5* NHL WEST CONF GAME OF THE MONTH MAX BET

The Colorado Avalanche have lost four of their last five games, but they have been dominant on home ice throughout the season long and they're in a revenge spot after taking a 6-2 loss in Edmonton earlier this month.

The Oilers will be playing the second of back-to-back games after falling 5-2 to the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday while the Avs have had plenty of time to prepare since their 4-3 OT loss in Vegas on April 14. 

5* PLAY ON THE AVALANCHE. 

5* NHL EASTERN  CONF GAME OF THE MONTH

The Detroit Red Wings have a shot at making the playoffs despite winning only three of their last 10 games. They are currently in a three-way tie with Washington and Philadelphia for the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are lurking just one point behind, so realistically, they'll need to win out to have a chance. 

Still, with two games to go, both against a Montreal Canadiens team eliminated from playoff contention, the Red Wings must like their chances, and I expect nothing less than 100% focus tonight. 

The Red Wings are converting on a solid 23.16% of their opportunities to play with a man advantage, while the Habs are killing off only 76.36% of their penalties. I expect the Wings to win one by at least two goals.

5* PLAY ON THE RED WINGS -1.5. 

5* NHL EASTERN  CONF GAME OF THE YEAR MAX BET

This looks like a great spot to back the Tampa Bay Lightning to bounce back from a shootout loss in Ottawa on Thursday.

They are 21-13 SU with a +10.9% ROI off a loss on the season (9-3 SU with a +28.9% ROI as road favorites).

The reeling Washington Capitals have lost seven of their last eight games. 

5* PLAY ON THE LIGHTNING. 

5* NHL WESTERN CONF GAME OF THE WEEK

This looks like a great spot to back the Vegas Golden Knights to bounce back from a humbling 7-4 loss as close to a -200 favorite in Arizona Friday night. They've had the whole weekend to mull over the loss, while the Vancouver Canucks were in action on Saturday when they lost 6-3 in LA. 

The Knights have won 10 of the last 13 matchups in Vancouver, and while the Canucks are coming into this game with the better record, I'm not convinced they're the better team. 

5* PLAY ON THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS. 

5* STARS/AVS NHL WESTERN CONF GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

The Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche are jostling for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Stars are currently sitting at No. 1, with the Avs in third and the Vancouver Canucks in the mix as well. The Avs have owned the Stars in recent seasons, and they've already defeated Dallas twice this calendar year. The Stars are one of the hottest teams in the NHL, while the Avs are only 2-4 in their last six, but I like the price we get on the Avs to bounce back from a 6-2 loss to the Oilers. 

5* PLAY ON THE AVS. 

5* NHL WESTERN CONF TOTAL OF THE YEAR MAX BET

The Los Angeles Kings and the Vancouver Canucks clashed twice in March, with the Canucks winning 2-1 in LA and the Kings winning 3-2 in Vancouver.

The over/under is 0-9-1 in the last 10 meetings, and I expect another low-scoring affair in this preview of a potential first-round playoff matchup.  

The Canucks have not scored more than three goals in any of their last five games, and the Kings have scored three goals or fewer in four of their last five games. 

5* PLAY ON THE UNDER. 

5* NHL EASTERN CONF GAME OF THE MONTH

This looks like an ideal spot to fade a Montreal Canadiens team coming off three consecutive upset wins. Tonight, they'll face a Carolina Hurricanes team that is as solid as always, and coming off a 4-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings.

The Canes are 4-1 SU as road favorites of -200 or more, and all wins came by at least two goals. 

5* PLAY ON THE HURRICANES -1.5. 

5* NHL WESTERN CONF GAME OF THE WEEK

The Winnipeg Jets return home from a five-game road trip which they wrapped up on a bad note with three consecutive losses. They're a solid 23-9-2 on home ice for the season though, and tonight they'll host an Oilers team that has dropped four of its last five on the road. 

5* PLAY ON THE JETS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Caps 7-3 as a road favorite on Wednesday, but they'll face a tougher test when they host the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. This will be the third time they're a home underdog this season, and they lost the previous two (both against Carolina).

Meanwhile, the Oilers are 16-12 as road favorites and 15-3 SU in their last 18 games against an opponent from the Eastern Conference. 

4* PLAY ON THE OILERS. 

MIKE'S 4* PANTHERS/RANGERS NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Florida Panthers are a solid 21-8-2 on the road this season. They've won 18 of 22 games as road favorites and 20 of 31 road games against teams with a winning record. 

4* PLAY ON THE PANTHERS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The New York Rangers are a solid 18-9-3 on the road for the season, and here they'll visit a Philadelphia Flyers team they have dominated in recent seasons winning eight of the last nine meetings. 

4* PLAY ON THE RANGERS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Kings defeated the Nashville Predators 4-2 here in LA less than a month ago, and they are coming into this game on a four-game winning streak. The Preds are coming off back-to-back wins but I think they're in a potential flat spot following an upset win in Vegas on Tuesday. Perhaps the players enjoyed a night out in Vegas following the win, and if so they'll pay the price tonight. 

