GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The Vegas Golden Knights own a 3-2 series lead following a 5-3 victory in Game 5 on Friday. Vegas might be a first-year team, but its roster still has plenty of playoff experience. The Golden Knights are 3-1 away from Sin City during the postseason and no strangers to win here in the Shark Tank. We can also note that Sharks netminder Martin Jones was just 1-2 with a 3.32 GAA and a .899 SV% against Vegas during the regular season. 

I think the Golden Knights will be heading to the Western Conference final when the fat lady sings. 

10* NHL Game of the Week on Vegas Golden Knights. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL *POWER PLAY*

The Vegas Golden Knights opened this series with a 7-0 triumph, but the San Jose Sharks managed to steal home ice advantage (at least temporarily) with a  4-3 double-overtime victory Saturday. The Sharks rallied from a two-goal deficit with three straight goals in the second period, but it's worrisome that they even found themselves in that situation. 

Vegas blanked the Kings twice and limited them to three goals in a first-round sweep, and its defense might very well be the difference now when the series move to the Shark Tank where Vegas went 1-0-1 during the regular season. I think we're getting too good of a price on the visitors here to pass up on. 

10* play on Vegas Golden Knights. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NHL)

The Washington Capitals need a win after a third-period rally earned the Pens a 3-2 win in the series opener Thursday night. 

The Caps will no doubt be desperate to avoid heading to Pittsburgh down 2-0 in the series, but they're unlikely to panic and freeze up as they're no strangers to being behind in a series, having lost the first two games at home to Columbus before winning four straight in the opening round.

Motivation beats talent in this contest. 

10* NHL Game of the Month on Washington Capitals. 

TOP RATED PENS @ CAPS BEST BET

The Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins will do battle in the opener of their Eastern Conference semifinal series Thursday night. The Pens have owned their Metropolitan Division rival in the postseason in recent years, but I like Washington to claim this game. 

History doesn't seem to scare the Caps; "There's not a person in our locker room or on our coaching staff that doesn't want to play the Penguins," Washington coach Barry Trotz said. "It's probably fitting. We're actually quite excited about it. They're two good teams. They always have been, and you get another match. It's all good."

Note that Pittsburgh will be without two key players tonight. Center Evgeni Malkin (who led Pittsburgh in scoring in the regular season) and Carl Hagelin have both been ruled out for this contest because of unspecified injuries. 

10* play on Washington Capitals. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The Toronto Maple Leafs face elimination Monday night as the Boston Bruins take a 3-2 series lead into Game 6 at Toronto's Air Canada Centre. We can however note that the Bruins are just 1-5 in their last six road games while the Leafs are 5-1 in their last six home games vs. a team with a winning road record, and I think Toronto will live to fight another day. 

The Maple Leafs will be strengthened by their 4-3 at Boston Saturday night and they've won five of the last six meetings at home. Excellent price on the desperate Leafs here, making it well worth to up the stake. 

10* NHL Game of the Week: Toronto Maple Leafs. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL *POWER PLAY*

The Vegas Golden Knights can advance to the second round with a victory at LA Tuesday night after scoring three third-period goals en route to a 3-2 victory in Game 3 here at Staples Center Sunday night.

The Kings will no doubt be desperate, but do not underestimate this Vegas team which has shown no sign of buckling under the postseason pressure.  

Golden Knights might be a new franchise, but their roster has a veteran core with deep playoff experience. "A lot of these guys have been there before," Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant said after the last win. "Deryk Engelland, James Neal, (Marc-Andre) Fleury, they talk to the players about being composed."

The price is right to back the visitors with a big bet. 

10* play on Vegas Golden Knights. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL *POWER PLAY

The San Jose Sharks have taken a commanding lead in this series after back-to-back wins at Anaheim. The Sharks are 5-0-1 against the Ducks this season and I don't see them giving anything for free here in Game 3 of this playoff series. "We've all been around this league a long time and know that team over there has been in this position before and they have been able to claw their way back into a series," San Jose forward Logan Couture said. "We know how important the next game is."

San Jose was 25-13-2 home in the Shark Tank during the regular season while the Ducks were a 18-15-3 on the road.

10* play on San Jose Sharks. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The Pittsburgh Penguins opened this series with an emphatic 7-0 victory, but Philadelphia came back strong in Game 2 to leave Pittsburgh off a 5-1 victory. For the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, this was their first loss in six games against the Flyers this season.

Philly now owns home ice advantage, but I expect the Pens to come out angry and desperate here to earn it right back. Note that the Penguins are 4-1 in their last five games following a home loss of three or more goals and 8-2 in their last 10 Conference Quarterfinals games.

10* play on Pittsburgh Penguins. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The Boston Bruins are tied with Tampa Bay for first place in the Atlantic Division with a game in hand. They'll be looking to bounce back from a pair of losses, the most recent a humbling 4-0 loss to the Lightning. The Bruins are 20-8 in their last 28 after scoring two goals or less in their previous game and a dominant 21-5 in the last 26 meetings with the Florida Panthers who are four points behind Philadelphia for the second wild card in the East with three games to go. 

