Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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12-11-14 | Minnesota Wild v. San Jose Sharks -130 | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 14 h 45 m | Show | |
I am playing on SAN JOSE. I successfully played on the Sharks to beat the Oilers in their last game and I think they make it two in a row with another friendly match-up here. The visiting Minnesota Wild come in off a 5-4 come from behind win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night. Note that I successfully played on the Wild in that game and was pleasantly pleased to see them score five goals in the third period to rally. The Wild are not a great road team this year and a place like San Jose is a not where they can turn it around. Minnesota is merely 6-7 away from home where it is a strong 9-3-1. Minnesota edged the Sharks 4-3 in a shootout on Oct. 30 for just its second win in the past six meetings. The Wild have lost four straight and nine of 10 in San Jose. Neither Minnesota goaltender has been very effective lately despite the team's solid defense. Niklas Backstrom allowed four or more goals for the third time in four starts Tuesday, while Darcy Kuemper has posted a 4.41 GAA in his last four starts. Not helping matters for the Sharks either is the fact that team will be down two contributing defense in Marco Scandella and Keith Ballard who are suspended and injured respectively. The Sharks are turning things around during a current hot streak that will see them go for a sixth win in seven contests. This team has started to score goals like everyone expected during this hot spell. The Sharks have scored 24 goals in six games, which is tied for the most in the NHL since Nov. 29. The Sharks were a great home team last year and are starting to show it again now finally. Keep in mind the Sharks are also 9-7 in revenge spot this season and 8-5 when playing teams with a winning record. Play SAN JOSE 8* to win straight up. |
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12-11-14 | Winnipeg Jets v. Colorado Avalanche -107 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 12 h 17 m | Show |
I am playing on COLORADO. The Avalanche has lost four in a row but I expect that end here with a good spot versus Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Jets have won three of four coming in and took care of Dallas 5-2 on the road on Tuesday. Give them credit as the team has really turned it around after a slow start. Still, this will be a tough game for it in Denver versus a desperate home side. Keep in mind that the Jets have lost two of three in Colorado the last three seasons. The Jets have a big rematch at home against one of the best teams in the NHL standings versus Anaheim coming up on Saturday night and could easily get caught looking forward to that. A game against the bottom feeding Avs on the road likely won’t get their juices flowing. The Avs have lost four in a row and have struggled for consistency all season. They will want this game badly though as the Jets embarrassed the Avs in Winnipeg last Friday night. The Jets took a 6-2 game that night. Colorado is indeed searching for answers but this team is just too good with too much talent not to turn it around soon. This is a spot where it should get a win and will. Play COLORADO 10* |
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12-11-14 | New Jersey Devils v. Philadelphia Flyers -130 | 1-4 | Win | 100 | 10 h 14 m | Show | |
8* Flyers. Analysis before 11am PST |
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12-10-14 | Edmonton Oilers v. Anaheim Ducks UNDER 5.5 | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 13 h 21 m | Show | |
I am playing on the UNDER in this contest between Edmonton and Anaheim. This game sets up nicely for a lower scoring game between teams going in different directions. The Oilers could not make it two wins in a row last night as they fell to San Jose 5-2 last night on the road. This will not be any easier as the team will be playing the second night of a back-to-back situation on the horribly difficult California team. Edmonton has scored more than two goals just once in its last eight games. This game won’t be easy score goals in either as they face a Anaheim team that will be looking for revenge from a 4-2 game the teams played late last season. Anaheim has won four straight but have suffered a blow to its team that will likely hurt the offense in the short team. The Ducks will be without leading scorer Corey Perry who will be out of the lineup for up to three-to-four weeks due to a knee injury sustained on Saturday. Three of the last four teams between these teams have gone lower than the posted total. The Oilers are just 1-10 versus teams with a winning and seven of those games has seen the lower number post. The Ducks played in a high scoring game in Minnesota their last game but that is significant because the UNDER has posted in five of eight games following one where the Ducks scored four goals or more in their previous game. Play the UNDER 9*. |
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12-10-14 | Toronto Maple Leafs v. Detroit Red Wings -174 | 2-1 | Loss | -174 | 11 h 22 m | Show | |
I am playing on DETROIT. The Wings fell to the Leafs a few weeks ago in a big rivalry game but I think they get some payback here in a nice spot for them. Toronto comes in off an impressive 4-1 win at home over Calgary last night and is rolling as a team with seven wins in the last nine contests. While we will give them credit for that nice stretch, note that the Leafs have had their fair share of trouble of late just down the road in Detroit. The back-to-back situation won’t help matters either as they face a rested Red Wings team that hasn’t played since a 3-1 win on Sunday over Carolina. Detroit has been rolling itself of late as their best players have started to get healthier. The Red Wings are looking to win their eighth win in nine contests and now sit tied with Tampa Bay atop the Atlantic conference. Detroit did indeed fall at Toronto back on November but that game was played without Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk in the lineup. Datsyuk has missed 11 games for the Red Wings, including that 4-1 loss to Toronto. Detroit has gone 7-1-0 since, with Datsyuk recording seven goals and four assists over the last six since returning from a groin injury. The Red Wings also have a hot Jimmy Howard in goal who is looking for revenge from that loss. Howard has won five of his last six starts since losing to Toronto, and he'll be in goal again for this contest after having Sunday off. Howard is 3-1-1 with a 1.97 GAA in his last five against Toronto. Detroit is 5-2 versus Toronto the last three seasons and has won the last two games when hosting. Play DETROIT 8* to win straight up. |
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12-09-14 | Edmonton Oilers v. San Jose Sharks -213 | 2-5 | Win | 100 | 15 h 49 m | Show | |
I am playing on SAN JOSE. The Sharks are the big favorites in this spot but for good reason as they will be looking for some big time revenge after losing on Sunday Give Edmonton credit for finally ending their massive 11-game losing streak but no one should get too excited about one win one. Even with the impressive 2-1 win over San Jose on the weekend, the Oilers have just one win over any opponent in the Western Conference this year. The Oilers have just two wins on the road this season and still haven’t shown me enough they can win against a strong home team in San Jose. The Oilers have a laundry list of problems and reasons why they can’t win on the road at this point. The foremost problem being is that Edmonton has the second worst goal differential in the league at -31, second to only Buffalo. The Sharks will come in looking for revenge after embarrassingly being the first Western conference team to lose to the Oilers this season. The Sharks went into Edmonton on Sunday with a four game winning streak and have played pretty well of late aside from the loss. It will be imperative for the Sharks to get back into the win column and not lose to the worst team in the conference twice in a row. San Jose s 7-2 versus Edmonton the last three seasons and a perfect 3-0 at home in this series. I expect the better team will win here and likely do it convincingly. 6* Sharks. |
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12-09-14 | Winnipeg Jets v. Dallas Stars -130 | 5-2 | Loss | -130 | 13 h 50 m | Show | |
I am playing on DALLAS. The Stars have had their struggles against Divisional foes this season but this is a good spot for them to get back in the win column. The Jets come in off a 4-3 overtime loss at home to one of the best teams in the Western Conference in Anaheim. It would quite easy for Winnipeg to have a letdown spot immediately on the road against one of the bottom feeders in the West. Winnipeg has an upcoming rematch with Anaheim later this week at the same venue and could easily get caught looking ahead to that game. Winnipeg will be without Evander Kane for two games after he was suspended by the NHL for boarding Anaheim's Clayton Stoner on Sunday. Kane is a key part of the Jets team and it will hurt them to not have him in this game. Dallas comes in off an impressive 4-1 win at home over Montreal. The Stars have been inconsistent on defense this season but finally put it all together. Everyone knows they have a dangerous offense but keeping the puck out of their own net is better sign. The Stars have leading scorer Tyler Seguin who has 21 goals on the season and nine goals and four assists in his last nine games to help put him in a tie with Sidney Crosby with total points (35) on the year. The Jets are well aware of what Seguin can do after he piled up eight goals and six assists in the past 10 meetings. He has four goals with two assists in the last three. The Jets played on Sunday in that event filled loss to the Anaheim while the Stars haven’t played since Saturday. Look for the home team to have more jump in this spot. The Stars took the last meeting in Texas between these teams 2-1 and look for them to pull out another win. 8* Dallas. |
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12-09-14 | NY Islanders v. Minnesota Wild -132 | 4-5 | Win | 100 | 12 h 21 m | Show | |
I am playing on MINNESOTA. The Wild lost a bit of a heartbreaker over the weekend in this same building versus a very good Ducks squad and I expect them to bounce back from it with an emphatic win over the Islanders. The New York Islanders continue to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference with eight wins in their last 10 games. The Islanders sit just one point back of the Metropolitan division leading Pittsburgh Penguins. But it should be noted that the Islanders are coming in off a 6-4 loss at the St. Louis Blues. It is never easy for an East team to come out west in any sport but even more so in the NHL with so many strong West teams with good home ice advantage. This is an easy spot in the schedule to see that the Islanders could give a few back after starting this season a surprisingly consistent rate. Even with the loss to Ducks on Saturday, the Wild are a strong 8-3-1 at home this season and have been dominant in their building for years. It should be noted that the Wild are 5-3 versus the Islanders franchise in recent history. Minnesota star Zach Parise recorded one of those goals and added an assist to give him seven points in the past four games. A long time member of the New Jersey Devils, Parise has six assists in his last four contests versus New York. The Wild handled the Islanders 6-0 in last season’s meeting between these two teams. While I don’t imagine seeing any type of blowout like that happening again, I do expect an easy win for the home take. Take Minnesota to win straight up. 8* Minnesota |
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12-08-14 | Florida Panthers v. St Louis Blues -201 | 2-4 | Win | 100 | 13 h 45 m | Show | |
I am playing on ST.LOUIS. The Blues are due for an easy win and I am very willing to lay the juice to get them. Florida comes in off a 3-2 win over Buffalo and has won four of six coming into this game. The Panthers have looked pretty good over that time but note the quality of wins hasn’t quite been there with just one quality win over Detroit. The Panthers have played a little over their heads over that streak and it will be a taller order to get a win in St. Louis where the Blues have been nearly unbeatable two years running. St. Louis comes in off a tough four game road trip that saw games against the leagues’ elite in Chicago, Nashville, Minnesota and New York Islanders. The Blues came away with a 2-2 record on the trip despite the tough opponents. "We haven't played our best hockey," Blues’ defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk said after the trip. The Blues have won four straight over the Panthers and have dominated them over that stretch. St. Louis has outscored them 17-2 over that stretch, including a 7-0 win over Florida that last time the Panthers came to St. Louis. As mentioned before, the Blues are impressive at home were they are 9-3-1 this season. Also note that the Blues are a strong 7-4 versus the Eastern Conference this season. The Blues are the big favorite here for a good reason and I am willing to lay the juice to get what should be an easy win. 6* Blue Marlin. |
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12-06-14 | Chicago Blackhawks v. Nashville Predators -120 | 3-1 | Loss | -120 | 12 h 52 m | Show | |
I am playing on NASHVILLE. While this is a tough test, I think the Predators are up to the challenge as they catch the Blackhawks in a tough scheduling spot. The Chicago Blackhawks come in on a hot streak after yet another win last night by the narrowest of margins at home over Montreal. Brandon Saad scored with just 27 seconds left in the third period to complete the 4-3 rally over the visiting Montreal Canadians. The Blackhawks have now won five straight and eight of ten overall. Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators have had since Thursday night off. The Preds beat another western power in the St. Louis Blues on that night. The 4-3 win at home over the Blues ran Nashville’s home winning streak to seven games, one short of a franchise record. Nashville has been very successful against the Blackhawks of late so won’t be intimidated. The Predators are 4-0-1 in their last five meetings with the Blackhawks. James Neal scored a hat-trick in the most recent meeting, a 3-2 Pred’s win back in October. Pekka Rinne, who will likely get the call to be in net, has a 1.66 goals-against average while starting each game of the home winning streak. He's also won four starts in a row against the Blackhawks with a 2.25 GAA. While the Blackhawks have many other rivals in this league, likely don’t consider the Predators one of them. That is likely unlike Nashville who is still trying to prove itself as a top contender in the league. "It would be big," Nashville’s defenseman Mattias Ekholm said after the win over St.Louis. "It would be a statement to beat them both in a row like that." Keep in mind that the Predators 11-1-1record at home is the best in the NHL this season. The Blackhawks are beatable away from Chicago as its road record is 8-5 on the year. Not helping matters for the Hawks is the fact that starting goalie Corey Crawford is out of the lineup leaving them with a problem of likely starting back-up Antti Raanta again. While Raanta has been good in relief, a back-to-back setting could mean trouble for a unseasoned goalie. With The Blackhawks playing a energy sapping game just last night and a rested Predators squad at home ready to prove a point I really like the home side. Play NASHVILLE to win straight up. 9* Personal Favorite. |