4* PLAY ON THE KINGS. 

MAX BET ALERT - 5* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Buffalo Sabres are 20-10 off a loss and backing them blindly in this spot has generated an ROI of +36.5%. The Montreal Canadiens are coming off losses to the NY Rangers and the Washington Capitals, and have not had nearly as much success in bouncing back from losses as Buffalo. 

5* PLAY ON THE SABRES. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Vancouver Canucks are coming into this game with the better record, but also off a pair of setbacks, the most recent being a 10-7 loss in Minnesota last night. I'm still not convinced the Canucks are for real, unlike the Colorado Avalanche who are a proven powerhouse and 21-5-0 at home on the season. I think the juice is worth the squeeze in this matchup.

4* PLAY ON THE COLORADO AVALANCHE. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Winnipeg Jets are 15-7-3 on the road for the season. This is a revenge spot after losing the first meeting of the season 5-3 here at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

The slumping Calgary Flames have been shut out in two of their last three games (they lost all three games), and they even lost to the San Jose Sharks as a -300 favorite.

The Jets meanwhile look to extend their winning streak to four games and I think they're undervalued in this matchup. 

4* PLAY ON THE JETS. 

MAX BET ALERT - 5* NHL TOTAL OF THE MONTH

The Pittsburgh Penguins are 8-2 to the under in their last 10 games and the total has gone under in eight of Pittsburgh’s last 11 games as a favorite. The total has gone under in eight of the Los Angeles Kings' last 11 games when playing as the underdog.

5* PLAY ON THE UNDER. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The red-hot New York Rangers are proving to be just as dangerous on the road as they are at Madison Square Garden. Heading into Sunday's game on a six-game winning streak, they face the Islanders who have had a "rest advantage" with four days off compared to the Rangers' two. However, this extended rest might not necessarily work in the Islanders' favor as they could risk losing focus and getting out of sync.

4* PLAY ON THE RANGERS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Vegas Golden Knights have a huge rest advantage as they'll be playing on four days rest while the Carolina Hurricanes will be playing on no rest following a 4-1 win in Arizona last night. This is also somewhat of a revenge spot for the Knights after losing the first meeting of the season 6-3 at Carolina back in December. 

4* PLAY ON THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS. 

MAX BET ALERT - 5* NHL GAME OF THE MONTH

The Dallas Stars are hot with five wins in six games and they are 9-2-1 in their past 12 games. The Nashville Predators are slumping with only three wins in 10 games and they've allowed four goals or more in five straight games. I don't see how they stop a Dallas team that is firing on all cylinders. 

5* PLAY ON THE STARS. 

MAX BET ALERT - 5* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK 

The Pittsburgh Penguins have won nine of the last 10 meetings with the Minnesota Wild. They last faced each other on Dec 17 when the Pens won 4-3 at home, and I think they'll get us a W on the road in Minnesota tonight. 

The Wild are just 1-6 as home underdogs this season and had problems putting the Chicago Blackhawks away as a -200 favorite in their first game back from the All-Star break while the Pens are coming off an impressive 3-0 win over Winnipeg. 

5* PLAY ON THE PENGUINS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Detroit Red Wings are coming off solid wins over the Philadelphia Flyers and the Vegas Golden Knights to improve to 14-8-4 on home ice. The Ottawa Senators are coming off a 4-3 OT home win over Nashville, but they are only 6-13-0 on the road on the season and 2-7 as underdogs when coming off a win. 

4* PLAY ON THE RED WINGS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Florida Panthers have answered a four-game losing streak with wins over Nashville and Arizona. I think they'll keep pushing and riding the momentum to another win against the Penguins in Pittsburgh Friday night. The Pens are coming off losses in Vegas and Arizona and they're 1-4 in their last five games. 

The Panthers are a solid 13-4 with an ROI of +23.9% as road favorites on the season. 

4* PLAY ON THE PANTHERS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Nashville Predators have scored a total of only six goals through their last four games, and here they'll face a Minnesota team that has scored a total of 16 goals through a three-game winning streak.

While it's difficult to stay hungry and keep playing at that level without losing focus, I still like the price we get on the Wild to make it four in a row. 

4* PLAY ON THE WILD. 

MAX BET ALERT: 5* NHL PUCKLINE GAME OF THE MONTH

The Los Angeles Kings are 8-6 with a +18% ROI  against the puckline as favorites of -180 or longer. I think they'll come out hungry and ready to put a beating on Buffalo after losing in a shootout as close to a -400 favorite against San Jose on Monday.

5* PLAY ON THE KINGS -1.5. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to back the Florida Panthers to end a four-game losing streak. The Panthers outshot their opponent in each of those four home losses and I think a change of scenery as they hit the road will give them an additional spark. 

4* PLAY ON THE FLORIDA PANTHERS. 

MAX BET ALERT - MIKE'S 5* NHL GAME OF THE MONTH

The Los Angeles Kings have hit a rough patch and had lost eight straight games before a 5-2 win in Carolina last night. I think they'll have a tough time pulling off another victory on short rest against a Dallas team that's in good form. 