Sure, the home team will be desperate for a win to keep its postseason dream alive, but the Bruins will also be fired up to end their two-game skid and I don't think they would mind playing the spoiler for their division rival here. 

10* NHL Game of the Week play on Boston Bruins. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL *POWER PLAY*

The Tampa Bay Lightning have dropped four of their last five games, including a 4-2 loss at Boston last Thursday. Their captain Steven Stamkos is questionable here after suffering a lower-body injury in Sunday’s 4-1 loss to Nashville. 

The Bruins on the other hand had won four of five prior to a 4-3 OT loss at Philadelphia on Sunday. They've dominated the Lightning in recent seasons, winning five straight and eight of the last nine meetings. 

Lightning are 1-5 in their last six vs. a team with a winning % above .600, and I think the price is right to back the visitors in this matchup. 

10* play on Boston Bruins. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The Dallas Stars have dropped nine of their last 10 (including a 5-2 loss at Minnesota Thursday night), and it's now all but impossible for them to reach the playoffs. The Minnesota Wild meanwhile are enter Saturday 3rd in the Central Division, five points up on the chasing Blues. 

The deciding factor here is the play in the defensive zone, with the Stars giving up an average of 3.8 goals per game through their last 10 games while the Wild have conceded just seven through their last four. 

Wild are 6-0 in their last six in the second game of a home-and-home situation and 5-1 in the last six meetings with Dallas. 

10* NHL Game of the Week on Minnesota Wild. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL *PUCKLINE PUNISHER*

The Vegas Golden Knights have made their backers plenty money during their inaugural season. They're however just 3-2-2 through their last seven games, and here they'll face an Arizona Coyotes team which defeated the Lightning 4-1 at Tampa Bay their last time out to improve to 14-7-2 in their last 23 contests. "I think we're trying to treat every game like a playoff game and we kind of get up for that," said rookie Clayton Keller after the win. 

The Yotes should be well up for this game after losing each of the first four meetings with the Knights. 

My selection is a 10* play on Arizona Coyotes. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

This is a tough scheduling spot for the St. Louis Blues as they'll play on no rest following a 4-1 victory over Vancouver on Friday. They're 2-10 in their last 12 vs. a team with a winning record, and here they'll face a surging Columbus team which has won 10 straight games to move into third place in the Metropolitan Division with another win tonight. 

The Blue Jackets are coming off a 4-0 home triumph over Florida on Thursday and a perfect 8-0 in their last eight games playing on one days rest.

Home team is 5-0 in the last five meetings.

My NHL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Columbus Blue Jackets.

TOP RATED 10* NHL *POWER PLAY*

The Calgary Flames are just 3-6-1 in their last 10 and need to start winning games again to not watch their playoff hopes disappear completely as they enter the new week four points out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. This looks like a good spot for the Flames as they've won four straight matchups at NHL-worst Arizona Coyotes who are coming off back-to-back home losses. 

The Flames will play their third game in four nights and on no rest following a 4-0 loss at Vegas on Sunday, but they're 12-5 in their last 17 games following a loss of three or more goals and 16-5 in their last 21 in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation.

My selection is a 10* play on Calgary Flames. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NHL)

The Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Sharks 4-2 on the road on March 4 and have followed that up with four straight victories at home. They've outscored the opposition 21-11 during their win streak and I expect them to keep rolling when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday night.

The slumping Flyers have dropped six of their last seven games and scored two goals or fewer in all but one of those contests. Philadelphia netminder Petr Mrazek has conceded 22 goals in his last six outings while Columbus' Sergei Bobrovsky is 9-4 with a 1.82 GAA in his career against the Flyers.

Philly picked up a pair of 2-1 triumphs over Columbus back in February, but the Blue Jackets are still 14-5 in the last 19 meetings in the series and I absolutely love the price we get on them in this contest.

My NHL Game of the Month is a 10* play on Columbus Blue Jackets. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL *PUCKLINE PUNISHER*

The Anaheim Ducks are in dire need of a win after dropping three on the bounce and consequently dropping out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference. Taking on the lowly Vancouver Canucks could be just what they need to get back on track as they've won the last three meetings by a combined 13-2 margin and the Nucks enter this game on a four-game skid during which they've scored a total of just three goals. 

The Ducks are 5-0 in their last five home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400 and had covered the puckline as a favorite in three straight home wins before taking a 4-2 loss to St. Louis their last time out. 

My selection is a 10* play on Anaheim Ducks -1.5. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL *PUCKLINE PUNISHER*

The LA Kings will be looking to bounce back from an embarrassing home loss to St. Louis on Saturday. "I’ll be honest with you, sometimes getting pummeled 7-2 may be easier than losing 2-1 or 3-2,” Los Angeles captain Anze Kopitar told reporters. “I don’t think a whole lot needs to be said. I’m sure each and every one of us know what we got to do and we have to play harder and with a lot more emotion."

The last time Los Angeles lost by at least five goals on its home ice was 7-2 against the Stars back in 2008, and this will be a double-revenge spot for LA as it also seek to avenge a 6-2 loss to the Nucks on Jan. 23. 