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12-05-14 | Anaheim Ducks v. Minnesota Wild -133 | Top | 5-4 | Loss | -133 | 13 h 48 m | Show |
I am playing on MINNESOTA. The Wild have showed us they are once again a dominant home team and I expect them to take care of business here in friendly confines against a good Anaheim team. Overall the Ducks come in quite hot with five wins in their last seven games. A closer look at their past schedule though shows that Anaheim has just one win in their last four road games. This isn’t good as they head to a raucous crowd in Minnesota. While Anaheim has been hot in recent games, the Wild have been no slouches either with seven wins in the past 10 contests. Minnesota comes in off a good 2-1 effort at home over Montreal where they outshot the Habs 35-19 in a dominant performance. The Wild have once again been dominant at home this season with an 8-2-1 mark so far. While Anaheim has been hot in recent games, the Wild have been no slouches either with seven wins in the past 10 contests. The Ducks and the Wild match up pretty good overall on paper even though one team has the higher point total this season. The Wild and the Ducks met in Anaheim earlier this season and it was the home side that came away with the victory despite the Wild holding the 28-26 shot advantage on the evening. This game will serve as a revenge game for Minnesota who is 31-24 in that spot the last three seasons. Play MINNESOTA 10* Personal Favorite |
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12-04-14 | Colorado Avalanche +1.5 v. Calgary Flames | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 14 h 20 m | Show | |
I’m playing on COLORADO on the Puck-Line, at +1.5 goals. As usual, if we want to get an extra 1.5 goals to work with, we have to pay a steep price. In this case, I believe it’s worth doing so. |
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12-03-14 | St Louis Blues v. Chicago Blackhawks -144 | 1-4 | Win | 100 | 12 h 51 m | Show | |
I am playing on CHICAGO. The Blackhawks have been playing with might and swagger lately and I expect that continue in a big Western Conference meeting with St. Louis at the Madhouse on Madison. The St. Louis Blues come in on bit of a roll itself as it has won four of five, including a 3-2 win at Minnesota. We will give them credit for that win as the Wild are a good team at home. Still, the Blackhawks are another type of animal to defeat on the road or anywhere for that matter. St. Louis comes into Chicago having lost six of the eight meetings held at the United Center and five overall. During that stretch they've been outscored 19-6. To their credit they did win the lone meeting between these two teams in Missouri back on Oct. 25. The Blues will start back-up Jake Allen who has yet to face the Blackhawks in his short career. The Blues have had starting goaltender problems as they recently signed ancient veteran Martin Brodeur who has been a free agent since the July 1st start-up. Starter Brian Elliot is on the shelf with an injury. The Blackhawks have been about as hot lately with three straight victories and wins in eight of 10. A 4-1 victory over Los Angeles on Saturday completed a 5-1-0 trip, and they return to a three-game home winning streak. The Blackhawks have averaged 3.70 goals in past 10 games after averaging 2.43 through 14 contests. Chicago comes into this game looking for revenge for that aforementioned 3-2 loss earlier this year. Keep in mind the Hawks are 9-4 this season when revenging a loss to an opponent. The Hawks are again a strong home team at 7-3-1 in games played at the Madhouse on Madison this season. Look for them to take care of business again against one of the teams they need to beat in the Western Conference. We have to lay some juice to get Chicago but this is far less than usual. 9* Personal Favorite. |
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12-01-14 | Florida Panthers v. Columbus Blue Jackets -110 | Top | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 10 h 12 m | Show |
I am playing on COLUMBUS. The Blue Jackets are stuck in a lengthy losing streak but I this is a good spot for them to bump it with a nice home win. The Florida Panthers come in feeling pretty good about itself after winning two straight to end a recent three game home stand. The wins however did come against Carolina and Ottawa who are also basement dwellers in the NHL. Keep in mind that the Panthers are just 1-3 after games versus a divisional opponent this season. For the Panthers this will be the first game of a back-to-back on the road where they will travel to Detroit to face a good Red Wings team on Tuesday. It would not be hard to see Florida get caught looking forward to a showdown with the Red Wings. The Blue Jackets have been terrific against the Panthers on home ice and in general of late. Columbus is 6-2 overall and more importantly for this situation, 2-0 at home versus Florida the past three years. While Columbus has struggled mightily this season, they are starting to get closer and closer to full health and you saw some impact in its last game as it fought tooth in nail against a good Nashville team on the road and lost by just a goal. Play on COLUMBUS as 10* Monday BEST BET. |
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11-29-14 | Philadelphia Flyers +1.5 v. NY Rangers | 2-5 | Loss | -208 | 19 h 59 m | Show | |
I am playing PHILADELPHIA (+1.5) (PUCK-LINE). The Flyers were shut out yesterday in first game of this home and home series with divisional rival Rangers, but I think they come back with a much better performance in this immediate rematch. As this series shifts to Broadway, the Flyers will come in with double revenge on their minds after getting shut out for a second straight time versus the Rangers yesterday. Philadelphia was also shut out back on Nov. 19 by a score of 2-0. Note that I successfully played on the Rangers in that game. The Flyers have admittedly struggled with three straight losses and just one win in their last eight. I think the desperation will come in useful as we back them in this game. The Flyers did outshoot the Rangers 26-24 in yesterday’s game. Max Talbot made the start for the Rangers and got the shutout. Starter Henrik Lundqvist will likely get the start in this game. Surprisingly, Lundqvist is just 2-4 in his last six outings for the Rangers and has lost recent starts to Max Talbot. The Rangers haven’t exactly been a consistent squad this season and have just two instances where they won back to back games and have just one three game winning streak this season which dates all the way back to Oct. 21. I expect the desperate and revenge filled Flyers to come out and score a few goals to make this a competitive game. Take PHILADELPHIA (+1.5) (PUCK-LINE). 6* |
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11-28-14 | Minnesota Wild v. Dallas Stars -115 | 5-4 | Loss | -115 | 22 h 48 m | Show | |
I am playing on DALLAS. The Stars are starting to finally play some consistent hockey and I expect them to take care of a poor road team in Minnesota. The Wild come in off 4-0 shutout loss to the LA Kings at home on Wednesday. Minnesota went down 4-0 in the first period and showed no heart to come back even a little bit in the third and fourth periods. Minnesota is 7-2 at home but on the road it is just 5-7 and is not even close to the same team. To their credit, the Wild won a 2-1 game over the Stars back on Nov. 15 but that will only serve as more motivation for the home side. Note that the Wild is 1-3 coming off a loss of two goals or more in the previous game. Dallas comes in having won three straight at home after falling to Carolina in the first game of this five game home stand. Keep in mind that the Stars are 2-0 this season after playing three consecutive home games and 5-3 when playing on two days rest. The Stars’ best players in Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn have been red hot during a three-game winning streak. Seguin and Benn each have four points during that nice stretch of Dallas wins. Play on the Stars to continue this hot stretch at home and gain some revenge on a struggling Wild team. 9* Stars |
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11-28-14 | Winnipeg Jets v. Boston Bruins -155 | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 20 h 18 m | Show | |
I am playing on BOSTON. The Bruins have lost two in row to some pretty good teams but will be more determined than ever to end out this home stand on a winning note. The Winnipeg Jets are playing some fine hockey with two wins so far on this three game road trip that already saw stops in Columbus and Buffalo. The Jets have been beating teams with a losing record all season though and the Bruins are a different animal at home than those other two teams. The Jets are just 5-8 against teams with a winning record so far this season but did manage to beat the Bruins 2-1 in Manitoba early this season. Winnipeg starting goalie Ondrej Pavelec has struggled versus this team on the road. In Boston, Pavelec is 0-6-1 with a 4.00 GAA in eight starts. If the Jets don’t go with Pavelec they will have to go with new comer Michael Hutchison who has no experience in the hostile Boston crowd. This is a tough matchup for the road tripping Jets though as they are 0-2 in the last three seasons at Boston. The Bruins are 8-5-1 at home so far. Boston has this final game at home before heading out west to face the beasts of the teams in that conference. That will likely make this a massive priority to take care of business against team that it feels it should handle in Winnipeg. Boston holds a long time record of 18-6-2 in this series and I see them taking another one here. Play BOSTON 8*. |
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11-28-14 | NY Islanders v. Washington Capitals -110 | 2-5 | Win | 100 | 18 h 21 m | Show | |
I am playing on WASHINGTON. The Capitals fell in the first game of this home-and-home set with the Islanders but I think they come back with a win on their ice surface. The New York Islanders come into this game on a five game winning streak which is currently the longest in the NHL. The Islanders beat the Capitals 3-2 on Wednesday in overtime thanks to a very late goal from John Tavares in the extra period and 25 saves from Jaroslav Halak. Washington felt like they had the run of the play in the loss on Wednesday but didn’t get the win it deserved. "I think the next game will be different for them and for us as well," said Caps star Alex Ovechkin, who scored twice on the power play. Ovechkin has five goals and two assists in his last five games versus New York. Keep in mind that Washington is 6-1 this season in revenge games. The Capitals are also a strong 3-1-1 in division games and this is one of the biggest of the year to date. 9* Capitals |
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11-26-14 | Calgary Flames v. San Jose Sharks -185 | 2-0 | Loss | -185 | 13 h 57 m | Show | |
I am playing on SAN JOSE. The Sharks have lost three in a row but deserved a lot better fate in their last two games that came down to a shootout to decide things. The Calgary Flames come in on a tough spot as they played against the Anaheim Ducks in a spirited game just last night at the Honda Center. The Flames were coming from behind in that game and used up a lot of energy with key players playing a lot of minutes. Dennis Wideman, Mark Giordano and T. J. Brodie all played over 23 minutes in tough conditions. Keep in mind that the Sharks have dominated the Flames on home ice recently. The Sharks have outscored Calgary 34-18 in taking three straight and seven of eight home meetings. Even though San Jose has lost three in a row, It outshot the opponent by a margin of 103-57 over those games. Hockey analytics and common sense tells us the Sharks are playing well enough to win. The Flames got the better of the Sharks in two previous meetings prior to this game but both were held at the Saddledome in Calgary. I like that San Jose goes for double revenge in this situation. Calgary has fallen behind its’ opponent in three straight games and have lost two of them. Don’t be surprised to see the Flames fall behind once again in this game against a well rested home side. San Jose hasn’t played since Saturday and will be desperate for a win to stop a losing streak. Take San Jose- 9* Personal Favorite. |
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11-25-14 | Calgary Flames v. Anaheim Ducks -188 | 2-3 | Win | 100 | 31 h 25 m | Show | |
I am playing on ANAHEIM. The Ducks finally got a win in regulation on Saturday night over Arizona and I think they get another one over Calgary here. The Flames come in off yet another come from behind victory on Saturday night over the New Jersey Devils. Calgary's league-leading five victories when trailing after two periods are one more than it had in that same scenario last season. Calgary came from behind to beat the Ducks last Tuesday night in a 4-3 effort in Calgary. The Flames are admittedly playing very well of late with five wins in their last seven games. Still, playing with fire in coming from behind in a place like Anaheim will not be a good thing this night. Anaheim has won two straight games after a short streak of three losses in a row. The Ducks come into this game looking for revenge against the Flames as noted earlier here. Having home ice and a rested team should be very helpful. The Ducks have dominated the Flames at home in recent memory. The Flames are 0-13-5 in the regular season since a 5-1 victory Jan. 19, 2004. They are 0-12-5 there since a 5-2 win during the 2006 playoffs. I expect that dominance to continue here. Play ANAHEIM 6* Blue Marlin. |
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11-25-14 | Winnipeg Jets v. Columbus Blue Jackets -107 | 4-2 | Loss | -107 | 30 h 43 m | Show | |