5* PLAY ON THE STARS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Nashville Predators are hot, Vegas ... not so much. The Golden Knights are dealing with a heap of injuries, but I think there's enough talent on this roster to beat a Nashville team that has overachieved of late. 

The Golden Knights are 15-5-2 at home on the season and they have won seven of the last 10 meetings with the Preds. The betting market got the odds for this matchup completely wrong IMO. 

4* PLAY ON THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS. 

MIKE'S LATE-NIGHT 4* NHL TOP PLAY

The Vegas Golden Knights have been far from at their best lately, but they're coming off an OT win over Boston and I like the price we get on Vegas here against a Calgary team in a potential flat spot following back-to-back wins. 

3* PLAY ON THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS. 

MAX BET ALERT: 5* FLYERS/WILD NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Philadelphia Flyers are coming off a 3-2 shootout win over Montreal, but they're only 3-7 in their last 10 games.

The Minnesota Wild are 4-7 in their last 10, but only 1-6 in their last seven, but I expect a strong performance from the Wild here after being humiliated in a 7-2 loss in Dallas Wednesday night.

The Wild are a solid 9-3 as home favorites this season, and they'll be looking for revenge for a 6-2 loss in Philadelphia back in October. 

5* PLAY ON THE WILD. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to back the Pittsburgh Penguins to bounce back from a 3-1 loss to Buffalo and fade the Philadelphia Flyers following their 3-2 win over Calgary. The Flyers are 1-4 in their last five games while the Pens are 4-2 in their last six and 7-3 in their last 10. Philadelphia won two meetings back in December, so I think the Pens will be extra fired up for this one. 

4* PLAY ON THE PENGUINS. 

MAX BET ALERT: MIKE'S 5* NHL TOTAL OF THE MONTH

The Philadelphia Flyers are coming off a 4-3 loss in Calgary, but they are 21-13-2 to the under on the season. The Edmonton Oilers have had no trouble finding the net in recent games, but I think they're in a potential flat spot here following a 7-2 win in Anaheim. 

5* PLAY ON THE UNDER. 

MAX BET ALERT: 5* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

The New Jersey Devils are always dangerous on the road and I think we're getting a great price on them here in Ottawa Friday night. The Senators are 1-4 SU as a home underdog this season while the Devils are 9-2 as a road favorite. 

5* PLAY ON THE DEVILS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL MONEYLINE TOP PLAY

The Boston Bruins have won the last six matchups against the Jets who have been overachieving a bit lately IMO. I love the price we get on the Bruins in this game as they look to bounce back from back-to-back overtime home losses to the Rangers and the Wild. 

4* PLAY ON THE BRUINS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Carolina Hurricanes are coming off a 6-3 win over Vegas and they've owned the Penguins in recent seasons with wins in eight of the last 10 meetings. Pittsburgh is coming off a 4-3 win over Minnesota but has struggled to string wins together all season. 

4* PLAY ON THE HURRICANES. 

5* MAX BET ALERT - MIKE'S NHL TOTAL OF THE WEEK

The Los Angeles Kings are 12-8-1 to the under on the season while the San Jose Sharks are 15-8-2 to the under. Goals have been hard to come by for the Kings lately. They've been held to a total of eight goals through their last four games and the Sharks have struggled to light up the lamp all season. 

5* PLAY ON THE UNDER. 

5* MAX BET ALERT - MIKE'S NHL PUCKLINE OF THE MONTH

Sure, the Colorado Avalanche will be playing on short rest following a 6-2 loss in Winnipeg last night, but I think they'll bounce back with a max effort and rout the Sharks here Sunday night.

The Avs are 5-1 on the season off a loss of three goals or more, and while the Sharks have started to pick up wins lately, they're still one of the worst teams in the league and a team the Avs have dominated in recent seasons.  

5* PLAY ON THE AVS -1.5. 

MAX BET ALERT - MIKE'S 5* NHL GAME OF THE MONTH

This looks like a good spot to back the Boston Bruins to bounce back from an OT loss in New Jersey. They are still 4-2 in their last six games and 6-2 off a loss this season. The New York Islanders are in a potential flat spot following four straight wins. 

5* PLAY ON THE BRUINS. 

MAX BET ALERT - MIKE'S 5* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

I think the 18-5-3 Boston Bruins are way undervalued by the betting market for this matchup against the 14-11-1 New Jersey Devils. 

The Bruins are going for a fourth straight win while the Devils are 6-2-0 in their past eight games. They lost 4-1 in Edmonton on Sunday though, and this will be their first game since returning home from a four-game road trip, which historically has proven to be a difficult spot league-wide.  

The Bruins have won each of the last six meetings and they are 8-1 in the last nine meetings. 

5* PLAY ON BOSTON BRUINS. 

MIKE'S 5* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

This looks like a fantastic spot to back the Red Wings to bounce back from a shootout home loss to the NHL-worst San Jose Sharks a couple of nights ago. They are still 8-3-3 at home and are 10-4 SU in their last 14 games when playing as the favorite while the Sens are 2-9 SU in their last 11 games on the road.