The Vancouver Canucks look like an easy victim, coming off three straight losses and winning just one of their last seven games. I don't see them keeping up with a fired up home team here. 

My selection is a 10* play on LA Kings -1.5. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The Vegas Golden Knights snapped a three-game skid with a 3-2 win at New Jersey on Sunday. They're 21-6 in their last 27 games playing on one days rest and 22-7 in their last 29 after allowing two goals or fewer in their previous game. The Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Sharks 4-2 at San Jose on Sunday to avoid traveling back home from a three-game trek empty handed. Tough spot for Columbus here though, playing its fourth game in six nights. Note that the Blue Jackets are 1-5 in their last six in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 situation and just 3-11 in their last 14 games following a win. Excellent price on Vegas, and I'm putting in a BIG BET on the visitors!

My NHL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Vegas Golden Knights. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY (TOTAL)

The Arizona Coyotes are 7-2-0 in their last nine games thanks to terrific play on the defensive end of the rink, allowing a total of just 16 goals during that stretch. They're coming off a 2-1 triumph against Ottawa and under is 6-2 in Coyotes last eight after allowing two goals or less in their previous game and 8-2-2 in their last 12 Monday games. The Edmonton Oilers have conceded 12 goals while losing three in a row, but should be able to handle an Arizona team that is averaging only 2.41 gpg on the season. 

Arizona defeated the Oilers 1-0 back in February. Under is 6-2 in the last eight meetings overall and 4-1 in the last five meetings at Edmonton.

My selection is a 10* play on ARI @ EDM to go UNDER the total. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The Vegas Golden Knights have lost three in a row following a 5-4 loss to Ottawa at T-Mobile Arena Friday night. It's just their third three-game losing streak this season though, and they enter Sunday four points behind Nashville for first place in the Western Conference and own an eight-point lead atop the Pacific Division. 

I like Vegas to bounce back here against the New Jersey Devils who have dropped four of their last six. They fell 3-2 at Florida on Thursday and 3-1 at Carolina Friday night. Tough spot here playing their third game in four nights. 

We can also note that Golden Knights are 8-1 in their last nine Sunday games while Devils are 2-9 in their last 11 Sunday games.

My selection is a 10* play on Vegas. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The St. Louis Blues took an 8-3 beating at Minnesota last night and have now lost seven straight games (0-6-1). Here they'll face a Detroit team which opened a five-game road trip with a 3-2 overtime victory over the fading New York Rangers on Sunday. I absolutely love the price we get on the rested away team in this contest. Note that the Red Wings are 6-2 in their last eight road games vs. a team with a winning home record and the road team is 11-1 in the last 12 meetings.

My selection is a 10* play on Detroit Red Wings. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The Philadelphia Flyers travel to Montreal backed by a solid 9-0-2 run and five straight victories. I think we're getting an excellent price on the visitors in this contest. 

The Habs have won just once in their last eight overall (1-4-3) and their starting goaltender Carey Price is out indefinitely with a concussion after taking a shot off his mask last Tuesday. 

Flyers are 6-0 in their last six road games while Canadiens are 3-10 in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record. 

We can also note that Philly has lost six straight at Bell Centre, so the visitors should be fired up to make the most of their hot run and end that streak right here, right now. 

My NHL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Philadelphia Flyers. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

Very clear cut reasoning behind this play; the Preds are HOT, the Blues are NOT.

The visitors are coming off five straight defeats and took a 4-0 beating by Winnipeg at home Friday. Blues have lost the first three meetings with the Preds this season and they've lost seven straight visits to Bridgestone Arena. 

Nashville is entering this game on a three-game winning streak, outscoring its opponents by a combined 15-5 in the process. 

My NHL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Nashville Predators. 

10* AFTERNOON ASSASSIN (PUCKS EDITION)

The white hot Philadelphia Flyers have won four straight and picked up at least a point in 10 straight games (8-0-2). Here they'll visit an Ottawa side that has lost three straight, the two most recent on Feb 21 (@Chicago, 3-2 SO) and Feb 22 (Tampa Bay, 4-3). Tough spot for the Sens here playing their third game in four nights, and they're just 2-10 in their last 12 in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation.

Ottawa picked up a 4-3 SO win at Philadelphia on Feb 3. This looks like a favorable situation for Philly to exact revenge.

My selection is a 10* play on Philadelphia Flyers. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The Pittsburgh Penguins look like great value when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes Friday night. The Canes are coming off three straight losses and they're just 3-11 in their last 14 vs. a team with a winning record. 

The Pens will be entering PNC Arena on a five-game winning streak and well rested since a 5-2 win at Columbus on Feb 18 (Pittsburgh 5-1 when playing with three or more days rest this season). 

Penguins are 8-2 in the last 10 meetings with Carolina. 

My selection is a 10* play on Pittsburgh Penguins. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The slumping Columbus Blue Jackets enter this game on a three-game slide and took their eighth defeat in the last 10 games in a 5-2 home loss against the Pittsburgh Penguins Sunday night. Captain Nick Foligno will be sidelined for one to two weeks after suffering a lower-body injury against the Pens, and here Columbus will come up against a red-hot Devils team which is coming off four straight victories to get back into playoff contention again.  