I am playing on COLUMBUS. The Jackets have lost three in a row but I expect them to snap that streak when hosting Winnipeg. Winnipeg hasn’t exactly been gang busters of late themselves, the Jets have lost two in row and now start a three-game road trip in Columbus. They've taken at least four penalties four times during a 1-3-1 stretch and allowed two power-play goals in Sunday's 4-2 loss to St. Louis. The Jets have been good on the road with a 6-4-2 mark on the season but I am not buying into it too much as they were not a good road team at all last year overall. Jets’ goalie Ondrej Pavelec has had his troubles with the Blue Jackets and has struggled overall of late. Pavelec has lost four of five starts while posting a 3.33GAA over that span. He's never beaten the Blue Jackets, losing all five starts with a 3.04 GAA after falling 6-3 in the most recent meeting Jan. 11. Columbus has been a good team this season with injuries being a big part of that. However, the team has started to get healthier and that combined with desperation should really help in this home game. The Jackets have dominated this matchup and have likely circled the game on the calendar as a game they should win. Columbus has won seven of the last eight matchups dating to the 2007-08 season. Take COLUMBUS-9* Best Bet . |
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11-23-14 | Montreal Canadiens v. NY Rangers -124 | Top | 0-5 | Win | 100 | 21 h 18 m | Show |
I am playing on the NEW YORK RANGERS. The Rangers have been well rested after a postponed game on Friday and will have the major advantage in this contest at home. The Montreal Canadians played a spirited game at Boston last night and come in to New York having to play its’ third game in four nights. With wins over St. Louis and Boston coming in, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a small letdown from the Habs. The Rangers will have geared up for this game as they haven’t played since Wednesday in a home win over Philadelphia. I successfully played on the Rangers in their 2-0 shutout of the Flyers. New York is 2-0 in games after shutting out an opponent this year. Keep in mind New York hasn’t played a road game since last Monday versus Tampa Bay so they have been comfortably enjoying a somewhat “break” for almost a week due to the cancelled game in Buffalo. The Rangers will also come in looking for revenge after a 3-1 loss at Montreal on Oct. 25 in an early season matchup. The motivation will be even stronger with the memory of last season’s playoffs. A hungry and rested Rangers team at home versus a Habs team that played last night is why I am taking the home team in this Sunday contest. 10* Personal Favorite. |
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11-22-14 | Arizona Coyotes v. San Jose Sharks -169 | 4-3 | Loss | -169 | 30 h 37 m | Show | |
I am playing on the SAN JOSE SHARKS. The Sharks are reeling from a tough road stretch but a home date with the Coyotes should be just the cure. Arizona comes in off a loss at the Dallas Stars. Note that I played against the Coyotes in that game and their previous game-a loss to the Washington. The Coyotes have not been a good road team this year, or last year and it will be a very difficult matchup at San Jose on a Saturday night San Jose has played seven of their last eight games on the road and finally gets a breather after their last game on Thursday. I think we see rejuvenated Sharks squad at home. Granted the Sharks have been less than stellar at home this season, but with a small sample size of just seven games, we will give them the benefit of the doubt as a strong home team like they were last season. The Sharks made a trade yesterday to send away one of their key contributors in Jason Demers. A trade like this will serve notice to the rest of the veterans that change is coming unless they turn things around. The desperation from the talented Sharks, home ice advantage, and a poor road side in Arizona will lead to a San Jose victory. It’s worth it to lay the juice in this situation. SJ-7* Personal Favorite. |
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11-20-14 | Arizona Coyotes v. Dallas Stars -155 | 1-3 | Win | 100 | 13 h 25 m | Show | |
9* Dallas. Analysis before 10am PST |
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11-19-14 | Philadelphia Flyers v. NY Rangers -140 | 0-2 | Win | 100 | 27 h 3 m | Show | |
I am playing on NEW YORK. The Rangers have dominated their divisional rival of late and I think that trend continues here with a match-up with Philadelphia on Wednesday. The Flyers come in having lost two in a row with the most recent, a 6-3 set-back at Montreal. While a bounce effort could be expected, note that that Philly is just 2-5 coming off a game where it has allowed four goals or more. A deeper looks at the numbers show that the Flyers have not been very impressive on the road thus far with a 2-4 record. Ray Emery struggled in goal against the Canadiens, which may pave the way for Steve Mason to start. Mason, though, is 0-3-0 with a 3.35 GAA on the road this season and 0-3-1 with a 3.44 GAA all-time at the Garden, including two playoff starts. The Rangers admittedly have not been very good at home of late but have been an outstanding 7-1 versus the Flyers at MSG the last three seasons. Henrik Lundqvist has been a key contributor in the Rangers recent success against the Flyers. At MSG, Lundqvist has allowed just 16 goals in the last 12 games, including eight consecutive regular-season wins with a 1.13 goals-against average. While both teams are hungry for a win, I think it will be the Rangers that bounce back with a favorable matchup and home ice on their side. Take NEW YORK 9* Personal Favorite |
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11-18-14 | Washington Capitals -103 v. Arizona Coyotes | Top | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 28 h 30 m | Show |
I am playing on WASHINGTON. The Capitals are coming in very hungry against an Arizona team due for a letdown and we should take advantage of it. The Capitals last two games have been losses to St. Louis and New Jersey. In those games the club has scored a combined two goals. To say they are snake bitten is a bit of an understatement as this team has the offensive fire power to light it up any night. The Arizona Coyotes were able to sneak away from western Canadian road with a solid 2-1 mark. The Coyotes struggled through a 2-1 win over Edmonton primarily due in thanks to goalie Devan Dubynk who made 34 saves and was named the top star of the game. Arizona returns home now and I am expecting a let-down. The Coyotes will again hit the road for a three game road trip immediately afterwards. It’s also unlikely that Dubnyk can keep up this streak for three games in row. These two teams played an exciting and goal filled 6-5 game in Washington earlier this year that the Coyotes came out on top of. I expect the Capitals to have revenge on their minds headed into this game. Keep in mind that Washington is a strong 4-1 in games where it is revenging a loss this season. There is a lot of value on the road team in this game and I like Washington to get the win. 10* Personal Favorite. |
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11-16-14 | Arizona Coyotes v. Edmonton Oilers -120 | 2-1 | Loss | -120 | 24 h 18 m | Show | |
I am playing on EDMONTON. The Oilers are looking for revenge from a 7-4 loss to the Coyotes earlier this season and I think they get it here. The Arizona Coyotes come in off an impressive 5-0 win at Vancouver last night. The win snapped the Coyotes three game losing streak. Devan Dubnyk got the teams’ first shutout of the season in making 35 saves while Martin Hanzal dropped a natural Hat-Trick (three in a row) on the Canucks . Even though the win at Vancouver was impressive, Arizona’s road record is just 3-5-1 on the season and the team is giving 3.17 goals against per game. This trip to northern Canada is never easy and won’t be here. After a massive win like that over a good opponent, a letdown is highly likely. The Edmonton Oilers have lost two in row coming in, with the latest being a 3-4 OT setback at the hands of Ottawa back on Thursday to start this five game home stand. Keep in mind the Oilers have had since Thursday off while the Coyotes played a road game on Friday. Needless to say the advantage is on our hungry rested side here. While Edmonton has been streaky we should note that it is 5-3 in games after a non-conference game. The Oilers are 4-4-1 at home this season and the elusive fifth game will be on their minds here against what they will consider a game they should win. You can bet the Oilers haven’t forgotten the 7-4 shellacking they took from Arizona in the first meeting between these teams back in October this season and getting the Coyotes on this trip is the perfect time to reverse the result. Play Edmonton to get the win. 9* |
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11-16-14 | Montreal Canadiens v. Detroit Red Wings -144 | 4-1 | Loss | -144 | 16 h 38 m | Show | |
I'm playing on DETROIT. The Wings have the schedule in their favor here. They had a few days off, played Friday (4-1 win over Chicago) and had last night off again. On the other hand, the Habs are off a win vs. the Flyers last night and will now be playing their third game in the past four days. Montreal has been fortunate in previous back-to-back spots this season, as they've come against weaker teams. That's not the case here though. The Wings, who will be looking to avenge an October loss at Montreal, have won seven of the last 10 meetings with the Canadiens here. Payback time. 9* personal favorite |
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11-15-14 | Anaheim Ducks v. Los Angeles Kings -136 | Top | 2-3 | Win | 100 | 23 h 7 m | Show |
I’m playing on the LA KINGS. The Kings come into this game highly motivated after two straight bad losses to Western conference rivals. The good news is that the defending Cup Champions get right back at it here and this time in their building. I successfully played on the Ducks in this match-up three nights ago in an intense game at the Honda Center where the home team came out on top after a shootout. I think once again, it is the home team that has the advantage here. That game has been highly talked about as the “game of the year” in the NHL and it was likely embarrassing for the Kings to come out on the wrong side of it after holding such a nice lead. The LA Kings bring a strong 7-2-1 record at the Staples Center into this game and will want nothing more to get revenge in front of its home crowd versus its biggest rival. Keep in mind that that the Kings are a fantastic 4-1 in “revenge games” this season already. Having Jonathan Quick on our side in this game is a strong advantage. Quick, who rested Thursday will likely get the start versus Anaheim again in net again for the Kings. He’s 6-0-1 with a 0.84 goals against-average in his last seven home starts. The Ducks have gotten a little lucky to have earned points with poor goaltending and injuries of late. Francois Beauchemin and Corey Perry will likely not be at 100%-or miss this game entirely. No one on the LA Kings was very happy after back-to-back losses and especially one to the Ducks where they gave up a two-goal lead late in the third period. I expect a major bounce-back and win from the champs in a big Saturday night game. 10* Personal Favorite. |
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11-13-14 | Colorado Avalanche +1.5 v. NY Rangers | 4-3 | Win | 100 | 25 h 43 m | Show | |
I am playing on COLORADO on the PUCKLINE (+1.5 goals). The Avalanche got smoked 6-0 by the New York Islanders Tuesday and you may be wondering why I like Colorado Thursday night. The answer is actually because of that blowout loss. With the exception of Colorado’s first game of the season – a 5-0 loss to Minnesota – the team has lost five games by two goals or more this season. In all five of those games, the Avs came back the next night and lost by exactly one goal with three of those losses coming either in overtime or by a shootout. In short, the young Avs bounce back with a strong effort after a bad loss and I believe we’ll see the same Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. We even have a sample to work with in this situation -- Colorado was shut out 5-0 by the Islanders on Oct. 30 and the club responded with a 3-2 shootout loss to the Blues in its next game. Considering star forward Matt Duchene called Tuesday’s game “as ugly as it gets”, I believe we’ll see a huge effort from the Avs on Thursday. Given their pattern throughout this season, they’ve shown there may not be great value in taking them straight up on the moneyline but I believe we’ll once again see Colorado come through for puckline bettors with +1.5 goals to work with. 6* - Blue Marlin |
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11-12-14 | Los Angeles Kings v. Anaheim Ducks -107 | 5-6 | Win | 100 | 12 h 50 m | Show | |
I’m playing on ANAHEIM. The Ducks have had this game circled ever since the Kings knocked them out of the playoffs last year. Remember, that series went to seven games and the Kings won Game 7 here at the Honda Center. Adding insult to injury, the Ducks and their fans had to listen to LA fans chanting: “This is our house!” Knowing that they’ll play these same Kings at LA on Saturday, getting some payback and snapping their current skid becomes even more important for the Ducks. I successfully played on the Kings in their last game, a 5-1 win over Vancouver on Saturday. Note that they were only 4-4 (-1.2) the last couple of seasons, when playing with three or more day’s rest in between games. They did win their lone game in that situation so far this season. However, that was a home game against Buffalo, arguably the worst team in the league. During the same period, the Ducks are 17-10 (+1.7) when playing with two day’s rest in between games. They’ve started off poorly against divisional opponents this season but that has been a strength the past few years. I expect them to get back on track tonight. 9* best bet |
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11-11-14 | Winnipeg Jets v. Montreal Canadiens -144 | 0-3 | Win | 100 | 28 h 1 m | Show | |
I am playing on MONTREAL. The Canadiens are back to the form they started with at the beginning of the season and it seems to be propelled by a key change to the lineup. On Monday the team announced it was sending forward Rene Bourque to the minors following two games where he was a healthy scratch due to just two assists and a minus-9 rating to open the season. Rookie Jiri Sekac has taken Bourque’s spot on the third line with Lars Eller and Brandon Prust and the trio produced a pair of goals in Montreal’s 4-1 win over Minnesota on Saturday. It seems to be just the spark that the Habs needed after they suffered three straight losses where they couldn't do anything right. The Canadiens’ goaltending looks back in form too with 61 saves on 63 shots over the past two games - both victories. Carey Price looked especially sharp against Minnesota, bailing the Habs out of a sluggish first period when he made several great saves while being outshot 12-7 in that frame. Montreal has a three-game home stand this week that begins with Winnipeg Tuesday and it only gets tougher with Boston and Philadelphia to follow. The Habs know that getting a win against the Jets on Tuesday is key for setting up their week and I believe that will have them in top form against the Jets. 9* Personal Favorite |
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11-08-14 | Vancouver Canucks v. Los Angeles Kings -128 | Top | 1-5 | Win | 100 | 30 h 34 m | Show |