5* PLAY ON THE DETROIT RED WINGS. 

MIKE'S 5* NHL TOTAL OF THE MONTH MAX BET

The St. Louis Blues won the last meeting 2-1 in OT just a couple of days ago. four of their last five games have gone under the total. The total has gone under in 13 of St. Louis’ last 17 games when playing as the underdog.

The Vegas Golden Knights have struggled to light up the lamp lately. They've been held to two goals or fewer in five of their last eight games. The total has gone under in 8 of Vegas’ last 11 games when playing as the favorite.

5* PLAY ON THE UNDER. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOTAL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The San Jose Sharks are 14-6 to the under on the season, mainly because they can't find the net. They're averaging a paltry 1.6 goals per game, and here they'll face a Boston team that is allowing only 2.6 goals per game (7th).

The Bruins have one of the best records in the league because they're so well-balanced, but while they are capable of scoring, their main strength is on the defensive end of the ice.

The Bruins won 3-1 when they took on the Sharks on the road back in October, and I think this will be another low-scoring affair. 

4* PLAY ON UNDER. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Los Angeles Kings are coming into this game on a five-game winning streak and they are 9-1 over their last 10. The Kings are 10-4 as favorites this season, and seven of those 10 wins came by at least two goals. The Caps are coming off back-to-back losses, and even the lowly San Jose Sharks beat them on Sunday. I don't think they can keep up with a Kings team that is on a roll. 

4* PLAY ON LOS ANGELES KINGS -1.5. 

MIKE'S 5* NHL TOTAL OF THE WEEK

The San Jose Sharks are 13-6 to the under on the season while the Washington Capitals are 12-5 to the under. The Caps are averaging only 2.4 goals per game, the only team worse is the Sharks who are averaging an NHL-worst 1.6 goals per game. Sure, the Sharks are also allowing a league-worst 4.1 goals per game but I don't think Washington has the firepower to take advantage. 

Three goals should be more than enough to win the game. 

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to fade the Minnesota Wild who are on a five-game losing streak and they have a 2-8 record in their last 10 games.

They're in a tough traveling spot returning from the NHL Global Series in Stockholm. Tonight they'll face a Colorado team that is 12-6 for the season and has won four of its last five games.

The Wild are 1-6 against teams with a winning record for the season. 

4* PLAY ON COLORADO AVALANCHE. 

MIKE'S 4* RANGERS/DEVILS NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The New York Rangers are 11-2-1 overall on the season and 6-1-1 on the road. The New Jersey Devils ae 8-6-1 overall and 3-3-1 at home.

The Rangers have had this game circled since the schedule came out as it'll be their first chance to avenge a Game 7 loss to the Devils in their Eastern Conference first-round series back in May. 

4* PLAY ON NEW YORK RANGERS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL PUCKLINE PLAY OF THE DAY

The Colorado Avalanche are coming off a 5-1 win in Seattle. Now they return home to Ball Arena, and I expect max effort again after losing their last two at home as huge favorites (-187 and -223) while getting outscored 12-5. 

4* PLAY ON AVALANCHE -1.5. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to back the Boston Bruins to bounce back from an OT loss in Montreal on Saturday. They're an NHL-best 11-1-2 for the season and they've yet to lose consecutive games. The Buffalo Sabres are 4-2 as favorites on the season but 3-6 as underdogs. Boston is a dominant 9-1 in the last 10 meetings. 

4* PLAY ON BOSTON BRUINS. 

MIKE'S 5* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

This looks like a great spot to back the Colorado Avalanche to snap back from back-to-back home losses, first a 4-3 loss to this very Seattle team followed by a humiliating 8-2 setback as a -220 favorite against the Blues. 

Since the beginning of the 2021 season, the As are 11-4 (+14.1% ROI) as a favorite coming off a pair of losses. They are 19-7 (+10.6%) ROI as a favorite off a loss when laying -170 or more. 

This is a decent amount of juice to lay on a 5* play, but I don't see Colorado losing this one. 

5* PLAY ON COLORADO AVALANCHE. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Carolina Hurricanes will be playing on no rest following a 5-2 loss in Florida last night, but they do not have to travel far to face the Lightning tonight. I expect to see a strong effort from Carolina after the loss yesterday. Since the start of last season, the Canes are 5-1 (36.2% ROI) when playing on no rest off a loss. 

4* PLAY ON CAROLINA HURRICANES. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

I love the price we get on the Carolina Hurricanes (8-5-0) as a modest road favorite in Florida Friday night. Since the start of last season, the Hurricanes are 10-4 SU with a +28.65% ROI as road favorites, laying no more than -130.

The Panthers (7-4-1) are coming off back-to-back overtime wins over Columbus and Washington, but this is a big step up in competition.

This is a big revenge spot for the Canes after getting swept by the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.  

4* PLAY ON CAROLINA HURRICANES. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PUCKLINE PLAY OF THE DAY

The Colorado Avalanche are perfect 4-0 SU at home, and they won all games by at least two goals.