The Devils will seek revenge for a 6-1 loss at Columbus on Feb. 10.

My selection is a 10* play on New Jersey Devils. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The New York Islanders are coming off back-to-back 3-0 triumphs, and they've had two days rest since beating Carolina their last time out. The winning streak is the first for the Islanders since a three-game run from Jan. 7 to Jan. 15, and I think they'll keep it rolling here when hosting the Minnesota Wild Monday afternoon. The inconsistent Wild enter this contest on a two-game slide, preceded by a two-game winning streak, which in turn was preceded by a four-game span in which it alternated wins with losses. Wild are 6-17 in their last 23 road games vs. a team with a winning home record and the home team is 4-1 in the last five matchups in this series.

My selection is a 10* play on NY Islanders. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL

The Dallas Stars have won six of their last seven games and held all but two opponents to two goals or fewer during that stretch. They're coming off a 2-1 triumph over St. Louis and under is 3-0-1 in Stars last 4 after scoring two goals or less in their previous game and 6-2 in their last eight vs. a team with a winning record. Here they'll face a San Jose Sharks side that has allowed a total of five goals through its last three games, with none of those games going over five goals. Under is 7-2 in Sharks last nine overall.

My selection is a 10* play on DAL @ SJ to go UNDER the total. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The Dallas Stars had won six on the bounce before taking a 6-0 beating by Vancouver here at American Airlines Center in their most lopsided loss of the season. They've had four days to mull it over, and I expect the Stars to play with real purpose tonight. Note that the Stars are 17-5 in their last 22 games following a home loss of three or more goals and 10-2 in their last 12 home games vs. a team with a winning road record while the Blues are just 2-5 in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.

My selection is a 10* play on Dallas Stars. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NHL)

The Chicago Blackhawks have fallen into last place in the Central Division by losing their last five games and nine of their last 11. The good news is that tonight they'll face an Arizona team they've owned in recent seasons, including a pair of comfortable wins this season. Overall, the Blackhawks are 14-3 in the last 17 meetings and they've claimed 10 of the last 11 in the desert. 

The Coyotes are dead last in the NHL with only six home-ice victories and I think this is a great price on the desperate Blackhawks who need to start winning if they're to make the playoffs. 

My NHL Game of the Month is a 10* play on Chicago Blackhawks ML. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Nashville Predators are coming off back-to-back post-regulation losses Wednesday/Thursday. They're however 7-1 in their last eight games playing on one days rest and 4-1 in their last five in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation, and I think they'll make light work of the Habs here at Bell Centre on Saturday. 

Montreal took a 5-3 loss at Philadelphia Thursday night and is just 2-7 in its last nine vs. a team with a winning % above .600. I expect to see Pekka Rinne between the pipes for the Predators, and he owns a 7-2-2 mark with two shutouts, a 1.42 GAA and .949 SV% in 11 career encounters with the Habs.

I also think former Canadien, All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban, will have the Preds extra fired up here as he returns to the Bell Centre for the second time since being traded to Music City.

My selection is a 10* play on Nashville Predators ML. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL NO-BRAINER

The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming off a 5-4 victory over Vegas, but that was at home and they've dropped three of their last four on the road. Here they'll visit a Dallas Stars team that has won four in a row overall (outscoring their opponents by a total of 16-5 during that stretch) and also four straight meetings with the Pens home at American Airlines Center.

My selection is a 10* play on Dallas Stars. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions Pittsburgh Penguins saw their four-game winning streak come to an end with a 3-1 setback at New Jersey on Saturday. I think they'll find it though to bounce back here when they host the Vegas Golden Knights Tuesday night, and I'm so confident the value is on the visitors in this matchup that I'm making this my NHL Game of the Week selection.

Vegas has won three of four on this six-game road trip and its netminder, former Penguin Marc Andre Fleury, has won each of his last five road outings. This will be his first game at Pittsburgh since leaving the team, and I expect him to bring his a-game. 

The Golden Knights are 10-2 in their last 12 vs. teams from the Eastern Conference while the Penguins are 4-9 in their last 13 against teams from the West. 

My NHL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Vegas Golden Knights. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The San Jose Sharks snapped a four-game skid with a 3-1 triumph at Columbus Friday night. I like their chances of riding that momentum to another victory when they visit the Carolina Hurricanes Sunday afternoon. The Canes are in pretty much the opposite situation as they saw a three-game winning streak come to an end with a 4-1 loss to Detroit on Friday. This will be their third game in four nights, and we can note that the Hurricanes are 0-5 in their last five in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation and just 1-7 in their last eight vs. a team with a winning record.

My selection is a 10* play on San Jose Sharks. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The Columbus Blue Jackets will be well rested for this clash with the San Jose Sharks, coming off two days of rest since a 3-2 SO loss to Minnesota. They're 20-7 in their last 27 Friday night games and 23-8 in their last 31 games playing on two days rest. The San Jose Sharks meanwhile are coming off four straight defeats and this will be their third game in four nights. They're just 2-6 in their last 8 in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation and 0-8 in their last eight road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. Columbus boasts a solid 16-8-0 home record and should prove worth the price we're asked to lay here. 

