in class to face the Kings, who rank 26th defensively and allow the fifth-most shots on goal. LA has permitted at least 3 goals in nine of its 11 games. Not helping matters for the Kings is they are shorthanded on the blue line with injuries to Matt Roy and Sean Walker. The Kings, though, should do damage against a weak San Jose State defense that has allowed at least 3 goals in eight of its 10 games. The Sharks rank 28th defensively and 29th in shots allowed. Neither team gets very good goaltending either.
02-09-21	Lightning -160 v. Predators		6-1	Win	100	10 h 47 m	Show
There's a clear class difference here. It was shown when the two teams met yesterday and Tampa Bay won by three goals despite going with its backup goalie. Now Andrei Vasilevskiy, who I would argue is the best goalie in hockey, will be back in net. The Lightning are 7-1-1 with Vasilevskiy in goal. He has a 1.88 GAA and a .931 save percentage. Tampa Bay hasn't allowed more than two goals in seven of his nine starts. While the Lightning are already in peak form, the Predators are having a down season going 3-7 in their last 10 games. If you discount a 6-5 overtime victory against the Panthers, the Predators have scored just 14 goals in regulation during their last nine games. Tampa Bay ranks fourth in scoring at 3.6 goals per game.
02-09-21	Red Wings +1.5 v. Panthers		1-2	Win	100	8 h 16 m	Show
The record hadn't reflected it until this past Sunday, but the Red Wings have been making progress. They finally halted an eight-game winless streak by defeating Florida, 4-1, on the road this past Sunday. Detroit's reward? The Red Wings are monster underdogs to the Panthers. Florida should not be this high of a favorite against any team. I'm going to take advantage of what I consider a mispriced line to lay small extra juice on the puck line in order to get the Red Wings at plus 1 1/2 goals. There has been just a one-goal difference in seven of Florida's last eight games. The only game that was decided by a single goal during this span was the Red Wings' three-goal Sunday victory. Note that if given 1 1/2 goals, the Red Wings would hold a winning record during their last 12 games.
02-08-21	Lightning -152 v. Predators		4-1	Win	100	14 h 40 m	Show
The defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning are out of the gates fast going 7-2. They've hosted Nashville twice this season going 2-0 winning by a combined four goals. Tampa Bay has proven itself on the road winning 68 percent of its last 99 away contests. The Predators are not playing well and just lost Ryan Johnson, the center on their top line, to an upper-body injury this past Thursday. Nashville is 3-6 in its last nine games after a split of its two-game series against Florida. The Predators were lucky not to have gotten swept by the Panthers. They were outshot, outhit and lost the faceoff battle by a considerable margin during that series. Tampa Bay is much the superior team. So laying this price doesn't bother me.
02-08-21	Hurricanes v. Blue Jackets +127		2-3	Win	127	13 h 50 m	Show
The Hurricanes ended a four-game losing streak in Columbus by nipping the Blue Jackets, 6-5, on Sunday. They were aided by a controversial goal. I don't see the Hurricanes being so fortunate in this rapid revenge spot for Columbus. The Blue Jackets' scoring is starting to pick up with Patrik Laine getting comfortable with his new team. Laine scored two goals on Sunday. This will be just his fifth game of the season. Carolina is likely going to have to go with third-stringer Alex Nedeljkovic in net for the first time this season. Starting goalie Petr Mrazek is out long-term and veteran backup James Reimer played yesterday and is in need of rest. The Blue Jackets are 5-2 versus Carolina in the past seven meetings despite Sunday's loss.
02-08-21	Islanders +100 v. Rangers		2-0	Win	100	13 h 42 m	Show
No great handicap here. I just believe the Islanders are the better and they are back on track after a 4-3 victory against the Penguins in their last game this past Saturday. The Rangers have started to play better. But I'm not sold on them, nor the consistency of their young goalie, Igor Shesterkin. He was in net during the team's first meeting this season, which the Islanders won, 4-0. The Islanders have defeated the Rangers 13 of the last 18 times on the road.