I’m playing on the Los Angeles Kings as my 10* Saturday. The Kings are in rare territory with only one win in their last six contests. Los Angeles tries to get the bad taste of a shootout loss to the Islanders out of its mouth when it welcomes the Vancouver Canucks to the Staples Center Saturday. The Kings can look at a five-game road trip as the root of their issues but are back home in Los Angeles for this important matchup with the Canucks. They’re one of the best home teams in the NHL in recent seasons with a 63-28 record in their last 91 games on home ice. Los Angeles has knocked off Vancouver in four of their last five home stands against the Canucks. The Kings are hoping the improved play of Mike Richards and Dwight King is contagious. With the first line forwards in a skid, getting a boost from the second teamers is important. Los Angeles is also expected to have Justin Williams back in the lineup Saturday, so there is some depth in the Kings offense. Perhaps the biggest difference in this game could come on faceoffs. Vancouver has won only 47 percent of faceoffs to start the year – ranked 27th in the NHL – while the Kings dominate the circle with a 52.6 success rate of faceoffs. Maintaining possession, especially in the Canucks' end, is priority if L.A. is going to jump start its offense and end this skid. The Kings’ dominance on home ice and the play of their second line forwards is why I’m playing on Los Angeles as a 10* Saturday. |
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11-07-14 | Columbus Blue Jackets v. Carolina Hurricanes UNDER 5.5 | Top | 2-3 | Win | 100 | 11 h 57 m | Show |
COLUMBUS at CAROLINA I am playing on the UNDER. These teams are playing in the second game of a home-and-home series and I expect this one to be much tighter than the one we saw Tuesday night. The Blue Jackets allowed a hefty 37 shots on goal and got outplayed in just about every area in a 4-2 loss against the Canes. Judging by the way they practiced this week, I don’t think the Blue Jackets will be so careless defensively Friday night. “This is not a country club where you can just work whenever you want,” defenseman Fedor Tyutin said after a grueling skating practice on Wednesday. “It’s normal, and I think it’s good for our team at this point. Hopefully, we learned a big lesson.” That lesson is that you can’t take any games off no matter who your opponent is. Carolina appears to be turning things around after a bumpy start to the year and has now won three straight. A huge part of the Canes’ improvement has been the stellar play of goalie Cam Ward, which is another big reason I like the under in this game. Ward has looked sharp in allowing just four goals during Carolina’s three-game winning streak. 10* Blue Chip |
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11-06-14 | Vancouver Canucks v. San Jose Sharks -154 | 3-2 | Loss | -154 | 13 h 42 m | Show | |
I am playing on SAN JOSE. The Sharks have the rare NHL luxury of having four full days of rest before tonight’s game against Vancouver, which is just one reason I really like the Sharks here. |
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11-06-14 | Toronto Maple Leafs v. Colorado Avalanche -120 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 11 h 15 m | Show |
I am playing on COLORADO. The Avs are off to a rough start to the season but I believe they’ll give the Leafs their best effort of this early campaign Thursday night. |
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11-05-14 | Montreal Canadiens v. Buffalo Sabres +1.5 | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 9 h 41 m | Show | |
I am taking BUFFALO at +1.5 goals on the puckline. A Buffalo team coming off a strong win over Detroit could very well win this game straight up against a struggling Habs squad, which is why I really like the the added 1.5 goals to work with decent odds. Buffalo finally got its first home win Sunday evening in an improved effort against the Red Wings that saw the team get more shots and scoring chances that what the Sabres have produced recently. Head coach Ted Nolan said recently he gives his team a pass on the first 10 games of the season and was now going to come down hard on his players and the threat seems to have lit a fire under his team. That’s bad news for the Habs, who are playing some of the worst hockey in the NHL right now. Montreal has lost three straight games and has scored a pathetic six goals in its last five games for a 1-3-1 record in that stretch. The Habs most recently got waxed 5-0 last night by the Blackhawks and have the misfortune of having to lace up again tonight. I released a play on the Blackhawks last night and told you that special teams would be a difference maker in that contest and indeed they were. The Habs continued their futility on the power play (now 0-for-17 in their last seven games) and they allowed a goal on the penalty kill for the third straight game. I like Buffalo to grab its first winning streak of the season Wednesday night but recommend taking the added 1.5-goal cushion in a spot where oddsmakers are still giving us solid odds. 7* Puck-Line Annihilator |
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11-04-14 | Chicago Blackhawks -125 v. Montreal Canadiens | 5-0 | Win | 100 | 7 h 25 m | Show | |
I am playing on CHICAGO. I believe a visit to the Bell Center in Montreal could just be what the Stanley-Cup favored Blackhawks need to snap them out of a recent funk. The Canadiens are coming off two dismal losses – to the Canucks and Flames – and I believe they got caught reading their own newspaper clippings after a strong start to the season. The Habs have shown two mediocre efforts in those losses and a deep team like Chicago will punish them with its depth over a 60-minute game. I expect tonight’s game to be a tough battle between two squads who haven’t shown their best lately and I feel that special teams will ultimately decide this one. The Blackhawks hold the considerable advantage there with better numbers on both the power play and the penalty kill. But it’s the Habs’ futility on the power play especially that I expect to be the difference tonight. Montreal hasn’t scored on the man advantage in six games and the Canadiens are one of only five teams in the league that are finishing at a clip of worse than 10 percent on the PP. Montreal has also allowed a goal on the penalty kill in each of its last two games. 9* |
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11-04-14 | Calgary Flames v. Washington Capitals -143 | 4-3 | Loss | -143 | 7 h 50 m | Show | |
I am playing on WASHINGTON. When it comes to hockey - maybe more than any other sport - sometimes a team needs a good ripping to turn itself around. That's what head coach Barry Trotz did Saturday night after the Caps' sloppy 6-5 loss to the Arizona Coyotes. Trotz closed the doors and let his team have an earful after a game in which the Caps allowed five straight goals at one point to a travel-weary Coyotes team on the last leg of an East Coast road trip. "Behavior has to change," Trotz said to reporters after the game. "Or we have to change people, plain and simple." The Caps have now lost four straight games and they know they have to give their dedicated fan base a better effort on home ice Tuesday night. I expect to see Washington playing tighter defensively and more disciplined after giving up 17 power plays during those four losses. What I like about Washington is the club’s power play is on fire and the Caps can use that to pull out of this slump. They are an amazing 6-for-18 with the man advantage over their last six games and Alex Ovechkin is finally putting points on the board – four in his past two games – after a six-game drought. 9* |
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11-04-14 | Carolina Hurricanes v. Columbus Blue Jackets -124 | 4-2 | Loss | -124 | 7 h 49 m | Show | |
I am playing on COLUMBUS. You don’t need to look too much further than the Hurricanes’ road record to see why this is a solid play tonight. The Canes are the absolute worst in the NHL with their road colors on at 0-5-1. Los Angeles and Edmonton are the only two other teams without a win on the road this season, but they haven’t racked up losses as visitors like Carolina has. Carolina is coming off its worst October ever with just two points. The Canes weren’t even that bad in 2009-10 when they lost 14 straight games from mid-October to mid-November. At least the team still collected seven points in October that season. It isn’t helping that they’re getting no production from a guy who’s supposed to be one of their top forwards, Alex Semin, who sat out the last two games as a healthy scratch. Semin could be back tonight but I’m not sure he’s going to help Carolina improve on its 1-4 record during its last five trips to Columbus. 9* |
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11-01-14 | Chicago Blackhawks -150 v. Toronto Maple Leafs | 2-3 | Loss | -150 | 11 h 33 m | Show | |
I’m playing on the Chicago Blackhawks as my 9* Personal Favorite Saturday. Chicago’s offense finally showed up in a big 5-4 shootout win over Ottawa Thursday. The Blackhawks ride that momentum into a road date with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are playing the second side of back-to-back games Saturday. Chicago’s talented scoring attack had stalled out to start the season, netting an average of only 2.5 goals per night. However, the Blackhawks woke up with four goals in regulation versus the Senators, including two goals from Jonathan Toews. With Chicago’s stars heating up, the Blackhawks are one of the toughest teams in the NHL to stop. And against the Leafs, Chicago has been especially explosive. In their last seven head-to-head games, the Blackhawks have found the back of the net 30 times – an average of more than four goals per game. They've scored five or more goals in four of those seven meetings with Toronto. The Maple Leafs won 4-1 in Columbus Friday night and traveled back to Toronto for tonight’s game. Early-season back-to-back sets are always a challenge, as players are not yet in tip-top shape. Expect the Leafs to be dragging their skates against a Chicago team that likes to press the tempo. On top of that, Chicago is expected to welcome back No. 1 netminder Corey Crawford, who missed the past two weeks due to an upper-body injury. Crawford posted a slim 1.66 GAA and a .926 save percentage in his four starts before getting hurt. (I'd still like the Hawks even without Crawford, however.) A Blackhawks team finding its form on offense and the likely return of its top netminder is why I’m playing on Chicago as my 9* Personal Favorite Saturday. |
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10-31-14 | Toronto Maple Leafs v. Columbus Blue Jackets -102 | 4-1 | Loss | -102 | 11 h 26 m | Show | |
’m playing on the Columbus Blue Jackets as my 9* Best Bet Friday. Columbus looks to snap a three-game slide Friday when it hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have been terribly inconsistent to start the season. The Blue Jackets are digging deep down their bench with a rash of injuries making its way through the roster. Columbus’ injury woes have coincided with a tough stretch of schedule, meeting Anaheim and Los Angeles on the road and facing a hot Ottawa team during that three-game slide. Toronto doesn’t offer the same level of competition as those recent foes. The Leafs were able to beat up on lowly Buffalo at home Tuesday but haven’t been able to string wins together. Their defense hasn’t done much to limit opponents’ chances, giving up 31.2 shots per game and coughing up the puck at a troubling rate. The Blue Jackets are a very disciplined club and take care of the puck. They’re a desperate team and will pounce on any scoring chances offered them. Columbus has had good success very the Leafs in the past, winning four of their past five meetings, including all three last season. It outscored Toronto 13-3 in those games. A wobbly Maple Leafs team and a desperate Columbus side taking a step down in recent competition is why I’m playing on Columbus as my 9* Best Bet Friday. |
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10-30-14 | Winnipeg Jets v. New Jersey Devils -141 | Top | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 23 h 14 m | Show |
I am playing on NEW JERSEY. The Devils have been struggling lately but I believe pride will kick in with this historic franchise and they’ll earn their first home win of the season on Thursday. New Jersey is 0-1-1-1 at home this year and I predict we’ll see a scrappy, high-flying effort from the club in its first game back after a two-game road trip. The Jets are just 2-6 in the last eight meetings in the swamp, which I feel makes them the right opponent at the right time for the Devils. The Devils should see more favorable calls from the officials at the Prudential Center after being forced to kill 11 penalties on the road their last two games. That’s a huge factor because New Jersey’s PK unit is the worst in the league this season. What New Jersey has done well this year is put the puck in the net. They average 3.1 goals per game and, amazingly, 16 players have scored a goal for the Devils through nine games this year. I don’t think Winnipeg will keep up with a motivated New Jersey club that’s starving for its first home win. 10* Personal Favorite |
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10-28-14 | Anaheim Ducks v. Chicago Blackhawks -144 | Top | 1-0 | Loss | -144 | 25 h 17 m | Show |
I am playing on CHICAGO. There are two Blackhawk teams in the early going so far this season – the road Hawks and the home Hawks and one of the big reasons I like them Tuesday is they’ll be playing at the United Center. The Blackhawks are 4-0-1 at home this season and squeezing opponents to the tune of just 1.20 goals against. What might be more impressive is that they don’t seem to mind who is between the pipes. Goaltender Corey Crawford is questionable recently with an upper body injury but 25-year-old Scott Darling slid in seamlessly for his first NHL win Monday night in stellar performance in a 2-1 win. An incredible penalty kill is also helping Chicago win games. They haven’t allowed a goal on the PK in four games and the Blackhawks own the No. 3 unit in the league. Depth is the real killer for Blackhawks opponents though and they already have 13 players with goals through eight games so far. New addition Brad Richards has three assists and two players with breakout seasons last year – Brandon Saad and Andrew Shaw – have picked up where they left off. Saad has six points and Shaw has three goals and four points through eight games. The Blackhawks are not a team opponents want to run into right now, especially in Chicago. I believe puck bettors should take advantage before the juice gets too high and the wins pile up. 10* Personal Favorite |
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10-28-14 | Minnesota Wild v. Boston Bruins -150 | 4-3 | Loss | -150 | 11 h 1 m | Show | |