My selection is a 10* play on Columbus Blue Jackets. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Vegas Golden Knights scored three goals in 53 seconds within the final two minutes to defeat Calgary 4-2 on Tuesday, but I think they'll come up short here at Winnipeg Thursday night. The Jets are a stunning 18-3-1 home at Bell MTS Centre on the season and took down the Lightning in a 3-1 victory in their first game back from the All Star break. The home team have won the previous two meetings and I see no reason to not expect that trend to continue. 

My selection is a 10* play on Winnipeg Jets. 

TOP RATED 10* LATE NIGHT NHL POWER PLAY (50% OFF)

The Colorado Avalanche had won 10 straight before dropping their last two games leading up to the All Star break. They'll be eager to go on another run to remain in the playoff picture when they visit the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. The Nucks lost for the third time in four games as they were shut out by the Sabres at home Thursday night. The Canucks are 3-15 in their last 18 home games vs. a team with a losing road record and the road team is 6-2 in the last eight head-to-head meetings with the Avs.

My selection is a 10* play on Colorado Avalanche. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

Two slumping teams will clash at United Center Wednesday night.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost five of their last six games while the Chicago Blackhawks have lost three straight and four of their last five (all at home). The Blackhawks have been blanked twice and scored only six goals during that stretch, and I think the value is on the visiting Maple Leafs in this contest. 

Toronto still boasts a winning record despite the recent slide, and the Blackhawks are only 6-15 (-11.6 units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season. 

My selection is a 10* play on Toronto Maple Leafs. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The New York Islanders are coming off a 7-3 triumph at Chicago on Saturday, their third straight win away from home. "We're an offensive team with a lot of depth in our lineup," center Anthony Beauvillier said after the win. "We can score goals and make plays. It was a good way to start the (three-game) road trip." Here they'll visit the worst home team in the NHL, and I like the Isles to keep on the road. 

The Coyotes are a pathetic 5-14-3 home in Gila River Arena. They had lost five straight overall prior to a 5-2 win at St. Louis their last time out but are just 6-20 in their last 26 games following a win.

New York is just 11-13-1 on the road this season but Arizona is 3-14 in its last 17 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.

My selection is a 10* play on New York Islanders. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim are coming off back-to-back home triumphs over Pittsburgh and LA, and they've won four straight home at Honda Center. I think they'll keep that streak intact with another triumph over San Jose Sharks on Sunday. The Sharks will play on no rest following a 2-1 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday and are 1-4 in their last five games playing on no rest and 5-16 in their last 21 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.

My selection is a 10* play on Anaheim Ducks. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

Both teams are coming off a bye week, but the Calgary Flames entered the break as arguably the hottest team in the NHL coming off seven consecutive triumphs. They've won five straight meetings with the Jets home at the Saddledome and Winnipeg is coming off back-to-back road losses at Chicago and Minnesota. The Jets are just 1-10 in their last 11 road games vs. a team with a winning home record and I don't see them threatening the red hot Flames here. 

My selection is a 10* play on Calgary Flames. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The Vegas Golden Knights are coming off an impressive 4-1 victory at NHL-best Tampa Bay on Thursday. They're 4-1 in their last five games playing on no rest and I think they'll keep rolling when they visit the Florida Panthers here Friday night. Florida is just 1-3-1 through its last five games and it hasn't played a game since last Friday's 4-2 loss to the Calgary Flames. Teams seem to struggle coming off a bye week, and I expect that to be the case for the Panthers as well.

My selection is a 10* play on Vegas Golden Knights. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY (LATE START)

The Colorado Avalanche are coming off seven straight wins. They're a solid 16-7-1 at home for the season, and have had two days rest since defeating the Ducks 3-1 here at Pepsi Center.

Tonight they'll host a San Jose Sharks team that will play its third game in four nights after winning 3-1 at LA on Tuesday and 3-2 in a shootout at Arizona the following night.

The Sharks are 1-4 in their last five in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation and 0-6 in their last six road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.

My selection is a 10* play on Colorado Avalanche. 

TOP RATED 10* VEGAS @ NASHVILLE TOTAL 

The Vegas Golden Knights will visit the Nashville Predators Tuesday night, and I think we'll see plenty of action on the scoreboard. 

Nashville has had a full week off and over is 5-2-1 in its last eight games playing on three or more days rest while Vegas took a 3-2 OT loss against Edmonton on Saturday, and over is 9-2-2 in Golden Knights last 13 games playing on two days rest. 

The Golden Knights won the last meeting 3-0 home in Vegas earlier this month, but the lone encounter here at Bridgestone Arena back in December saw a total of seven goals. The Preds are averaging a healthy 3.47 gpg in front of the home town crowd and Vegas is giving up 3.30 gpg on the road. 

My selection is a 10* play on Over. 