02-06-21	Oilers +113 v. Flames		4-6	Loss	-100	16 h 38 m	Show
The Oilers are playing much better than the Flames right now. Edmonton also is in the better situational spot having not played since Tuesday while Calgary is in action for the fourth time in six days. This also is the Flames' first home game since Jan. 26. This is an intense rivalry. Calgary, though, loses much of its home ice advantage because no fans are allowed in the stands. Edmonton is up to .500 having won three in a row. The Oilers have looked much better on their special teams. Calgary is below .500 on the season. The Flames haven't scored more than two goals in four of their last five games.
02-06-21	Sharks v. Ducks -114		1-2	Win	100	14 h 3 m	Show
The Ducks probably should have defeated the Sharks on Friday night. They blew a 3-1 lead and lost in a shootout. Anaheim outshot San Jose, 37-30. I don't see the Ducks losing a second straight home game at Honda Center to San Jose in this second of consecutive games. The problem with backing the Ducks is their lack of offense They rank last in the NHL in scoring. However, the Ducks have scored a season-best seven goals during their last two games. They also are facing a porous Sharks defense that ranks second-to-last in the league giving up 3.9 goals per game. The Sharks haven't been good enough offensively to overcome their defensive problems ranking 27th in scoring. Anaheim ranks eighth defensively and has the sixth-best penalty killing unit. The Sharks have scored just one power play goal in 26 chances during their past six games.
02-06-21	Coyotes v. Blues -155		3-1	Loss	-155	9 h 55 m	Show
Arizona is not a good road team. But the Coyotes edged the Blues, 4-3, on Thursday. It was their first away victory of the season. I don't see the Coyotes making it two in a row and I'm willing to lay a higher price than normal to back St. Louis in this spot. The Blues had won four consecutive games until falling to the Coyotes. Arizona built a 3-0 lead and held on to win, 4-3. The Blues did not play a good game yet almost pulled out the victory. Following the game, Blues coach Craig Berube ripped his team. So I don't anticipate St. Louis to be flat again in this spot. The Blues have been the only NHL American-based team not to have a player go on the COVID protocol list. Even with that victory, Arizona is just 5-21 in its last 26 road contests.
02-05-21	Sharks +102 v. Ducks		5-4	Win	102	11 h 38 m	Show
The Sharks have played a tough schedule: Eight games all on the road. While the Sharks lost two games to the Avalanche, no shame in that given Colorado was at full strength then and San Jose carried a fatigue rating while playing back-to-back games in high altitude, they managed splits against the Coyotes, Blues and Wild. Due to COVID-19 issues, the Sharks haven't played during the last eight days. That was a needed break. So I'm expecting a strong effort from San Jose. The Sharks have won seven of the past nine times versus the Ducks in Anaheim. The Ducks are playing for the fourth time in seven days. They have the worst offense in the NHL. Anaheim has managed just eight goals in its last five games.
02-04-21	Predators v. Panthers -109		6-5	Loss	-109	8 h 42 m	Show
Florida is playing well. Nashville has yet to show anything on the road. So I'm going to ride the Panthers at a fair line value price. The Panthers are 5-0-1. All but one of their victories has been by one goal. So they've been fortunate. But they've also produced good numbers such as ranking seventh in scoring, seventh in defense and fourth in power play efficiency. Florida is the lone team left that has not lost in regulation. The Panthers also have been idle for the past three days. Nashville is 0-4 on the road. The Predators, in contrast to the Panthers, have bad numbers: 28th in scoring, 24th in scoring defense, 28th in power play efficiency and last in penalty kill efficiency.
02-04-21	Senators v. Canadiens -1.5		3-2	Loss	-114	8 h 39 m	Show
Montreal is tied for the most points in the NHL. Ottawa is the worst team in the NHL right now. But can the Canadiens beat the Senators by more than one goal? I'd be surprised if they didn't. The Canadiens are 7-2 in their last nine games. All of their victories during this nine-game span have been by multiple goals. They lead the NHL in scoring at 4.4 goals per game. The Senators have lost by multiple goals in each of their last seven games. This is their finale of a hellish seven-game road trip. it's their fifth game in nine days. So the Senators may not have anything left in the tank physically and mentally. Montreal has dominated Ottawa, too, going 12-1-2 versus the Senators dating back to the 2016-17 season.