I’m playing on BOSTON. I believe this will prove to be a tough spot for the Wild. The Bruins had the past two nights off. On the other hand, the Wild are off a game at MSG last night. Minnesota dominated that game for two periods and entered the third period with a 3-0 lead. However, the Rangers stunned them with five goals in the final period to win 5-4. That’s the type of loss that can be hard to immediately bounce back from, particularly the next night against a talented and rested team like the one they’ll face here. After a sluggish start, the Bruins have won four of six. They won 4-1 without Chara in the lineup last time out. While he’ll be missed, the Bruins have shown they can win without him and his absence has helped in keeping this line lower than it could have easily been. Coach Julien is determined to keep the pedal to the metal though. He had this to say: "We played well last game, but that's just one game. We have to be able to sustain it, that's the challenge that we have right now and that's the challenge that we're facing and that we've got to respond to. We've got to continue doing that on a daily basis, whether it's in practice or in games, continue to stay on top of our game here.” The home team won both meetings in this series last season, the Bruins winning 4-1 here at Boston. A similar result tonight won’t surprise. 8* Annihilator |
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10-26-14 | Washington Capitals v. Vancouver Canucks -130 | Top | 2-4 | Win | 100 | 14 h 20 m | Show |
I am playing on the CANUCKS. Vancouver comes into this much-needed home game well rested and prepared to get back on track against a fatigued Caps squad. The Canucks went 1-2 on their three-game road trip this week, which ended Friday night in a 7-3 loss to the Avalanche. Vancouver flew straight home after the game and was given Saturday off to recover for Sunday’s home meeting with Washington. The Caps are playing on back-to-back nights and in their final game of a three-game western Canadian road trip where they are 1-1 after a 3-1 win over Calgary Saturday night. I anticipate Vancouver taking advantage of a tired team that’s playing its first back-to-back situation of the season with the added misfortune of doing it while jumping western time zones. Washington has been one of Vancouver’s favorite opponents in recent seasons. The Canucks are 2-9 in the last 11 meetings and they’ve won the last five meetings at home. It won’t help the Caps that sniper Alex Ovechkin hasn’t registered a point in his past three games or that the team has allowed a power play goal in each of its last three outings. Vancouver tends to get the benefit of the doubt with calls in its own building and had 13 power play opportunities in its first two home games. 10* Personal Favorite |
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10-25-14 | Tampa Bay Lightning v. Minnesota Wild -157 | 2-7 | Win | 100 | 11 h 20 m | Show | |
I am playing on the WILD. There are a lot of reasons I like the Wild tonight and oddsmakers are deservedly giving them a little more chalk than we might expect against a solid 5-2-0-1 team like Tampa Bay. Here are the key reasons I believe Minnesota comes up with the victory tonight: o The Wild catch Tampa Bay on its last game of a brutal 5-game road trip that saw the Bolts work their way through the western Canadian teams for their first four games o Tampa Bay is expected to start back-up goaltender Evgeni Nabokov o Wild goaltender Darcy Kuemper is piping-hot at 3-1 with a 0.50 goals against average. He’s expected to start Saturday o The Wild are 2-0 at home (and have an incredible home atmosphere) and they are a perfect 5-0 on the puckline this season o Tampa Bay has key injuries on the blue line (Keith Ballard and Christian Folin are expected out) and another up front (Ryan Callahan will miss his third straight game) o Minnesota has only given up four goals in five games this season with three shutouts o The home team has won the last three meetings in this series and the Lightning are 2-6 in their last eight meetings with Minnesota 9* Personal Favorite |
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10-24-14 | Vancouver Canucks v. Colorado Avalanche -120 | Top | 3-7 | Win | 100 | 14 h 29 m | Show |
I’m playing on the Colorado Avalanche as my 10* Personal Favorite Friday. The Avalanche are having a tough time getting out of the blocks this season, with just one win in their first seven games. But Colorado has a perfect opportunity to turn things around against the Vancouver Canucks Friday. The Avalanche have a home-ice edge against the Canucks Friday. Not only was Colorado one of the toughest home sides in hockey last season - 26-11-2-2 inside the Pepsi Center – but welcome a Vancouver team coming off a 4-1 win over the Blues Thursday night. Those tired legs will be compounded by the altitude in Colorado and the thin air will leave the Canucks struggling for stamina as this game wears on. This will be Vancouver’s final leg of a three-game road trip that has the team playing three games in four nights. The Avalanche also return No. 1 goalie Semyon Varlamov Friday night. Colorado has given up 12 goals in the three games without Varlamov in the crease. His return should give a lift to this young Colorado team that just needs a win to kick start another successful season. That’s why I’m playing on Colorado as my 10* Personal Favorite Friday. |
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10-23-14 | Columbus Blue Jackets v. San Jose Sharks UNDER 5.5 | 5-4 | Loss | -128 | 25 h 33 m | Show | |
I am playing on the UNDER when Columbus visits San Jose on Thursday. Sometimes one of the best times to look at the under in the NHL is when a good team has given up far too many goals in recent contests. That's the spot the Sharks are in Thursday night when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets. San Jose returns home after five straight road games in which the club gave up 20 goals and saw the over cash at the ticket window four times. With a reprieve on home ice, head coach Todd McLellan is talking about a renewed focus on defense. The Blue Jackets are the right opponent to use to get back on track defensively. Columbus is without three of its top forwards due to injuries - Nathan Horton, Boone Jenner and Brandon Dubinsky. The Sharks are also 20-4 against Columbus in the last 24 meetings in San Jose. Also helping the under is the Blue Jackets' penalty kill. They haven't allowed a power play goal in any of their last five games. Columbus tends to tighten things up when they get on the road where the under is 11-2 in its last 13 road outings. I anticipate a similar apprach tonight in California. 9* Thursday Roast |
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10-21-14 | Carolina Hurricanes v. Winnipeg Jets -150 | 1-3 | Win | 100 | 13 h 37 m | Show | |
I’m playing on WINNIPEG. Both these teams could really use a victory tonight. Playing on home ice, I expect the Jets to be the team which gets one. While the Hurricanes are already getting healthier, they’re dealing with a number of day-to-day injuries at the moment. Working players into the lineup that are returning and/or at less than 100% can be challenging. Note that the Canes are 2-6 (-5) the past couple of seasons when playing with three or more day’s rest. During that time, they’re also 7-14 after scoring one goal or less in their previous game. While they gave up four against Calgary last time out, the Jets are 17-13 (+6.3) the past 30 times that they gave up four or more goals in their previous game. Winnipeg’s Paul Maurice used to coach Carolina, twice. I expect him to have his current team, who he read the riot act to, ready to play against his former one, their hard work leading to a much needed two points. 9* personal favorite |
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10-19-14 | Calgary Flames v. Winnipeg Jets -140 | 4-1 | Loss | -140 | 21 h 17 m | Show | |
I’m playing on the WINNIPEG JETS. It hasn’t been the kind of start to the season the Jets have wanted, but a lengthy homestand can fix a lot of things - especially when the opponent is closing out an equally long road trip. That’s what Winnipeg faces Sunday night, as it takes on a Calgary Flames team playing the finale of a six-game trek. The Jets did a lot of things well in Friday’s 2-0 loss to Nashville that kicked off a stretch of five consecutive home games. Winnipeg outshot Nashville 31-27 and killed off all four Predators power-play chances - extending the Jets’ streak of season-opening penalty kills to 18. The Jets have just one goal in their last three games despite recording 30 shots or more in each of them - simply put, they’ve been snake-bitten. And a similar performance against Calgary should yield better results. As for the Flames, they’ve racked up some serious frequent flyer miles so far - and it may be wearing on them. They didn’t look sharp against the Blue Jackets on Friday until they were already behind 3-0. And if you consider their showing the game before that - when they beat Chicago despite being outshot 50-18 - it’s clear the Flames are just about ready to head back to Calgary. They’ve also won just eight of the last 32 times playing a fourth game in six nights. I like the home team here. A lot. 9* Personal Favorite |
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10-18-14 | San Jose Sharks v. New Jersey Devils UNDER 5.5 | 4-2 | Loss | -133 | 12 h 55 m | Show | |
I’m playing on NJ and SJ to finish UNDER the total. The last four meetings in the series have all had O/U lines of five. While we have to lay some extra juice to get it, we’re getting 5.5 goals to work with this evening. With both teams looking to improve defensively, I believe thats providing some value. The Sharks began the season by recording back-to-back shutouts. Prior to giving up six last time out, the Devils had surrendered just two in their previous two games combined. Neither team was happy with losing its last game or with how many goals they allowed. NJ goalie Schneider noted: “There are still areas to improve.” SJ coach McLellan added: "We still have work to do.” I look for that to translate to a relatively low-scoring affair. 8* best bet |
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10-18-14 | NY Islanders v. Pittsburgh Penguins -150 | 1-3 | Win | 100 | 12 h 48 m | Show | |
I’m playing on PITTSBURGH. The Isles have gotten off to a great (4-0) start. However, I expect them to finally taste defeat here. Its true that the Isles are an improved team this year. They may be starting to get a little ahead of themselves though, talking in the papers about how they "outplayed the Sharks” and how great they’re playing. The Pens know the Isles are improved and I expect them to take this game as a challenge. They’ve a commanding 19-5-1 the last 25 in the series. Note that the Pens have been laying a minimum of -200 each of the last six times they were a host in this series. We’re getting a far more reasonable price today. Crosby tallied eight points in last year’s four meetings, scoring in all of them. I expect him to lead his team to another win here. 8* personal favorite |
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10-17-14 | Calgary Flames v. Columbus Blue Jackets -163 | 2-3 | Win | 100 | 17 h 15 m | Show | |
I'm playing on the BLUE JACKETS. Columbus was victimized by Tyler Seguin and the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night, but the visiting Calgary Flames have no such offensive threat on the roster, and have been playing over their head on the road to date. I like the Blue Jackets to bounce back at home. Columbus has been one of the most disciplined teams in the league to date; it has surrendered just five power plays in its first three games, and hasn’t been scored on while shorthanded. In a league where special teams play such a pivotal role, The Blue Jackets come into this one at a major advantage. On the surface, the Flames’ 3-1 road record is impressive. But take a closer look, and you’ll see a team that has given up an amazing 150 shots in those four games - an average of 37 1/2 - and was fortunate to escape Chicago with a win after being outshot 50-18. Calgary’s penalty killing has also been a sore spot, as the Flames have allowed six man-advantage goals through five games. Another critical factor: The Flames will be playing the fifth game of a six-game road trip. That’s a lot of early-season miles - and makes Columbus an even stronger play. 9* - Personal Favorite |
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10-16-14 | Colorado Avalanche v. Ottawa Senators OVER 5.5 | 3-5 | Win | 100 | 11 h 29 m | Show | |
I'm playing on the AVALANCHE-SENATORS OVER. Both teams appear primed for an offensive breakout after stumbling offensively through their first week-plus of the season. And with the Senators finally playing their home opener after kicking off the campaign with three straight Unders, I’m expecting fireworks. The Avalanche boast one of the most impressive top-six units in hockey, but have struggled mightily to get anything going. That may change Thursday night against a Senators defensive unit surrendering nearly 36 shots per game on the season. Such defensive waywardness may have been forgivable against teams like Nashville and Florida, but it won’t fly against a team featuring Matt Duchene, Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Ryan O’Reilly. Ottawa finds itself in a similar situation - blessed with goal-scoring talent in Bobby Ryan, Kyle Turris and Erik Karlsson but struggling to generate offense. The antidote may come in a meeting with the defensively challenged Avalanche, who are allowing an absurd 37.5 shots per game. I don’t see much defense being played in this one, which could be just what both teams’ beleaguered offenses need to get going. 9* OVER, Shootout |
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10-15-14 | Calgary Flames v. Chicago Blackhawks -245 | 2-1 | Loss | -245 | 12 h 54 m | Show | |
I'm playing on CHICAGO. I know some of you don't agree with playing games in this price range. However, when I believe the line should be even higher, as I do here, I don't mind doing so. While I obviously don't win them all, that philosophy has treated me well over the years. The Hawks are among the top teams in the league. They're talented, have great leadership and they're extremely well-coached. They're also well-rested and off to a perfect start. The Flames are off a very hard fought 65 minute game at Nashvile last night, one which they won in a shootout. I played against them the last time they stepped up in class to face a top team (St. Louis) and they were outmatched from the beginning. True, Calgary was able to win (at Edmonton) when playing a b2b spot earlier - these aren't the Oilers though and the Flames' long-term numbers in that situation aren't pretty. I expect the Hawks to have the fresher legs and look for them to come away with the two points. 6* |
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10-14-14 | NY Islanders v. NY Rangers UNDER 5.5 | 6-3 | Loss | -118 | 23 h 47 m | Show | |