CALIFORNIA CRUSHER - SHARKS @ KINGS 

The LA Kings will be desperate to end a three-game slide and they'll be looking to avenge a 2-1 loss to the Sharks here at Staples Center on Dec. 23. They're still 11-7-3 in front of the home town crowd and the Sharks are just 3-14 in their last 17 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. Motivation and revenge factor favor the Kings here. 

My selection is a 10* play on LA Kings. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The Calgary Flames come to Carolina riding a six-game winning streak, each of the last three on the road. I'm not quite sure how much gas they've got left in the tank for this game though, and this looks like a more than fair price on the Hurricanes. 

Carolina has lost three of its last four, but it's worth noting that the Canes out-shot Washington 39-27 despite losing 4-3 their last time out. The Hurricanes are 10-4 in their last 14 home games vs. a team with a winning road record and the home team is 14-6-2 in the last 22 meetings in this series. 

My selection is a 10* play on Carolina Hurricanes. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL NO-BRAINER

The Columbus Blue Jackets go for their third straight victory when they visit the skidding Sabres on Thursday night. Buffalo has dropped five in a row and it has allowed four of more goals in each of its last four games. The Sabres took a 7-4 beating by Dallas here at KeyBank Center Tuesday night and are just 3-11 in their last 14 games playing on one days rest and 1-5 in their last six games following a home loss of three or more goals. Columbus meanwhile last played Monday and is 23-7 in its last 30 games playing on two days rest.

My selection is a 10* play on Columbus Blue Jackets.

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

Good spot to back the Minnesota Wild as they seek to bounce back from a 7-2 beating at Colorado. They're 5-0 in their last five games following a loss of three or more goals and 4-0 in their last four home games giving us our perfect 9-0 angle. 

The Calgary Flames meanwhile are due for a let down game after sweeping a three-game homestand. They've lost each of their last two on the road and they're 4-9 in their last 13 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. 

The Wild has earned at least a point in 12 of their last 13 games at Xcel Energy Center since Nov. 14, posting an 11-1-1 record in that span and 2-0 against Calgary on the season. 

My NHL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Minnesota Wild. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL) - MIKE'S TOP RATED 10* BEST BET

The Colorado Avalanche enter this contest on a four-game winning streak. They're scoring 3.50 goals per game home at Pepsi Center on the season, and here they'll host a Wild side that has scored 11 goals during a two-game winning streak and 19 through its last five games. 

Minnesota is giving up plenty of goals on the road (3.48 gpg) and over is 11-5-2 in Wild last 18 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600. 

The Avs are coming off a 2-0 triumph over Columbus and over is 17-5 in Colorado's last 22 after scoring two goals or fewer in its previous game.

My NHL Game of the Week is a 10* play on MIN @ COL Over. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The San Jose Sharks took an OT loss at Toronto last night. It's however worth noting that they're 5-0 in their last five games following OT on the previous day, and I think they'll have enough gas in the tank left to make a quick recovery with a victory here at Ottawa Friday night. The Sens are slumping big time, coming off back-to-back losses, scoring only one goal in the process and they've mustered only one win through their last seven games. 

My selection is a 10* play on San Jose Sharks. 

TOP RATED 10* MIDWEEK MAJOR WAGER (NHL)

The Blackhawks closed out last year with five straight games away from Chicago, and they'll open 2018 on the road as well before playing eight of their next nine home in United Center. I think it's a major chance they'll look past the New York Rangers here Wednesday night. 

The Rangers are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over Buffalo in the Winter Classic on New Year's Day. They've been extremely hard to beat home at Madison Square Garden lately, winning 13 of their last 16 home games. The Blackhawks meanwhile have managed only one victory over the last five games and have dropped seven of their last nine away from home. They're 2-10 in their last 12 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600 and we can note that netminder Corey Crawford is back on injured reserve for the second time this season.

My selection is a 10* play on New York Rangers. 

NHL 3-PACK

The Carolina Hurricanes had won four in a row before taking a 3-2 loss at St. Louis on Dec. 30. They are not getting much respect here despite entering the new year with a 10-4-2 home record and clinching all five of their home games in December. They'll host a Capitals team coming off back-to-back victories home at Washington, but the Caps have dropped three straight on the road and they were held scoreless in the last two. Home team is 5-1 in the last six meetings.

My selection is a 10* play on Carolina Hurricanes. 

EARLY TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The Vegas Golden Knights are almost unbeatable home at T-Mobile Arena, going 15-2-0 for the season. They've had two days rest as they enter this matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs riding a six-game winning streak, with the last two coming on the road. The Maple Leafs meanwhile will play their third game in four nights and fifth straight on the road. Toronto has a winning road record for the season but it has lost five of its last seven away from home.

My selection is a 10* play on Vegas Golden Knights. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL TOTAL POWER PLAY 

The Florida Panthers are coming off four straight victories, allowing a total of only six goals during that stretch. Under is 6-2 in Panthers last eight overall and here they'll host a sputtering Canadiens team that has lost three straight contests while scoring just one goal in each game. This will be the Habs third game in four nights and under is 11-3-1 in their last 15 in the third game of a 3-in-4 days situation.