02-04-21	Stars v. Blue Jackets +110		3-4	Win	110	8 h 37 m	Show
Until losing to the Stars, 6-3, this past Tuesday, the Blue Jackets had beaten Dallas eight straight times. Dallas had dropped five in a row in Columbus until achieving that win. That game marked Patrik Laine's much-anticipated Columbus debut - and it was a flop. The Blue Jackets stunk and Laine had trouble adjusting to his new team and was rusty having not played since Jan. 14. Laine should have his legs under him and be more comfortable this time around. The Blue Jackets have revenge and history going for them. The Stars have been playing well, but I don't see them keeping this pace up especially 36-year-old Joe Pavelski. He's fifth in the NHL in points. He's averaging two points a game. The only other person at that elite level is Connor McDavid.
02-02-21	Ducks v. Kings -113		3-1	Loss	-113	11 h 37 m	Show
The Ducks average 1.6 goals. That's last in the NHL. They are off two home games versus the Blues where they were outscored, 10-2. Oh, yes, this also is the Ducks' fourth game in six days. By contrast, the Kings are well rested. They last played on Thursday. The Kings are 3-2 in their last five games with victories against the Blues, Avalanche and Wild during this span. The Kings are the better team, home and in the better spot. So this short price is worth laying.
02-01-21	Bruins -135 v. Capitals	Top	5-3	Win	100	13 h 56 m	Show
Despite being short-handed due to injuries and COVID-19 issues, the Capitals have managed to go 6-3. The Capitals' first eight games were two against the Penguins early in the season when Pittsburgh was struggling, four games against the Sabres, who have a losing record, and two games against the 3-6 Islanders. Finally the Capitals stepped up in class this past Saturday. They nipped the Bruins, 4-3, in overtime. I don't see the Capitals doing it again in this Boston revenge spot. The Bruins scored three of the last four goals. They outshot Washington, 43-23. It was clear to me the Bruins were the better team. Alex Ovehckin did return after missing four games due to COVID-19 protocols. But the Bruins also got back their superstar, David Pastrnak. He played more than 20 minutes, while Ovechkin was limited to fewer than 15 minutes of ice time. The Capitals still could remain short-handed. Justin Schultz, Lars Eller, Evgeny Kuznetsov and starting goalie Ilya Samsonov are all day-to-day. Washington has lost 12 of the last 16 times following a victory. The Capitals are in action for the fifth time in nine days. All but one of their last seven games have been decided by one goal. So there has been a physical and mental toll on the Capitals. The Bruins are an elite team that should take advantage especially given the situation.
01-31-21	Blues v. Ducks +143		4-1	Loss	-100	8 h 30 m	Show
The Blues are riding high on their 2-0 road trip beating the Golden Knights in overtime this past Tuesday and then burying the Ducks, 6-1, scoring three goals within the first 2:06 of the game. Following this game, the Blues go home for four games against the Coyotes and Avalanche. Those are much tougher opponents than the Ducks. So it's a clear letdown and lookahead spot for St. Louis. It sets up an ambush situation for the home Ducks. I expect John Gibson to rebound from his worst game ever. Gibson had been playing great up until that contest. He didn't get a lot of help from his defense in that game. Even with that loss, the Ducks still rank sixth in defense. They also have the fourth-best penalty killing unit. Scoring is a major problem for Anaheim. The Ducks, though, should play extremely hard here and they have a strong defense. It's a bonus if the Blues decide to rest Jordan Binnington and go with their backup goalie.
01-31-21	Blues v. Ducks UNDER 5.5		4-1	Win	100	7 h 29 m	Show
The Ducks are 6-1-1 to the Under in their last eight games. It's easy to see why. They give up the sixth-fewest goals and score the fewest goals per game of any team. John Gibson was one of the hottest goalies in the league coming into Saturday's game against the Blues with a 1.87 GAA and a save percentage of .942. But Gibson had his worst performance of his career giving up three quick goals. He promptly was pulled. I expect Gibson to be back in goal and with a real chip on his shoulder. Same with the Ducks' defensemen who didn't play well either in Saturday's 6-1 loss to the Blues. Blues goalie Jordan Binnington is off to a hot start, too, for St. Louis. I'm fine going Under 5 1/2 even if Binnington is rested for this game. The Under has cashed seven of the last 10 times these teams have met.