The Seattle Kraken are heading to Colorado off consecutive losses, the most recent a 3-2 OT setback in Arizona. The Avs won 4-1 in Seattle on October 17, and I think they'll get another easy win here, now at home. 

4* PLAY ON COLORADO AVALANCHE -1.5. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

Both teams are off to hot starts, but I'll gladly back the Vegas Golden Knights (11-1-1) at this price against the 7-2-2 Los Angeles Kings. 

It must come as a surprise to no one to see the defending Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights dominating the league, while the Kings' early success might be a tad more surprising.

Here we'll get the Knights off a 4-2 loss in Anaheim on Sunday, which was their second game of a back-to-back set after winning 7-0 in Colorado the previous night. Following a couple of days' rest, I'm confident they'll bounce back with a win at home. 

4* PLAY ON VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S NHL TOTAL OF THE MONTH

The New Jersey Devils are 9-2 to the over on the season. They're averaging 3.9 goals per game while allowing 3.5 goals per game. The Colorado Avalanche are averaging a modest 3.1 goals per game, but there's a lot of talent on this team, and I think they'll be forced to score a lot here to keep up with the Devils. 

5* PLAY ON OVER. 

MIKE'S 4* LEAFS/BRUINS NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Boston Bruins are 8-0-1 straight up overall and 4-0-1 at home on the season. The Toronto Maple Leafs are 5-3-1 overall and 3-1-1 on the road.

The Leafs are coming into this game off consecutive losses to Nashville and Toronto, not exactly the momentum you want heading into a matchup against the Bruins in Boston.

The Bruins won all three meetings last season following the turn of the new year and the Bruins are are 5-2 SU in their last seven games when playing at home against Toronto.

Additionally, Boston is 7-1 SU in its last eight games when playing as the favorite and 14-5 SU in its last 19 games played on a Thursday when playing at home.

5* PLAY ON BOSTON BRUINS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to back the Philadelphia Flyers to bounce back from consecutive home losses to Anaheim and Carolina. The Buffalo Sabres are in a potential flat spot following an upset win as a +170 underdog against the Avs. 

4* PLAY ON PHILADELPHIA FLYERS.

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to back the Vancouver Canucks who had won three straight before coming up short in a 4-3 loss to the Rangers on Saturday. The Nashville Predators are in a potential flat spot following an upset win over Toronto in OT. The Canucks defeated the Preds 3-2 in Nashville back on October 24, and I like the price we get on them to repeat with a win at home. 

4* PLAY ON VANCOUVER CANUCKS. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The New York Rangers are 5-1-0 on the road while the Winnipeg Jets are 2-2 at home. The Rangers success away from home is nothing new as they were road warriors last season as well, going 26-19 with a +9.2% ROI in all road games and 16-8 with a +11.2% ROI as road favorites. 

The Rangers are converting on a red hot 34.5% of their power play opportunities (2nd) while Winnipeg is killing off only 72.4% of its penalties (27th). 

I like the price we get on the Rangers as they look to complete a perfect five-game trip with another win. 

4* PLAY ON NEW YORK RANGERS. 

5* MAX BET: MIKE'S NHL TOTAL OF THE MONTH

The San Jose Sharks are 6-1 to the under on the season while the Washington Capitals are 5-2 to the under.

The Sharks are averaging a pathetic 1.0 goals per game, and the Caps are only marginally better at 2.0 goals per game.

I don't see either team running up the score here, and three goals should be more than enough to win the game.

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

5* MAX BET - MIKE'S NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Los Angeles Kings are perfect 2-0-0 on the road for the season and they've won five of hte last six meetings with Arizona, the most recent a 6-3 win home in Los Angeles on October 24. They are 7-1 in the last eight meetings in Arizona. 

The Kings are averaging an NHL-best 4.5 goals per game while Arizona is averaging a paltry 2.5 goals per game. Sure, the Yotes are a lot better on defensive end of the ice than the Kings, but not enough to make up for their inability to score goals. 

Also, note that the Kings are a sensational 17-2 SU in their last 19 games when closing as a favorite. The Coyotes are 0-6 in their last six games as a home underdog.

5* PLAY ON LOS ANGELES KINGS. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Buffalo Sabres are 5-1 to the under on the season. They've been averaging a disappointing 2.4 goals per game, and neither team has been able to capitalize when playing with a man advantage, with Montreal converting on 11.8% of their power play opportunities and Buffalo on only 6.3% of their power plays. 

4* PLAY ON UNDER. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Detroit Red Wings are off to a 4-1 start to the season following an upset win at Ottawa last night. They were outshot 37-23 though, and here I think they'll find it difficult to match the intensity of a Calgary team that is looking to bounce back from a 3-1 loss at Columbus Friday night.

The Flames are only 1-3 in their last four games, despite outshooting each opponent by at least eight shots. It's only a matter of time before the results start going their way. 

5* PLAY ON CALGARY FLAMES. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Buffalo Sabres are 1-3-0 on the season, but they won the only game they closed as favorites and here they're a home favorite against an Islanders team that will play the second leg of a back-to-back situation after taking an OT loss to New Jersey Friday night. 