Under is 4-1-4 in the last nine meetings at BB&T Center. 

My selection is a 10* play on Under. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming off a 5-4 shootout victory over Columbus on Wednesday, but they will have four players sidelined here at Carolina Friday night. The Penguins were already without defenseman Kris Letang and got hit with injuries to right winger Bryan Rust, defenseman Chad Ruhwedel and goaltender Matt Murray in Wednesday's win.

The Pens have had a disappointing season, particularly on the road and they're just 4-10 in their last 14 road games, including 0-4 in their last four road games vs. a team with a winning home record. The Carolina Hurricanes are a solid 9-4-2 home at PNC Arena on the season, winning each of their last five. 

The Pens and the Canes enter this contest tied in points, but Carolina has played two fewer games and so it sits one spot ahead of the seventh-place Penguins in the Metropolitan Division.

This is the first of four meetings this season, with the first three meetings coming within a four-week span. The Pens have owned the series in recent seasons winning seven straight matchups, but the Canes will smell blood here and I think they'll get the job done in front of the home fans in Raleigh.

My NHL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Carolina Hurricanes. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL 

The Boston Bruins enter this contest on a five-game winning streak, but four of those were home at TD Garden and I think they're about to run into some serious trouble here at Washington Thursday night. 

The Caps will finally play home at Capital One Arena again following a four-game road trip. They'll be desperate for a win after losing the final three contests and note that Washington is still a perfect 6-0-0 at home this month. 

The Caps have won their last five games against the Bruins here at home and the last 11 games in the series overall. 

My selection is a 10* play on Washington Capitals. 

SUPER EARLY TOP RATED 10* NHL - JETS @ ISLANDERS

The New York Islanders have suffered back-to-back losses to Detroit and Anaheim home at Barclay Center, but they're still an impressive 10-3-2 at home on the season. I think they'll give the home fans something to cheer for today.

The Islanders enter this contest ranked 2nd in the league in scoring at 3.51 gpg and even better 4.19 gpg at home. Winnipeg has struggled to score on the road all season long and it has dropped seven of its last eight on the road. 

The Islanders have won four of the last five head-to-head meetings. 

My selection is a 10* play on New York Islanders. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY (TOTAL)

The Calgary Flames are coming off a 2-1 victory over St. Louis. They've been involved in several low-scoring games lately with over/under 4-1 in their last five games. Under is 5-1 in Flames last six after scoring two goals or fewer in their previous game and they have given up only 13 regulation goals over the past eight contests overall. 

Tonight the Flames will host a Montreal Canadiens team that put a 7-5 beating on the Canucks in Vancouver three days ago, but such offensive outbursts have been few and far between for the Habs. They had scored only a total of eight goals through their last five games prior to that and under is 8-1-1 in Canadiens last 10 when their opponent allows two goals or fewer in their previous game.

My selection is a 10* play on Under. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL MONEYLINE MONEYMAKER

The St. Louis Blues have lost four of their last five games and scored only a total of four goals during that stretch. They took a 2-1 loss at Calgary last night and this will be their fourth game in six nights ( Blues are 2-5 in their last seven in the last game of a 4-in-6 situation). Here they'll face an Edmonton Oilers team on the rise, coming off solid triumphs against Minnesota and San Jose to make it three in its last four contests.

Edmonton has been dealing with injuries to its blueliners but Adam Larsson returned from an upper-body injury in Monday's win against the Sharks and Andrej Sekera is slated to make his season debut here against the Blues following knee surgery.

Edmonton had won four straight head-to-head meetings before dropping the first two encounters with St. Louis this season. This looks like a good spot to back the Oilers to get back on track in the series. 

My selection is a 10* play on Edmonton Oilers. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL NO-LIMIT NIGHT PLAY

The St. Louis Blues opened their four-game road trip with a 4-0 loss at Winnipeg, the second time in their last four games they've been blanked. They've scored only a total of three goals through their last four contests and I think they're in for another tough matchup here at Calgary Wednesday night.

The Flames are coming off a solid 6-1 triumph and Vancouver Sunday night and they're 12-3 in their last 15 games playing on two days rest. Calgary is just 8-10 here at Scotiabank Saddledome, compared to going 9-7 on the road and it needs to start performing better in its own building. The Flames defeated the Blues 7-4 here on Nov. 13 and I'm counting on the them to do it again. 

My selection is a 10* play on Calgary Flames. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NHL)

The Washington Capitals travel to Dallas riding a three-game winning streak and they've won seven of their last eight, but I'm confident they'll come up short here at American Airlines Center Tuesday night. 

The Stars concluded a promising four-game road trip with back-to-back losses and will be looking to help Ken Hitchcock earn his 800th career coaching win in front of the home fans tonight instead. Stars are 10-3 in their last 13 home games and they've had plenty of time to rest and recover since Saturday's OT loss at Philadelphia. 

The Stars have owned the Caps in recent seasons, winning 17 of the last 21 encounters. My money is on that trend to continue. 