01-31-21	Stars +111 v. Hurricanes		3-4	Loss	-100	4 h 27 m	Show
The Stars played their first road game of the season yesterday. It didn't go well. The Hurricanes beat them, 4-1. Dallas was outshot, 26-11. That was embarrassing. It also was a humiliation for Dallas goalie Anton Khuodobin, who had a rare bad game letting in four goals on 16 shots and getting pulled from the game. I want the Stars going for me in this rapid revenge spot. Dallas has won eight of the last 11 times as a road 'dog. The Hurricanes are playing short-handed due to COVID-19 issues. They probably also lost their starting goalie, Petr Mrazek. He was injured against the Stars and isn't likely to play here. Carolina's backup goalie is James Reimer, who I don't hold in high esteem
01-30-21	Avalanche v. Wild +140		5-1	Loss	-100	9 h 54 m	Show
I don't believe the Avalanche should be this big of a road favorite. Each team is 5-3. Colorado is 2-2 in its road games and has been outscored away from home. The Avalanche fattened up their statistics by sweeping two home games from the Sharks this past week. The Wild are 12-5 the last 17 times hosting Colorado.
01-30-21	Islanders +110 v. Flyers		2-3	Loss	-100	8 h 53 m	Show
The Islanders, with Barry Trotz cracking the whip, should feel a lot of urgency after blowing a 3-goal lead to the Capitals in a 6-3 loss this past Thursday. It was New York's third straight defeat. Perhaps the Islands overachieved last season, but they usually prove to be a tough out. They have won in five of their last seven visits to Philadelphia. The Flyers haven't played at home since Jan. 19. They come in fat and happy having just swept the Devils this past Tuesday and Thursday. The Flyers are far from at full strength with injuries to Sean Couturier, Morgan Frost and Phil Myers.
01-29-21	Blue Jackets v. Blackhawks +111		2-1	Loss	-100	19 h 22 m	Show
I'm not often looking to get involved with the Blackhawks in what is a clear rebuilding year for them. But taking a small plus price in this spot puts me on them. Columbus is coming off a 3-2 shootout victory against Florida on Thursday night. The Blue Jackets got revenge for a 4-3 shootout loss to the Panthers from Tuesday. This is their third game in four days and first road contest in 10 days. They are 1-3 on the road losing a pair to the Predators by multiple goals and splitting with the Red Wings, the worst team in hockey and a team that lost a pair of road games to the Blackhawks earlier this week by a combined seven goals. Chicago is 2-0 at home with the victories against Detroit. This is just the Blackhawks' third home game. They have shown improvement. Their last two games were 1-goal road losses to the Predators in overtime and in a shootout. The Blackhawks' young players are showing some potential and Chicago has found a goalie who has been looking good - Kevin Lankinen. He has a .931 save percentage. The Blackhawks are 10-2 the past 12 times hosting the Blue Jackets.
01-28-21	Sharks v. Avalanche OVER 6		0-3	Loss	-113	14 h 9 m	Show
San Jose can score. The Sharks have demonstrated that in producing at least three goals in five of their seven games. However, that's negated by the Sharks ranking 30th defensively allowing an average of four goals per game. The Sharks have permitted three or more goals in all but one of their seven games. Included in that is a 7-3 Colorado victory against San Jose at home two days ago. The Avalanche have scored 15 goals during their last two games. The Sharks are playing for the fourth time in seven days. They aren't helped playing again in Denver's high altitude. High altitude could be a reason why the Over has won seven of the past eight times in Colorado home games. This series has an Over bias, too, with the high side going 19-7-3 the last 29 times.
01-28-21	Islanders -132 v. Capitals		3-6	Loss	-132	12 h 55 m	Show
Much credit to the short-handed Capitals for pulling out a 3-2 victory against the Islanders on Tuesday scoring the game-winner with 26 seconds left. New York had won seven straight at Washington previous to that game. I'm looking for a bounce back from the Islanders, who blew a 2-1 second period lead against the Capitals. The Islanders' loss did not sit well with their coach, Barry Trotz. He formerly coached the Capitals and is one of the best coaches in the NHL. The Capitals managed to beat the usually well-disciplined Islanders despite missing Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuzntesov, Dmitry Orlov and starting goalie Ilya Samsonov. They are all on the COVID-19 protocol list. Enforcer Tom Wilson also missed the game with a lower-body injury. Then during the game, the Capitals lost forward Nicklas Backstrom. I'd be very surprised if the Capitals manage to beat the Islanders again without so many key players.