4* PLAY ON BUFFALO SABRES. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Vancouver Canucks are coming off a 2-0 loss at Philadelphia, their first of the season, and they're on the road again to visit Tampa Bay Thursday night.

The Lightning will be looking to shake of three consecutive road losses, and this looks like a perfect opponent as the Lightning are 8-1 in the last 10 meetings. 

4* PLAY ON TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING.

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Colorado Avalanche are perfect 2-0 on the season and I don't see them losing here against a winless Seattle team. This is a big revenge game for the Avs after getting eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by Seattle last season.

4* PLAY ON COLORADO AVALANCHE. 

5* BEST BET - NHL MONEYLINE GAME OF THE MONTH

The Detroit Red Wings opened the season with a 4-3 loss as a +200 underdog at New Jersey but won their second game 6-4 at home against Tampa Bay. The Blue Jackets are 1-1 on the season following an upset win as a +190 underdog to the Rangers, and I don't see them puliing two upsets in a row. 

Last season, the Blue Jackets were 4-17 coming off a win as an underdog. 

5* PLAY ON DETROIT RED WINGS. 

10* NHL FINALS GAME OF THE YEAR

Florida will be looking to tie the series following a 3-2 OT win against Vegas a couple of nights ago. It felt like Vegas was in control for most of the game though. The Knights have a clear edge in this matchup IMO and off a loss, this looks like a perfect spot bet. 

10* PLAY ON VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS. 

MIKE'S 10* NHL PUCKLINE OF THE MONTH

Game 7 of this Eastern Conference opening-round matchup, and I think we're getting a really, really good price on the Panthers to cover the puckline. They've shown they can go toe to toe with Boston throughout the series, and while only one of the previous six games were decided by one goal, I expect this to be a close affair. 

10* PLAY ON FLORIDA PANTHERS +1.5. 

MIKE'S 10* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a tough spot for the Kings who will play their third game in four nights after defeating Seattle on the road on Saturday and the Canucks in Vancouver on Sunday. The Oilers have had two days off since their 6-0 win over Anaheim on Saturday. 

Oilers are 15-3 in their last 18 vs. Western Conference. Oilers are 13-3 in their last 16 overall.

10* PLAY ON EDMONTON OILERS. 

MIKE'S 10* NHL PUCKLINE GAME OF THE YEAR

The Coyotes will be playing on 0 days rest after battling the Avs yesterday, but I think they can keep this close. The Oilers are only 4-3 as road favorites of -200 or more and 1-2 as road favorites of -250 or more. Arizona is coming into this game on a four-game losing streak, but all but one of those games were one-goal affairs. The Coyotes are 6-1 in their last 7 home games.

10* PLAY ON ARIZONA COYOTES +1.5. 

MIKE'S 10* NHL TOTAL OF THE MONTH

The Avs' over/under record is 26-39 for the season and the under is 19-6-3 in Avalanche's last 28 vs. opponents from the Western Conference.

The Coyotes are 12-5-2 to the under as road underdogs of +300 or more and the under is 19-9 in the last 28 meetings with the Avalanche in Colorado.

10* PLAY ON UNDER. 

MIKE'S 10* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

The Tampa Bay Lightning will be hungry for a win following a couple of losses to New Jersey and Montreal. This looks like a good spot as they face a reeling Ottawa team that has lost six of its last seven games. The Lightning are 8-3 coming off back-to-back losses this season.

10* PLAY ON TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING. 

MIKE'S 10* NHL PUCKLINE PLAY OF THE DAY

The Habs are 5-6 SU as home underdogs of +200 or more and while they're coming into this game on a six-game losing streak, note that they lost by only one goal in five of those games. 

10* PLAY ON MONTREAL CANADIENS +1.5. 

MIKE'S 10* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

For whatever reason, the Devils are a lot more dangerous on the road than home at Prudential Center. Here they'll face a Carolina team that is elite no matter the venue and 20-5-6 on the road for the season. The Devils are 22-51 in their last 73 vs. a team with a winning % above .600. The Hurricanes are 18-3 in their last 21 vs. a team with a winning record.

10* PLAY ON CAROLINA HURRICANES. 

10* NHL PUCKLINE GAME OF THE YEAR

The Habs are 5-4 SU as home underdogs of +200 or more and while they're coming into this game on a four-game losing streak, note that they lost by only one goal in each of those four games. The Rangers are only 2-6 in their last 8 overall.

10* PLAY ON MONTREAL CANADIENS +1.5. 

10* LIGHTNING/GOLDEN KNIGHTS NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Lightning are 14-12-1 on the road, Vegas is 16-3-0 at home but note that the Lightning are 6-0 in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning record. They have also had an additional day of rest compared to the Knights and the Lightning will be looking to bounce back from a shootout loss at Arizona while Vegas won't be as hungry coming off four straight wins. 

10* PLAY ON TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING. 

10* NHL TOTAL OF THE WEEK BRUINS/MAPLE LEAFS BEST BET

Toronto is 28-21 to the under this season, the Bruins are 24-21 to the under. Boston has the best scoring defense in the league and under is 6-2 in Maple Leafs last 8 vs. a team with a winning % above .600. Under is 4-0 in Bruins last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.