I’m playing on RANGERS/ISLES UNDER. The geographical rivals have been a strong Under play over the past season-plus, and I’m banking on that trend continuing in the latest edition of the Battle of New York on Tuesday night. The Rangers and Islanders are 2-5 O/U in their last seven meetings, with four of those games being decided by a goal. And while the shot totals over the last three meetings may cause concern - the teams have combined for an average of better than 70 per game - they also employ two of the top goaltending tandems in the league, with the Rangers boasting Henrik Lundqvist and Cam Talbot and the Islanders countering with Jaroslav Halak and Chad Johnson. With the teams combining to allow a whopping 19 goals over their first five games - including 13 by the struggling Rangers - expect both head coaches to look at slowing things down and focusing on a stronger defensive effort. Both teams’ defences and goaltending duos are too good on paper to continue to hemorrhage goals like this. 9* - Tuesday Night Super Total |
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10-14-14 | Dallas Stars +115 v. Columbus Blue Jackets | 4-2 | Win | 115 | 22 h 14 m | Show | |
I’m playing on the DALLAS STARS. It’s been rough going for the Western Conference flavors of the week through two games, but there’s more than enough firepower on this team to lay waste to any team in the conference - including Tuesday’s foe, the Columbus Blue Jackets. Consider the Stars’ scoring ledger through two games. Jason Spezza: one assist. Ales Hemsky: one assist. Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Valeri Nichushkin and Alex Goligoski: zero points each. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another two-game stretch that dire for this group of six players, so don’t be surprised to see one or more of them break out - and soon. Benn and Seguin, in particular, look like good bets to get things going against the Blue Jackets. Both players have taken 11 shots apiece - tops on the team - and each have hit a post. Seguin missed a wide-open net, while Benn had a sure goal blocked by an opposing defenseman. The bounces aren’t going their way yet - but they will. Both players are too good to be held off the scoresheet for much longer. As for Columbus, it has looked good so far - but wins over the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Rangers’ backup goaltender aren’t exactly impressive. Dallas should provide a stiffer challenge - and one the Blue Jackets may not be able to handle. 9* - Underdog Shocker |
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10-11-14 | Calgary Flames v. St Louis Blues -193 | 1-4 | Win | 100 | 19 h 59 m | Show | |
I’m playing on ST. LOUIS. The Blues fell victim to an unstoppable force in Rick Nash in their season opener, but won’t have to worry about the same thing happening Saturday as they welcome a Calgary Flames team playing its third game in four nights. The Flames aren’t that good to begin with, and facing a condensed schedule to start the campaign isn’t going to help matters. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a deeper team than the Blues, who will trot out two dangerous forward lines, two elite defensive pairings and one of the league’s most underrated goalies in Brian Elliott. The St. Louis power-play struggled in the opener, but may not go 0-for-5 again all season - and certainly not against a team like Calgary, which has given up three power-play goals in six chances through three games. And while I’m on the Flames … should a team that will struggle to keep the puck out of the net really be benching its highest-paid defenseman in just the second game of the season? It didn’t hurt them against the Oilers, but they’re going to need all hands on deck against St. Louis - and even then, it shouldn’t matter. St. Louis is too skilled, and looking to bounce back after getting outclassed at home in its season opener. 6* Blue Marlin |
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10-09-14 | Montreal Canadiens v. Washington Capitals -130 | 2-1 | Loss | -130 | 9 h 55 m | Show | |
I’m playing on the Washington Capitals as my 9* Personal Favorite Thursday. The Capitals come into this season with a fresh outlook and a new head coach that is stressing solid play on both ends of the ice. Washington welcomes a worn-out Montreal side coming off a tough win in Toronto Thursday. Capitals head coach Barry Trotz is looking to make a splash in his debut behind the bench. He’s pushing superstar Alex Ovechkin to not only be a force with the puck but also a physical presence on defense. Trotz shifted Ovechkin back to the left wing and is hoping an emphasis on covering the point, poke-checking, and using his speed and size will in turn create better chances on the offensive end. Washington will be out in enforce Trotz brand of hockey against a Montreal team that could show some early season rust after taking the ice for its opener Thursday. The Habs squeaked out a 4-3 victory over the Maple Leafs, snapping a four-game opening night losing skid to Toronto. The window is open for a letdown in D.C. Thursday with the Canadiens still rounding into game shape. Montreal hasn’t had the best success against the Capitals, dropping 10 of its last 12 overall meetings. Last season, Washington took two of three meetings with the Habs including their lone meeting inside the Verizon Center. A tired traveling Montreal side and a Washington team trying to make a memorable debut for its new coach is why I’m playing Washington as my 9* Personal Favorite Thursday. |
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10-08-14 | San Jose Sharks v. Los Angeles Kings -132 | 4-0 | Loss | -132 | 37 h 42 m | Show | |
I’m playing on the Los Angeles Kings moneyline as my 9* Personal Favorite Wednesday. The defending Stanley Cup champions have a tall task in their California rivals, the San Jose Sharks, at home. But L.A. is getting great value and this is a matchup that favors the Kings in the season opener. Defending Cup winners have had a tough time maintaining those high standards in their season openers since the lockout, but this Kings squad is based on a bruising blueline and always-solid goaltending, two things that never go out of style when it comes to winning hockey games. Los Angeles gave up just two goals per game last year – tops in the NHL – and should once again be among the top defensive clubs in the league. The Kings have a strong mental edge coming into Wednesday’s season debut versus San Jose. The Sharks held a 3-0 series lead over the Kings in the opening round of the playoffs last year, but L.A. battled back – on the shoulders of that dominating defense - to win four straight. It limited San Jose to only five goals in those final four games, delivering another crushing postseason collapse to the Sharks. Los Angeles is a tough team to beat on its home ice. The Kings posted a 23-14-2-2 record inside the Staples Center last season and have come away with the victory in 57 of their previous 83 home games – a winning percentage of 69 percent. That home-ice advantage has been especially solid against the Sharks, who have lost 10 of their last 11 trips to L.A. That mental edge over San Jose and the best blueline in the business are why I’m playing on the Los Angeles Kings moneyline as my 9* Personal Favorite Wednesday. |
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10-08-14 | Philadelphia Flyers v. Boston Bruins UNDER 5.5 | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 24 h 5 m | Show | |
I’m playing on the Under in Philadelphia Flyers at Boston Bruins as my 9* O/U Best Bet Wednesday. There’s no love lost between these East Coast rivals, who both entered the offseason with the same mission: fortify the blueline. Those retooled defensive units will be on full display opening night. Boston finished with the best record in the league in 2013-14 and ranked among the top of the NHL in most defensive categories. However, a defensive lapse in the second-round series with Montreal allowed the Canadiens to find the back of the net for three or more goals five times in that seven game series. That collapse, compounded with the loss of defenseman Johnny Boychuk, has Boston focusing on the blueline in 2014-15. Zdeno Chara remains the face of the defense, but has capable defenders Dougie Hamilton and Torey Krug behind him. And, as always, goaltender and Vezina winner Tuukka Rask is a tough guy to beat if the Bruins let you get a clear look at the goal. Philadelphia took a similar approach to this season. Despite ranking among the top scoring clubs in hockey last year – 2.8 goals per game – the Flyers often found themselves trailing on the scoreboard thanks in part to a porous defense that gave up 2.8 goals against. Much like the Bruins, the Flyers lost a key cog in veteran defenseman Kimmo Timonen (blood clots), and has spent most of its preseason switching out pairings on the blueline. With both teams looking to make a statement – and improvements - on defense Wednesday, I’m playing on Under in Philadelphia at Boston as my 9* O/U Best Bet. |
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06-13-14 | NY Rangers v. Los Angeles Kings -163 | 2-3 | Win | 100 | 33 h 16 m | Show | |
I’m playing on LA. I successfully backed the Rangers last game. I felt that they would get a big game from Lundqvist, after Quick had outplayed him the previous game. I also felt that they would be highly motivated to avoid watching the Kings celebrate in front of the NY fans. They accomplished that mission. Barely. However, even the Rangers know that the odds of them coming all the way back remain slim. While they’ve survived a few Game 7’s, the Kings obviously don’t want to see this series go any further. Its the middle of June and its time to put this series to bed. In my opinion, they’ve already beaten better teams (Sharks, Ducks, Hawks) than the one which they’re facing. While Lundqvist remains among the best in the game, the same can be said of Quick. I look for him to shine and for the Kings to celebrate. 8* main event |
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06-11-14 | Los Angeles Kings v. NY Rangers -137 | Top | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 12 h 10 m | Show |
I’m playing on NEW YORK. As you’re likely aware, the Kings have a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. After eking out a pair of thrillers out West, they won by a score of 3-0 in Game 3. While they’d surely like to wrap things up tonight, there’s no real urgency to do so. Having "gone the distance" so many times now, this is an LA team which much feel extremely confident in its ability to close things out at home in Game 5 (or if that fails, in Game 6 or Game 7). Again, I don’t think there will be much “desperation" to close things out tonight. For the Rangers, down 0-3, they’ve now been written off. That should take some of the pressure off. Remember, this is a proud and talented team which had a magical run to get here and which very easily could have won either of the first two games. They’ve got a big game goalie, who won’t like the fact that Quick stole the spotlight last game. While they know their chances of winning the Cup are now slim, I believe the Rangers are going to be highly motivated to win a game and to to avoid watching the Kings celebrate in front of the NY fans. They’re 7-1 (+6.8) the last eight times that they’d lost their previous three games and I expect them to improve on those stats tonight. 10* main event |
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06-09-14 | Los Angeles Kings v. NY Rangers UNDER 5 | 3-0 | Win | 105 | 11 h 55 m | Show | |
I’m playing on NY and LA to finish UNDER the total. Down 0-2, its “must win” time for the Rangers. While many will likely back them to respond with a victory, I believe the value lies with the total. True, the last game was very high-scoring, a controversial 5-4 LA win in double-OT. That doesn’t mean that this one will be though. Keep in mind that this season’s previous three meetings had averaged only 3.3 goals. They had scores of 1-0, 3-1 and 3-2. Also, note that the Rangers have seen the UNDER go 18-9-2 after scoring four or more goals in their previous game. Meanwhile, the UNDER is 11-6-9 after the Kings scored four or more. The Kings have also seen the UNDER go 12-6-3 after allowing four or more goals. Going back further finds the UNDER at 20-7-8 their last 35 in that situation. The Rangers only allow 2.2 goals per game here, games at MSG averaging 4.7 overall. With the high-scoring result of the last game, we’re getting excellent line value. I expect a low-scoring affair. 9* best bet |
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06-07-14 | NY Rangers v. Los Angeles Kings UNDER 5 | Top | 4-5 | Loss | -116 | 35 h 44 m | Show |
I’m playing on LA and NY to finish UNDER the total. Game 1 landed right on the number, a total of five goals being scored. That’s always a possibility with an O/U line of five. That said, I believe this one has a greater chance at producing fewer than five goals than it does of finishing with more than five. Game 1 saw three goals scored in less than five minutes of the first period. After that, they only scored one goal for the remaining 42+ minutes of regulation time. With the Kings having won Game 1, note that the last time the Rangers were off a loss, they responded with a 1-0 victory in their next game. Both teams have shown a recent history to play low-scoring games against teams from the opposite conference, particularly the Kings. Including the “push" in Game 1, the UNDER is now 29-11-11 the last 51 times that LA faced a team from the Eastern Conference. These teams met twice back in the fall. Both those games stayed below the total. They had scores of 3-1 and 1-0, an average of only 2.5 goals per game. I expect a similar result tonight. 10* best bet |
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06-04-14 | NY Rangers v. Los Angeles Kings UNDER 5 | Top | 2-3 | Push | 0 | 35 h 20 m | Show |
I’m playing on LA and NY to finish UNDER the total. The Kings saw the final six games of their series against the Blackhawks finish above the number, something we rarely see. Tonight, however, they’re up against an entirely different type of opponent. I expect a much different type of result. While the Hawks biggest stars (Toews, Kane etc) are on offense, the Rangers’ superstar resides between the pipes. They won their deciding game against Montreal by a score of 1-0. As they’ve had a few days off since that final game against the Canadiens, note that the UNDER is 6-2-1 when the Rangers played with three or more day’s rest in between games. Both teams have shown a recent history to play low-scoring games against teams from the opposite conference, particularly the Kings. Indeed, the UNDER is 29-11-10 the last 50 times that LA faced a team from the Eastern Conference. These teams met twice back in the fall. Both games stayed below the total. They had scores of 3-1 and 1-0, an average of only 2.5 goals per game. I expect a similar result tonight. 10* best bet |
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06-01-14 | Los Angeles Kings v. Chicago Blackhawks -144 | 5-4 | Loss | -144 | 24 h 19 m | Show | |