01-28-21	Panthers v. Blue Jackets -108		2-3	Win	100	12 h 53 m	Show
Scoring a game-tying goal with three seconds left, Florida went on to beat the Blue Jackets, 4-3 in a shootout, two days ago in Columbus. The Panthers outplayed the Blue Jackets and deserved to pull out that win. But I see the Blue Jackets getting their revenge here. They've defeated Florida 14 of the last 17 times at home even with that Tuesday defeat. Columbus may have suffered a letdown in that loss to the Panthers. The Blue Jackets had upset defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay by three goals in their previous game, which also was at home. This will be just the Panthers' fourth game. They are 3-0, but their first two victories occurred at home against the Blackhawks. Note, too, that Florida backup goalie Chris Driedger is expected to be in net.
01-27-21	Senators v. Canucks OVER 6.5		1-5	Loss	-100	17 h 23 m	Show
Well the oddsmaker wised up a little when it comes to these two teams. The opening totals number was 6 when the Senators and Canucks met two days ago. The Canucks won that game, 7-1, so now the total opens at 6 1/2 with juice to the Under. Until proven otherwise, I'm going to ride the Over with these two teams in their rematch today. These are the two worst defenses in the NHL. Ottawa surrenders 4.5 goals per game. Vancouver gives up 4.25 goals a game. The Canucks broke out of their scoring slump against the defenseless Senators. The Senators are promising changes. So what? They haven't stopped any team all season. There have been seven or more goals scored in four of Ottawa's six games. The Over is 7-1 in Vancouver's games this season. Until holding Ottawa to one goal, the Canucks had permitted at least three goals in every game. The Over has cashed in each of the last five games between these teams. I see no reason to change course especially since the total hasn't reached 7.
01-26-21	Sharks v. Avalanche -1.5		3-7	Win	113	17 h 37 m	Show
The last time the Avalanche were home they buried the Blues, 8-0. Now I don't expect Colorado to beat San Jose by eight goals, but I do believe the Avalanche will win this game by multiple goals. Colorado fell 3-1 on the road to the Ducks this past Sunday. That was a frustrating defeat for the Avalanche, who outshot Anaheim, 33-15, while running into hot goalie John Gibson. Now the Avalanche drop way down defensively in class hosting San Jose. The Sharks rank 27th defensively. This is their fourth game in six days so they have a heavy fatigue factor, which further erodes an already weak defense. San Jose has dropped eight of its 11 road contests even after upsetting Minnesota this past Sunday.
01-26-21	Islanders -129 v. Capitals	Top	2-3	Loss	-129	15 h 43 m	Show
Surprised the Islanders are a mid-sized road favorite against the Capitals? Shouldn't be because the spot and situation set up well for New York. The Islanders enter this two-game series off a 2-0 loss to the Devils this past Sunday. Islanders coach Barry Trotz was not happy about that defeat and he let his team know about it. Trotz should have his squad ready and fired-up to play his former team. So I'm expecting an all-out effort from the Islanders. The Capitals are 0-7 the past seven times they've hosted the patient and defensive-minded Islanders, a team that has frustrated them with their style. The Islanders are strong again defensively ranking third in fewest goals allowed per game and fourth in penalty kill. Washington is highly vulnerable right now with Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dimitry Orlov and starting goalie Ilya Samsonov all on the COVID-19 list. In addition, enforcer Tom Wilson is likely out, too, because of a lower body injury. The Capitals have managed three victories because they've played four of their six games against the Sabres. They are 3-1 versus Buffalo. Their other two games were losses to the Penguins.
01-25-21	Senators v. Canucks OVER 6	Top	1-7	Win	100	16 h 10 m	Show
I'm very surprised this total opened at 6 with juice instead of 6 1/2 or even 7 given the low quality of these defenses. Ottawa ranks 29th defensively giving up 4.0 goals a game. Vancouver is even worse. The Canucks surrender an NHL-high 4.7 goals per game. They also allow the second-most shots on goal. Vancouver has given up an average of five goals a game during its past six games. The good news for the Canucks is they have young, talented goal scorers. One of these is Elias Pettersson, who is starting to emerge out of an early-season scoring slump. The Canucks should get their share of goals against an Ottawa squad that just surrendered four goals in the third period during its last game, a 6-3 road loss to the Jets this past Saturday. The Senators have permitted at least three goals in all five of their games. Goalie Matt Murray has not looked good in the early going. The Over has cashed during the past four meetings between the two teams. That trend should continue as I'm expecting a loose game from two teams with a combined 3-9 record.