My NHL Game of the Month is a 10* play on Dallas Stars. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The San Jose Sharks have earned at least a point in each of their last six games, but they're likely to have to do without their leading scorer Logan Couture (head) when they visit the Edmonton Oilers Monday night. The Oilers have alternated wins and losses through their last nine games, so statistically they should be due for a loss here coming off a 3-2 triumph at Minnesota on Saturday. They're however 4-1 in the last five meetings with the Sharks, and I think they'll start this three-game homestand with a victory. 

My selection is a 10* play on Edmonton Oilers. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

I expect fatigue to become an issue for the Dallas Stars here as they'll play their third game in four nights and on no rest following a 5-2 setback at New Jersey last night. They'll come up against a Philadelphia Flyers team that is looking to improve on a five-game winning streak, conceding just a total of eight goals during that stretch. The Stars have won four of the last five meetings overall but only two of the last seven here at Wells Fargo Center. 

My selection is a 10* play on Philadelphia Flyers. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY (TOTAL)

The Los Angeles Kings have been lights out lately, but they saw their eight-game winning streak come to a halt with a 5-1 setback in New Jersey on Tuesday. Under is 3-0-1 in Kings last four after allowing five goals or more in their previous game and 3-0-2 in their last five following a loss of three or more goals. I expect the Kings to put prioritize defense in this game. The New York Rangers have scored a total of just three goals through their last two games. 

My selection is a 10* play on Under. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY (PERFECT 11-0 ANGLE)

The Winnipeg Jets suffered a humbling 5-1 loss at Detroit, Tuesday night, but they're still on an impressive 9-3-1 run over the last 13 games and I think they'll bounce back with a big performance at Florida Thursday night. Note that the Jets are 4-0 in their last four games following a loss of three or more goals and 7-0 in their last seven after scoring two goals or less in their previous game´giving us a perfect 11-0 angle to work with. The Florida Panthers have lost three straight games and they lost starting netminder Roberto Luongo to injury in Monday's shootout loss to the New York Islanders. They're just 2-7 in their last nine home games.

My selection is a 10* play on Winnipeg Jets. 

GAME OF THE WEEK (NHL)

The Vegas Golden Knights are 10-2-0 home at T-Mobile Arena, and I predict more success in front of the home town crowd when they host the reeling Anaheim Ducks Tuesday night.

Vegas is coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the last place Coyotes on Sunday night, an important victory as it put an end to a three-game slide. Here the Knights will host a Ducks team that is short on confidence, having lost back-to-back games and six of its last seven. We can also note that this is the final stop on a six-game road trip for the Ducks, and they would be excused for looking ahead to tomorrow's matchup with Ottawa at home.

My NHL Game of the Week is a 10* play on Vegas Golden Knights. 

TOP RATED 10* LATE NIGHT NHL POWER PLAY

I like the Vegas Golden Knights to improve on their already impressive 9-1-0 home record when they host the Dallas Stars Tuesday night. The Stars are coming off a solid 6-4 home win against the Flames on Friday night, but they're just 3-8-1 on the road for the season and they average just 2.17 goals per game on the road. We can also note that they're 3-11 in their last 14 after scoring five goals or more in their previous game. 

The Golden Knights have won five straight games overall following a 4-2 road win over the Coyotes on Saturday night and they're scoring a magnificent 4.40 goals per game home at T-Mobile Arena.

My selection is a 10* play on Vegas Golden Knights. 

GAME OF THE MONTH (NHL) MIKE'S MONDAY MAJOR WAGER ALERT

The Winnipeg Jets are back home from a four-game road trip which ended with a 4-0 loss at San Jose on Saturday, their first shutout loss of the season. They're 6-2 in their last eight games overall, 13-3 in their last 16 home games and 17-4 in their last 21 games playing on one days rest. The Minnesota Wild are coming off a 6-3 loss at St. Louis and they've lost three of their last five games. Netminder Devan Dubnyk is going through a rough time and has conceded 18 goals through his last four starts. 

The Jets have won both previous meetings on the season and five of the last seven meetings overall. 

My NHL Game of the Month is a 10* play on Winnipeg Jets. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The St. Louis Blues look like a solid home favorite when they host the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday night. Edmonton has lost four of its last five games and reigning Hart Trophy recipient Connor McDavid missed Monday's practice with an illness. He might play but will probably not be 100%. The Blues are coming off a three-game trip through western Canada which included a 4-1 beatdown of the Oilers at Edmonton. They're 9-2 in their last 11 home games and 10-3 in the last 13 meetings with the Oilers at St. Louis. 

My selection is an 10* play on St. Louis Blues. 

TOP RATED 10* NHL POWER PLAY

The St. Louis Blues are coming off back-to-back losses to the Islanders and Calgary, but note that they're 12-5 after two losses in a row since the start of the 2016/2017 season. They'll have a rest advantage, playing on two days of rest while the Oilers will be playing on one days rest and this will be their fourth game in six nights. Edmonton beat Vegas 8-2 its last time out and might be in for a letdown game here. 

The Blues have won six of the last eight meetings at Edmonton, and I think they'll put an end to their current losing streak with a win at Rogers Place tonight.

My selection is a 10* play on St. Louis Blues.