I’m playing on CHICAGO. I believe the defending champs have a lot going for them here. Having rallied from a 3-1 deficit, the Hawks have momentum in their corner. Having rallied from that 3-1 deficit, in my opinion, there isn’t as much pressure as there otherwise would have been for a Game 7. After all, this team was supposed to be done at that point. While the Hawks are full of confidence, thoughts of "what could have been” may already be creeping into the Kings’ heads. On the verge of blowing a 3-1 lead and trip to the finals, they may be feeling some pressure. Both teams are talented and well-coached. However, I give the Hawks the edge in both those critical areas. Of course, then there’s the fact that the Hawks are playing on home ice, where they’re extremely tough to beat. They’re 12-1 their last 13 here. They’re also 7-1 their last eight against the Kings here. All things considered, I feel the price could easily be higher. 9* main event |
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05-29-14 | Montreal Canadiens v. NY Rangers -172 | 0-1 | Win | 100 | 18 h 40 m | Show | |
’m playing on NEW YORK. The Canadiens deserve a ton of credit. They’ve gone a lot further than expected, keeping hockey relevant for many Canadians. I believe their season will come to an end tonight though. NY’s Brad Richards noted: ''It's a desperate time. You don't want to go back to a Game 7 where anything can happen. We want to get this done … We're going to have to be a lot better, and we will be.'' Prior to last game, the Rangers had only allowed more than four goals once this entire month, a 4-2 loss against the Penguins exactly three weeks ago. They responded to that loss with a dominating 5-1 victory next time out, the game which swung that series in their favor. They haven’t lost back-to-back games since and I don’t see it happening here. Home ice and Lundqvist in goal ultimately prove the difference. 7* |
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05-28-14 | Los Angeles Kings v. Chicago Blackhawks -135 | Top | 4-5 | Win | 100 | 13 h 0 m | Show |
I’m playing on CHICAGO. The Kings have certainly been impressive. If they can put away the Hawks, given the way they’ve been playing, one has to like their chances in the Finals. I’m not willing to write the defending champs off quite yet. This is a very well-coached team, one with a lot of talent and a lot of pride. With their captain (Toews) leading them, they aren’t about to wave the white flag. Needless to say, they don’t want to allow the Kings to win the West in front of the Chicago fans. Coming back from a 3-1 deficit isn’t easy. Lets not forget that that Hawks were in that situation (against the Wings) in last year’s playoffs. That series went much the same way as this one. The Hawks easily won the first game but then lost the next three by multiple goals. They returned home for Game 5 and earned a 4-1 victory. (Some of you may recall that we had a big play on them for that 5/25/13 game.) LA’s Trevor Lewis noted:''We're expecting their best. They’re back at home now. We're expecting them to come out hard. I mean, they're defending Cup champions. I don't think they're going to give up by any means.’’ I concur. 10* Main Event |
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05-27-14 | NY Rangers v. Montreal Canadiens UNDER 5 | 4-7 | Loss | -116 | 11 h 52 m | Show | |
I’m playing on NY and Montreal. As we’ve seen in this series, any time that the O/U line is five, there’s a fairly good chance that the game will “push,” as five is such a common final combined score in hockey. That said, I feel this one has a much better shot at finishing with less than five goals than it does of finishing with more than five. On the cusp of reaching the finals, the Rangers will look to their leader - King Henrik - to lead them. Through the playoffs Lundqvist has a stellar .931 save percentage to go along with an outstanding 1.98 goals-against average. On the other side of the rink, Tokarski has proven to be more than capable. The Rangers have now allowed two goals in six of their last seven and 13 of 18 in the playoffs overall. While we have yet to see a shutout in the series, I won’t be surprised to see one here. 9* |
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05-26-14 | Chicago Blackhawks v. Los Angeles Kings UNDER 5 | Top | 2-5 | Loss | -119 | 31 h 27 m | Show |
I’m playing on Chicago and LA to finish UNDER the total. Since successfully backing the Hawks in Game 1, I haven’t been involved in this series. Tonight, however, I believe the total is providing excellent value. Any time that the O/U line is five, there’s a fairly good chance that the game will “push,” as five is such a common final combined score in hockey. That said, I feel this one has a much better shot at finishing with less than five goals than it does of finishing with more than five. The Kings have certainly scored more goals than normal during these playoffs and they’ve erupted for 10 in the last two games. The UNDER remains a profitable 11-3-8 the last 22 times that they scored four or more goals in their previous game though, 25-13-15 in that situation the past few seasons. During that stretch, the UNDER is also 13-5-1 when the Kings were leading in a playoff series. Prior to getting lit up the past two games, the Hawks had allowed one goal in three straight games, each of those finishing below the total. They’ll be determined to improve defensively tonight and I look for them to do so. 10* best bet |
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05-22-14 | Montreal Canadiens v. NY Rangers UNDER 5 | 3-2 | Push | 0 | 12 h 36 m | Show | |
I’m playing on NY and Montreal to finish UNDER the total. With Price out for the Canadiens, many expected Game 2 to be high-scoring. That didn’t happen though, as the final score was 3-1. I look for another relatively low-scoring affair in Game 3. The last time that the Canadiens were on the road, they limited the Bruins to a single goal. Their last game here at MSG? A 2-0 win. Price wasn’t in net for that one either. Going back further finds the UNDER at 12-6-2 their last 20 trips here. The Rangers’ last game here resulted in a 3-1 win over the high-scoring Penguins. That marked the fifth time in the last nine games here that they allowed one goal or less. They allowed two or less in seven of those nine games. Not surprisingly, the UNDER is 12-6-2 their last 20 here. Don’t be surprised when those stats improve tonight. 9* best bet |
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05-19-14 | NY Rangers v. Montreal Canadiens UNDER 5 | 3-1 | Win | 100 | 24 h 34 m | Show | |
I’m playing on Montreal and NY to finish UNDER the total. Game 1 of this series got “out of hand,” as the Rangers won by a score of 7-2. That wasn’t typical of meetings between these teams though. I expect things to return to “normal” for Game 2. The Rangers entered the series having allowed one goal in three straight games. The Canadiens entered the series having allowed one goal or less in three of their previous four. Keep in mind that New York and Montreal were shutting down Pittsburgh and Boston last round, the two highest-scoring teams in the Eastern Conference. Not surprisingly, these teams have a history of playing low-scoring games against each other. In fact, prior to Game 1, the previous two meetings had both finished with final scores of 1-0. Even including Game 1, nine of the last 10 meetings between these teams have produced five or fewer combined goals, six of the last seven finishing at four or less. This year’s Rangers rarely follow up a big offensive outburst with another one. The UNDER is 16-9-2 when they’d scored four or more in their previous game. This is just the second time that the Habs have been trailing in a series in these playoffs. They responded with a shutout the last time they were in that situation. I’m expecting another relatively low-scoring affair. 9* *After initially writing this, it was confirmed that Price was out for the Canadiens. While Tokarski is a relative unknown, he did have a successful 2012 run to the Calder Cup with Norfolk, one which saw him record a 1.46 goals-against average, a .944 save percentage and three shutouts. I expect him to play well and for the Canadiens to do their best defensively in front of him. |
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05-18-14 | Los Angeles Kings v. Chicago Blackhawks -148 | 1-3 | Win | 100 | 9 h 32 m | Show | |
I’m playing on CHICAGO. I believe this is a very fair price. The Hawks are playing like champs. They’re extremely talented and they’re very well-coached. They’re also well-rested and playing at home. On the other hand, the Kings are off another 7-game series. They just played on the West Coast on Friday night and now they’re playing a Sunday afternoon game at Chicago, nearly 2000 miles from LA. Chicago's 32-14 record at home included a 7-1 mark when the O/U line was set at five. In fact, the Hawks are a profitable 23-6 (+12.6) the past 29 times that they played a home game when the O/U line was less than 5.5. The Kings allow only 2.3 goals per game on the road. That’s exactly what Chicago allows here at home. The difference is on the other end of the ice. The Hawks average 3.5 goals per game here; the Kings just 2.6 on the road. Including last year’s playoffs, the Hawks are 9-2 their last 11 against the Kings. I believe the schedule will work in their favor here and expect them to grab Game 1. 8* |
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05-17-14 | NY Rangers v. Montreal Canadiens UNDER 5 | Top | 7-2 | Loss | -136 | 6 h 46 m | Show |
I’m playing on Montreal and New York to finish UNDER the total. While we have to lay some extra juice to play Under 5, I feel this one will prove worth the cost of admission. Needless to say, both goalies are playing very well. Both are a huge reason why their teams are still playing. The Rangers have allowed one goal in three straight games. The Canadiens have allowed one goal or less in three of their last four. Keep in mind that New York and Montreal were shutting down Pittsburgh and Boston last round, the two highest-scoring teams in the Eastern Conference. Not surprisingly, these teams have a history of playing low-scoring games against each other. In fact, the last meetings both finished with a final score of 1-0! Going back further and we find that nine straight meetings between these teams have produced five or fewer combined goals, the last six all finishing at four or less. The last five meetings have all seen one team get blanked completely. Throw in the fact that the UNDER is 6-1-1 when the Rangers played with three or more day’s rest in between games and I believe there’s only one way to go here. 10* blue chip |
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05-14-14 | Montreal Canadiens v. Boston Bruins -173 | 3-1 | Loss | -173 | 30 h 33 m | Show | |
I’m playing on BOSTON. Give the Canadiens credit. They’ve done better than many thought they would. However, I expect their season to come to an end against a superior Boston team tonight. Yes, the Canadiens won big last game. That was at Montreal though. Not only did the Bruins win the last won here at Boston, they’ve been great at bouncing back from a bad loss. On the other hand, the Habs aren’t so good off a big win. The Canadiens are 19-27 (-11.4) the past couple of seasons off a win by two or more goals. They’re also 22-32 (-12.7) after scoring four or more goals in their previous game. During the same stretch, the Bruins are 24-7 (+13.8) after losing by two or more goals and 30-11 (+14) after allowing four or more goals in their previous game. While the Canadiens have outscored teams by a 2.9 to 2.8 average on the road, the Bruins have outscored teams by a commanding 3.2 to 1.8 margin here at Boston. I look for them to bounce back, improving to 9-2 after scoring one goal or less in their previous game. 8* main event |
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05-13-14 | Chicago Blackhawks -125 v. Minnesota Wild | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 21 h 41 m | Show | |
I’m playing on CHICAGO. Home ice has been key in this series, the home team winning all five meetings. I expect that to change tonight though. While they’ve also got a significant edge in playoff experience, I believe the Hawks are the more talented team. I believe Toews is one of the best overall players/leaders in the game and that Kane is among the most dangerous on offense. Throw in the likes of Hossa and Sharp and this team has some serious firepower. Additionally, Quenneville is among the best coaches in the game. He knows this team could really use a little break and that avoiding Game 7 would be in their best interest. I expect him to have the Hawks ready to go and for the series and Minnesota’s season to come to an end. 9* annihilator |
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05-13-14 | NY Rangers v. Pittsburgh Penguins -154 | 2-1 | Loss | -154 | 19 h 48 m | Show | |
I’m playing on PITTSBURGH. While the Rangers deserve credit for battling back to get here, I like the Penguins in a Game 7 at Pittsburgh. While the Rangers are still 14-18 (-11.6) off a win by two or more goals, the Pens are still 11-3 (+8.2) off a loss by two or more more goals. While the Rangers have fared well when tied in the playoffs, the Pens are a perfect 5-0 their last five in that situation, 3-0 already this season. (They won 4-3 and 3-1 when tied with Columbus and 2-0 when tied with NY.) While Lundqvist can admittedly be tough, in the end, I look for the Pens’ superior offensive firepower to prove the difference. 9* Personal Favorite |
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05-12-14 | Boston Bruins v. Montreal Canadiens UNDER 5 | 0-4 | Win | 100 | 11 h 9 m | Show | |
I’m playing on Boston and Montreal to finish UNDER the total. While the three games at Boston have all topped the total, the last game here at Montreal finished with a score of 1-0. The score was 0-0 after regulation. I’m expecting another relatively low-scoring affair. The Bruins’ four road playoff games have produced only 15 combined goals, an average of just 3.75 per game. Three have finished at five or less and the one that didn’t (4-2 final) was a tough loss due with two late goals, including an empty net in the final seconds. Montreal home games average only 4.7 goals. The UNDER is 23-15-7 here. I feel those stats have an excellent shot at improving here. 9* best bet |
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05-11-14 | Minnesota Wild v. Chicago Blackhawks -192 | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 21 h 54 m | Show | |
I’m playing on CHICAGO. This series is tied 2-2. The home team has won all four games. The wins have been pretty convincing, too. The Hawks won the two here at Chicago by a combined score of 9-3. While we admittedly have to lay a pretty steep price on the Hawks, I expect them to finish on top and believe the line could easily be even higher. In a similar 2-2 Game 5 situation yesterday, we saw the team (Boston) with the superior talent - the one which had earned home ice advantage - come out on top. The Hawks are the defending champs. They’re very well-coached and they’re extremely talented. Toews is among the best leaders in the game. They’ve owned the Wild here over the years. The Wild are 29-50 (-13.6) the past 79 times that they played a road game with an O/U line of six or less. During that time, the Hawks are 22-6 (+11.6) when playing a home game with an O/U line of five or less. I expect home ice to again prove significant as the Hawks play like champs and earn the critical victory. 8* personal favorite |