01-24-21	Maple Leafs v. Flames -113		3-2	Loss	-113	12 h 27 m	Show
This is a nice situational spot for the Flames. After sweeping the Canucks in two home games by a combined, 8-2, the Flames have been idle since Monday. That's given them plenty of time to practice, get fully in sync and be prepared for this matchup. The Maple Leafs will be playing for the sixth time in 10 days. They are coming off a 4-2 home win against the Oilers on Friday night despite being short-handed minus Auston Matthews and Joe Thornton, who is out for around a month. Matthews, the Maple Leafs' best player, is questionable due to an upper body injury. I like Calgary goalie Jacob Markstrom more than Toronto's Frederik Andersen, who is too inconsistent for my taste. Markstrom has been sharp early with a 1.99 GAA and .935 save percentage in three games. The Flames have won nine of the last 11 times they've been favored, while the Maple Leafs are 6-14 the last 20 times as underdogs.
01-23-21	Kings v. Blues -1.5		2-4	Win	145	8 h 57 m	Show
The Kings have opened with four tough games, two of which went into overtime. After hosting the Wild twice and Avalanche twice, the Kings take to the road for the first time this season. The road has not been kind to the Kings. They have lost 41 of their past 58 away contests. This is LA's third game, too, in five days. The Blues have been idle since Wednesday when they lost 2-1 at home to the Sharks in a shootout. The Blues are rested and anxious to put that defeat behind them. It's a bad spot for the Kings, fresh off their first win, 4-2, against Colorado two days ago. I can see the Blues winning by multiple goals.
01-22-21	Golden Knights v. Coyotes +148		2-5	Win	148	16 h 14 m	Show
Las Vegas heads off for its first road trip fat and happy at 4-0, its best start in franchise-history. The Golden Knights play two games against the Coyotes in Arizona before returning back to Las Vegas for a stretch of eight home contests in 10 games. The Golden Knights just swept the Coyotes in Las Vegas. The Coyotes aren't going to lack motivation in this short revenge spot. The Golden Knights not only could be in for a letdown, but also their concentration may be lacking. This is their first time away from home and they have to follow COVID-19 protocols. It's going to be a different experience. Buried by seven penalties, the Coyotes fell behind the Golden Knights early in their 5-2 loss this past Wednesday. I'm expecting the Coyotes to play much better today under favorable situational elements.
01-22-21	Red Wings +115 v. Blackhawks		1-4	Loss	-100	15 h 6 m	Show
Detroit looks improved. Chicago looks horrible. No fans either for the Blackhawks so their home ice is largely negated. This combination lands me on the Red Wings. Detroit is 2-2. If it weren't for a one-goal loss to the Blue Jackets they would be riding a three-game winning streak. Detroit's confidence is up and its puck control has been much better. Jonathan Bernier and Thomas Greiss have played well in net. It's become very evident this is a rebuild year for the Blackhawk - and a big one at that. The Blackhawks are going with a massive youth movement. They miss the leadership and skill set of veteran captain Jonathan Toews and defenseman Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks have surrendered five goals in each of their four games this season in going 0-4 versus Tampa Bay and Florida.
01-22-21	Red Wings v. Blackhawks OVER 6		1-4	Loss	-104	15 h 5 m	Show
The Blackhawks have played four games. They've allowed five goals in every one of their games. Their defense is littered with inexperienced players and their three goalies have all been terrible. The Red Wings, led by Dylan Larkin, are improved offensively. Chicago prefers to play up-tempo trying to win that way. The Blackhawks had the misfortune of playing their opening two games against Tampa Bay. Their offense has picked up since then producing six goals in the last two games against Florida. Chicago averaged 33 shots on net versus the Panthers.