10* PLAY ON UNDER. 

GAME OF THE YEAR - 10* NHL MAJOR WAGER

The Devils are an absolutely astonishing 18-2-2 on the road while the Preds are 13-7-3 at home. The Devils are also 7-1 in their last 8 overall and 17-4 in their last 21 vs. a team with a losing record. The Preds have owned the Devils in recent seasons, winning each of the last seven meetings, but that streak ends tonight. 

10* PLAY ON NEW JERSEY DEVILS. 

10* DEVILS/KRAKEN NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Devils are an insane 18-3 on the road. Seattle is only 10-11 at home. The Devils are riding a five-game winning streak and they've had two days off since winning at San Jose Monday night. Seattle took a 5-2 loss at Edmonton on Tuesday and they are 2-8 in their last 10 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.

10* PLAY ON NEW JERSEY DEVILS. 

NHL GAME OF THE MONTH - 10* MAX BET ALERT

Both teams are hot with the Wild 9-2 in their last 11 games and Buffalo 7-1 in its last eight, but I like the Wild in this spot. Wild are 14-6 in their last 20 games playing on 2 days rest and 4-1 in their last 5 road games. Sabres are 7-15 in their last 22 games playing on 3 or more days rest and 26-60 in their last 86 vs. a team with a winning record.

10* PLAY ON MINNESOTA WILD. 

TOP-RATED 10* NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Hurricanes are a solid 13-8 on the road while the Rangers are only 8-11 home at Madison Square Garden. The Hurricanes are 15-1 in their last 16 overall and 13-3 in their last 16 vs. Eastern Conference. This is not a team you want to step in front of right now. 

10* PLAY ON CAROLINA HURRICANES. 

NHL GAME OF THE WEEK - 10* MAX BET ALERT

The Blues are only 7-7-2 at home while the Wild are 9-6-1 on the road. Wild are 9-3 in their last 12 games following a home loss of 3 or more goals and we get to fade the Blues off a home win over Chicago. The Blues were a massive favorite in that game, but they are 1-6 as home underdogs. The Wild are 8-4 as road favorites.

10* PLAY ON MINNESOTA WILD. 

10* NHL MONEYLINE TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Pens have been hot lately, but here they'll be looking to get back on track following an OT loss to Carolina. They've had the whole Christmas break to regroup and I expect a strong effort here against an Islanders team that is 0-4 in its last 4 games following a win.

10* PLAY ON PITTSBURGH PENGUINS. 

10* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Oilers are coming off three straight losses and I think they'll lose another one here in Dallas Wednesday night. They've been unable to win despite going 6-for-14 on the power play in those three games, and here they'll face a Dallas team that is among the best in the NHL at killing off penalties. 

Oilers are 1-5 in their last 6 vs. a team with a winning record. Stars are 8-3 in their last 11 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.

10* PLAY ON EDMONTON OILERS. 

NHL GAME OF THE MONTH - 10* BIG BET ALERT

This looks like a great spot to back the Oilers to snap back from home losses to St. Louis and Anaheim. They won 6-3 here at Nashville on December 13 and the Preds are coming into this game on a six-game losing streak. They've scored more than two goals in only one of those games, and I don't see them keeping up with one of the best offenses in the NHL. 

Oilers are 40-19 in their last 59 vs. a team with a losing record. Oilers are 8-0 in the last 8 meetings.

10* PLAY ON EDMONTON OILERS. 

10* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK - MONEYLINE MASSACRE

Both the Leafs and the Caps will be looking to bounce back from losses. I like Toronto to be the team that gets the W. Maple Leafs are 5-0 in their last 5 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game and 7-1 in their last 8 vs. a team with a losing record. Capitals are 3-8 in their last 11 vs. a team with a winning % above .600 and the Maple Leafs are 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

10* PLAY ON TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS. 

10* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Rangers are only 6-6-3-1 at home on the season, and here they'll face one of the hottest teams in the league. The Leafs are 9-1 in their last 10 games and 7-1 in their last 8 road games. The Rangers are riding a four-game winning streak but they are 3-8 in their last 11 when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in their previous game.

10* PLAY ON TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS. 

10* DEVILS/RANGERS NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Devils are 11-1 on the road this season. They're 7-3 in their last 10 overall and here they'll be looking to bounce back from a 6-4 loss to the Islanders. The Devils won the first meeting of the season 5-3 here at Madison Square Garden back in November. Sure, it's a rivalry game but this could be a letdown spot for the Rangers after reeling off three straight wins. 

10* PLAY ON NEW JERSEY DEVILS. 

10* WILD/CANUCKS NHL TOP PLAY

The Wild will be playing on no rest following a 5-2 loss at Edmonton Friday night, but they are 8-0 in their last 8 games playing on 0 days rest and 4-0 in the last 4 meetings with Vancouver. The Canucks are in a potential flat spot after record three straight wins. 

10* PLAY ON MINNESOTA WILD. 