01-22-21	Rangers v. Penguins OVER 6.5		3-4	Win	100	14 h 28 m	Show
The Rangers are averaging just 2.5 goals in their first three games. Ryan Strome and Alexis Lafreniere, the first overall pick in the draft, are off to slow starts. Neither has produced a single point yet. That's going to change. It could happen here against the Penguins, who are giving up 4.7 goals a game. Things don't figure to immediately improve for the Penguins defense either. Pittsburgh has a cluster blue line problem with only three healthy defensemen. The Penguins are going to be forced to use inexperienced players and low quality veterans to fill defensive positions. Their plight isn't helped by poor goalie play. The Rangers' net play has been spotty, too. The Penguins have scored three or more goals in three of their four games. The Over is 9-1-1 the last 11 times the two teams have played in Pittsburgh.
01-22-21	Oilers v. Maple Leafs UNDER 6.5		2-4	Win	100	14 h 7 m	Show
I had the Over when these two teams met two days ago. The final in that one was Edmonton 3, Toronto 1. I was caught off guard by how the Oilers and Maple Leafs changed their games around for that matchup. The Oilers basically went into a defensive shell. They were determined to prove they could play defense. Preventing goals and not feeding off Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were the Oilers' priorities in Wednesday's game. Boring, but it worked. So I don't expect the Oilers to deviate from that game plan. Toronto has used a defensive-heavy makeup to its roster. The Maple Leafs' offense is overrated right now averaging 2.5 goals in their last four games. Auston Matthews is their most dynamic scorer and he's questionable. Veteran Joe Thornton is out. The Oilers managed just 21 shots against Toronto in their Wednesday game. Lesson learned from the last meeting. Lesson now applied here.
01-21-21	Avalanche v. Kings OVER 5.5		2-4	Win	100	15 h 24 m	Show
Colorado has poured in 11 goals in its last two games. The Kings have given up three goals in regulation in all three of their games. LA doesn't have the speed to keep up with the Avalanche and lacks the skills to slow down Colorado without committing penalties. The Kings are averaging the most minor penalties in the league with a 5.3 average. The Avalanche could have the top power play unit in hockey with Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Gabriel Landeskog. They've scored eight goals in 17 power play attempts this season.
01-21-21	Devils v. Islanders UNDER 5.5		1-4	Win	100	12 h 23 m	Show
The Islanders have been idle since Monday. The Islanders will use that energy for defense and checking because that is their makeup. It's only been three games, but the Islanders have shown their consistency. They've scored five goals in three games and given up five goals in three games. There hasn't been more than five goals total scored during each of their first three games with all three games going Under. Both teams have hot goalies. Semyon Varlamov has shutouts in his two starts, while the Devils' Mackenzie Blackwood has a 1.90 goals against average with 109 stops on 115 shots. New Jersey has allowed just seven goals in its three games.
01-21-21	Flyers v. Bruins -130	Top	4-5	Win	100	12 h 29 m	Show
Their defense has been there for the Bruins despite losing two of their first three games. Boston has permitted only five goals in three games. The Bruins very well could be 3-0 and we'd be seeing a much higher price. Boston was nipped, 2-1 in overtime, by the host Devils and fell 1-0 to the Islanders on the road in which they outshot New York, 27-17, during their past two games. I don't see Boston losing a third game in a row especially now that it gets to play its first home game. The Bruins' offense will come around even without injured David Pastrnak. I believe that happens here. Flyers goalie Carter Hart is off to a slow start with a 3.66 goals against average. The Flyers are short-handed on the blue line, too. Philadelphia went 1-1 in its last two games both against the Sabres. Buffalo outshot Philadelphia, 77-52, in those two games.
01-20-21	Canadiens -116 v. Canucks		5-6	Loss	-116	18 h 56 m	Show
The Canadiens have gotten bigger this season on defense - and more aggressive. Montreal's early defensive improvement looks like it's for real after the Canadiens held Edmonton to two goals in two games. Montreal outhit the Oilers, 31-17, in its 3-1 road victory on Monday. If it weren't for blowing a two-goal lead to the Maple Leafs in their opening game, the Canadiens would be 3-0. Montreal has won its last four games on the road against Vancouver. The Canucks aren't playing well. Vancouver has lost three in a row, outscored, 13-4, during this span. The Canucks' young, talented scorers are slumping and their special teams have been atrocious giving up seven power-play goals in 21 times behind shorthanded while failing to score when they've had the man advantage this season.

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