NHL GAME OF THE WEEK - SHARKS/DUCKS BEST BET

This looks like a good spot to back a desperate Sharks team looking to end a four-game slide. The Ducks just snapped an ugly six-game skid of their own with an overtime win against Carolina on Tuesday. The Sharks will be the more desperate side and they'll have a big advantage on special teams. 

10* PLAY ON SAN JOSE SHARKS. 

10* JETS/BLUES NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Blues ended a four-game skid with a 7-4 win at NY Islanders on Tuesday. An impressive result considering they were playing the second game of a back-to-back, but I think they'll might pay for it here instead against a Jets team that is coming in hot with wins in five of its last six games. The Jets have scored five goals or more in each of those five wins and the Blues are allowing 3.8 goals per game (29th). 

10* PLAY ON WINNIPEG JETS. 

NHL GAME OF THE MONTH - 10* MONEYLINE MASSACRE

The Blue Jackets are 6-9-0-1 at home for the season and they have lost five of their last six overall. They'll be playing on no rest after taking a 4-1 loss at Pittsburgh last night while Buffalo has had plenty of time to rest and prepare since its 6-3 win over San Jose on Sunday. 

Blue Jackets are 7-17 in their last 24 games playing on 0 days rest. Blue Jackets are 6-20 in their last 26 when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in their previous game.

10* PLAY ON BUFFALO SABRES. 

NHL GAME OF THE WEEK  - 10* MONEYLINE MONEYMAKER

The Panthers are coming only 1-6 in their last seven games, and they're coming into this game off three consecutive losses. Still, I have them as a much better team than the Canucks and too good of a team to lose four in a row! The Canucks are 3-13 in their last 16 vs. Eastern Conference. The Panthers are 50-19 in their last 69 vs. a team with a losing record.

10* PLAY ON FLORIDA PANTHERS. 

TOP-RATED 10* STARS/BLUES NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Blues are 8-2 in their last 10 games, but they had lost back-to-back games before ending the losing streak with a miraculous come from behind win against Florida on Saturday. Now they'll face a Dallas team primed to bounce back from a pair of losses to Winnipeg and Colorado. The Stars are 3-1 as road favorites on the season. 

10* PLAY ON DALLAS STARS. 

NHL GAME OF THE MONTH - 10* EAST v WEST BEST BET

The Sens have struggled on the road this season, coming into this game with a 1-6-1 record away from home. Now they'll face a Ducks team that is only 5-13 in their last 18 home games. We can also note that the Ducks are 5-21 in their last 26 Friday games.

Both defenses are trash, but the Sens are averaging 3.1 goals per game which is just under the league average, and they are averaging a healthy 33.2 shots on goal per game (9th). The Ducks are allowing an NHL-worst 37.8 shots per game. 

10* PLAY ON OTTAWA SENATORS. 

NHL Game of the Week - 10* Preds/Red Wings BEST BET

The Predators have been picking up steam since a slow start to the season. They have won four of their last five games, and here they'll face a Detroit team they have defeated in each of the last six matchups. The Red Wings have scored 13 goals over their last two games but against Columbus and San Jose. The Preds are a tougher opponent and I like the price we get on them here. 

10* play on Nashville Predators.

TOP-RATED 10* NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Kings are coming off a 3-1 win at Edmonton and they are 4-1 in their last five games. The Kings are 9-2 in their last 11 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game and 25-9 in their last 34 vs. a team with a losing record. The Canucks are 2-9 in their last 11 vs. a team with a winning record and 1-6 in their last 7 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days.

10* PLAY ON LA KINGS. 

TOP-RATED 10* NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Blue Jackets are only 4-9-1 on the season. They've won only one of their last seven games and they've allowed at least four goals in all of those seven games. The Flyers are 0-3 in their last games, but they've outshot their opponent in each game. If they just keep shooting, they'll light up the light plenty in this one. 

10* PLAY ON PHILADELPHIA FLYERS. 

NHL GAME OF THE WEEK - 10* MAJOR WAGER

The Sens snapped a seven-game skid with a 4-1 win at Philadelphia on Saturday. Now they'll face an Islanders tema that is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings with the Senators and 5-1 in the last 6 meetings in Ottawa. The Islanders are coming in hot with eight wins in their last 10 games. 

10* PLAY ON NEW YORK ISLANDERS. 

NHL GAME OF THE MONTH - 10* MAJOR WAGER MONEYLINE

The Pens will be looking to end a seven-game skid. They've had three days of rest since taking a 3-2 home loss to Seattle on Saturday and they are 9-2 in their last 11 games playing on 3 or more days rest. The Caps defeated Edmonton 5-4 Monday night, but they are 2-8 in their last 10 games following a win.

10* PLAY ON PITTSBURGH PENGUINS. 

TOP-RATED 10* NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

Seattle is riding a four-game winning streak and coming into this game at 7-4-2 for the season. The Predators are 6-13 in their last 19 vs. a team with a winning record and 3-7 in their last 10 games following a win. Kraken are 9-4 in their last 13 vs. a team with a losing record.

10* PLAY ON SEATTLE KRAKEN.