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05-10-14 | Montreal Canadiens v. Boston Bruins -182 | 2-4 | Win | 100 | 10 h 15 m | Show | |
I’m playing on BOSTON. While they had to settle for a split, the Bruins dominated the two games here at Boston. They had an 86-61 edge in shots in the two games here. The Habs are 26-27 (-4) the past few seasons after scoring one goal or less in their previous game. During that time, the Bruins are 20-12 (+1.6) after scoring one or less and 14-8 (+2.7) off a shutout win. While the Canadiens are 21-22 the past few seasons when playing a road game with an O/U line of five or less, the Bruins are 37-17 (+8.4) when playing a home game with an O/U line of five or less. I believe they’re the stronger team and I look for them to take care of business. 8* |
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05-09-14 | NY Rangers v. Pittsburgh Penguins -170 | 5-1 | Loss | -170 | 9 h 1 m | Show | |
I’m playing on PITTSBURGH. I believe the Penguins smell the blood in the water. They don’t want this series to go back to New York. They don’t want to give the Rangers any life. The Pens are peaking, playing their best hockey. Crosby has started to come back to life while Fleury has been shining in goal. They’ve won their last three games by a combined score of 9-2. The Rangers have already made excuses about their brutal schedule. The Pens are 24-14 (+4.4) the past few seasons after three straight wins and I look for them to keep rolling right into the Eastern Conf. Finals. 7* personal favorite |
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05-08-14 | Boston Bruins v. Montreal Canadiens UNDER 5 | 1-0 | Win | 100 | 13 h 37 m | Show | |
I’m playing on Boston and Montreal to finish UNDER the total. While I suffered a (tough) loss on the Under in Game 3, I’m coming back with the same play for Game 4. The Bruins have seen the UNDER go 4-2-5 when off a loss by two or more goals. Remember, this is a team which allowed just six combined goals in five games in the opening round. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have seen the UNDER go 24-14-7 the past few seasons off a win by two or more goals. During that stretch, the UNDER is also 32-14-5 when the Habs were off a game in which they scored four or more goals. With a pair of highly-capable goalies and with games here still averaging only 4.7 goals on the season, I look for the lowest-scoring game of the series. 9* best bet |
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05-08-14 | Boston Bruins -130 v. Montreal Canadiens | 1-0 | Push | 0 | 13 h 34 m | Show | |
I’m playing on BOSTON. Give the Canadiens credit. They’ve found a way to grab a 2-1 series lead. I still believe that the Bruins are the stronger team though. I look for them to even the series tonight. Despite being down a game, the Bruins have looked dominant through long stretches of play in the series. They easily could have won both in Boston. While they weren’t their best in Game 3, they again refused to go away. Boston coach Claude Julien said this of his team: "We're a group that's confident … They know they have to be better and they will be better. It's a 2-1 series. It's not the end of the world here. We've just got to battle back. There's no reason to panic. We haven't in the past and we're not about to panic now.'' In addition to being perfect in these playoffs when trailing in a series, the Bruins are 23-7 (+12.8) the past 30 times that they were off a loss of two or more goals, 9-2 (+6.4) their last 11 in that situation. Don’t count them out yet. 9* |
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05-06-14 | BOSTON GM3 v. MONTREAL GM3 UNDER 5 | Top | 2-4 | Loss | -100 | 57 h 53 m | Show |
I’m playing on Boston and Montreal to finish UNDER the total. The first two games of this series have both been relatively high-scoring. They finished with scores of 4-3 and 5-3. With the series shifting to Montreal, I’m expecting a considerably lower-scoring affair. Note that the high-scoring games at Boston have helped us in terms of line-value. If they’d been low-scoring, we could easily be laying some extra juice to play at Under five. The two games at Boston were high-scoring partly due to the fact that the Canadiens scored early and forced the Bruins to come back. Playing at home, the Bruins were able to carry the play and wouldn’t be denied. The Habs are a lot stingier here at home though, where they allow only 2.2 goals per game. Games here average 4.7 combined goals on the season. The Bruins last four visits here have seen scores of 4-1, 1-2, 1-2 and 2-1. That’s an average of only 3.5 goals per game. With a pair of very capable goalies, I feel this pivotal Game 3 also has an excellent shot at finishing with five or less. 10* blue chip |
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05-05-14 | Los Angeles Kings v. Anaheim Ducks -122 | 3-1 | Loss | -122 | 36 h 42 m | Show | |
I’m playing on ANAHEIM. The Ducks lost a heart-breaker in Game 1. They know they can’t afford to drop both the first two home games and I expect them to bounce back with a big effort here. A few playoff wins notwithstanding, the Kings have been pretty mediocre on the road. They’re still 26-21 away from LA, outscoring teams by a 2.5 to 2.3 average margin. Not bad - but those stats don’t compare to what the Ducks have done here at home. Indeed, Anaheim is a dominating 32-13 (+9.8) at home, outscoring opposing teams by a 3.5 to 2.3 margin here. While the Kings are an excellent defensive team, they’re currently quite banged-up on the blue line. Meanwhile, the Ducks have more offensive firepower. The Ducks are 8-1 the last nine times that they attempted to avenge a home loss. I believe this price is fair and feel they’ve got a strong shot at improving on those stats tonight. 9* main event |
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05-04-14 | NY RANGERS GM2 v. PITTSBURGH GM2 -155 | Top | 0-3 | Win | 100 | 17 h 29 m | Show |
I’m playing on PITTSBURGH. The Penguins find themselves in a similar position as the Bruins were in yesterday. They played decently in their opening game but were beaten by a hot goalie. They’re now in danger of falling behind 0-2 and losing both games. Just as Boston rallied to win yesterday, I expect the Pens to also find a way to salvage the 1-1 home split. The Rangers are indeed playing well defensively and they’ve got a very capable goalie. The Pens have a significant advantage on the offensive end though. While Crosby may not be scoring for the Pens, its only a matter of time before he does. In the meantime, the Pens are loaded with other scoring threats. (The Pens average 3.3 gpg here compared to NY’s 2.7 on the road.) The Rangers have been dreadful in recent years when they’ve been leading in a playoff series. They were able to overcome it in Game 1 but the effects of a seven game opening series may start to catch up with them a little here. Certainly, Pittsburgh figures to be the more desperate squad. I look for the Pens to bounce back, improving to 17-7 (+8.1) the last 24 times they faced a team which defeated them in the previous meeting. 10* 2nd RND GOY |
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05-03-14 | Montreal Canadiens v. Boston Bruins -190 | 3-5 | Win | 100 | 15 h 53 m | Show | |
I’m playing on BOSTON. The Bruins dominated Game 1 but came up short. Montreal would win 4-3, in double OT. A similar effort this afternoon should result in a victory. True, the price may initially seem a little steep. However, if one compares it to similar-sized money-lines in other sports, I personally like the Bruins’ chances of winning this game more than nearly any baseball favorite in the -200 range. Looking at some stats and we find that Boston is still 36-17 (+6.4) at home with an O/U line of five or less the past couple of seasons. During that time, the Bruins are a profitable 28-11 (+12) after allowing four or more goals in their previous game. Meanwhile, Montreal is 22-30 (-10.7) after scoring four or more. The only time that the Bruins were trailing in a playoff series this season was after Game 1 of the series against Detroit. They responded with a dominating 4-1 win in Game 2. A similar result here won’t surprise. 9* personal favorite |
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05-02-14 | Minnesota Wild v. Chicago Blackhawks -196 | 2-5 | Push | 0 | 12 h 20 m | Show | |
I’m playing on CHICAGO. While the price is admittedly a little on the steep side, the Hawks have a lot of advantages. Most importantly, they’re a far more dangerous team and they have the advantage of playing at home. They average 3.5 goals per game here, Minnesota averages 2.4 on the road. The Hawks allow 2.3 goals per game here, the Wild allow 2.9 gpg on the road. The Hawks have an advantage in terms of playoff experience and in terms of coaching. They’ve also had a break in between games while the Wild are off a 7-game series. The Wild are 29-48 (-11.6) the past few seasons on the road with an O/U line of five or less. During that time, the Hawks are 20-6 (+9.6) at home with an O/U line of five or less. The Hawks have dominated the Wild here and I look for them to start the series with a win. 6* |
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05-02-14 | NY Rangers v. Pittsburgh Penguins -150 | 3-2 | Push | 0 | 10 h 51 m | Show | |
I’m playing on PITTSBURGH. I believe this line could easily be higher. The Penguins are well-rested and playing at home. They outscore teams by a 3.3 to 2.4 average margin here. On the other hand, the Rangers only outscore teams by a 2.7 to 2.5 margin on the road and they’ll be playing their third game in four days here. Special teams figures to favor the Pens. The Pittsburgh power-play was the best during the regular season and was a solid 4 for 15 against Columbus. (The Pens also scored a pair of short-handed goals in that series.) On the other ha While the Rangers did win their most recent visit here, the Pens are still 5-1 the last six meetings here. I like their chances of improving on those stats tonight. 8* |
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05-01-14 | Montreal Canadiens v. Boston Bruins UNDER 5 | 4-3 | Loss | -115 | 17 h 46 m | Show | |
I’m playing on Montreal and Boston to finish UNDER the total. Each of the last five meetings between these longtime rivals has finished with five or fewer combined goals. Two of them finished with scores of 4-1. The other three, including the most recent, all had scores of 2-1. That’s an average of less than four goals (3.8) per game. I’m expecting another relatively low-scoring affair here. Both teams have very capable goalies. Rask is among the best in the game. He’s allowed only six goals in five playoff games. He also had a 1.94 ERA GAA against the Habs in four regular season games this season. Price’s numbers aren’t quite as good. However, he’s shown he can get hot, something the Bruins are well aware of. While Budaj was in net the past few times these teams met, the past two head-to-head matchups between Price and Rask both had final scores of 2-1. Price is going to have to be good to give his team a chance, as goals figure to be hard to come by for the Canadiens. Boston allows an average of just 1.7 goals per game here. As both won their opening series quickly, these teams have had an extended break in between games. That’s particularly true of the Canadiens, as their last game came way back on 4/22. Note that the UNDER is 6-2-1 on the season when Montreal played with three or more day’s rest. After their extended break from the Olympics, the Canadiens next game finished with a score of 2-1. I expect a similar score here. 9* |
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04-30-14 | Los Angeles Kings v. San Jose Sharks -130 | Top | 5-1 | Loss | -130 | 14 h 42 m | Show |
I’m playing on SAN JOSE. While the Kings have the momentum on their side, I still believe the Sharks are the superior overall team. I expect home ice to prove significant. While the Kings have been mediocre on the road all season, the Sharks have been dominant here at San Jose. Even after losing the last game here, they’re still 31-13 here, outscoring opponents by an average of 3.3 to 2.2. The Sharks are also still 11-2 (+8) the last 13 times that they were a host in the series. We’re getting them at a more reasonable price than was available for the majority of those games and I feel that’s providing excellent value. 10* personal favorite |
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04-30-14 | Philadelphia Flyers v. NY Rangers UNDER 5 | Top | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 8 h 6 m | Show |
I’m playing on NY and Philadelphia to finish UNDER the total. These teams are off back-to-back fairly high-scoring games, including a 5-2 win last night. They’ll be playing back-to-back games for the first time in the series tonight though and I look for that to lead to a considerably lower-scoring affair. The Rangers have relied on defense and goaltending (again) this season, allowing just 2.3 goals per game here. The UNDER is 7-2-3 the past few seasons when they’ve been tied in a playoff series. With the Rangers doing their best to get back to the style of play that got them here, I expect those stats to improve tonight. 10* blue chip |
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04-28-14 | Pittsburgh Penguins -135 v. Columbus Blue Jackets | 4-3 | Win | 100 | 10 h 26 m | Show | |
I’m playing on PITTSBURGH. The Penguins responded to a rather devastating Game 4 loss with a solid victory in Game 5. I expect them to follow it up with another win here. An experienced, talented and determined team, the Pens know the importance of sealing the deal tonight and avoiding Game 7. This is particularly true with the other top team in the East (Boston) having already advanced - along with the defending champs (Chicago) over in the West. If they want to advance deep in the playoffs, the Pens know it would help to be fresh when they face those types of teams. While the score was close, the Pens actually dominated Game 5. They carried the play, had far more scoring chances and were much more physical. The final shot tally was 51-24 in favor of Pittsburgh. The Jackets were arguably fortunate to keep it that close. Needless to say, if the Pens play like that again, they’re going to be tough to beat. The heartbreaker on 4/23 notwithstanding, the Pens have had little trouble winning here over the years. They’re also a profitable 19-9 (+7.6) the last 28 times that they played a road game with an O/U line of 5.5 and I expect them to improve on those stats tonight. 8* personal favorite |
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04-27-14 | Anaheim Ducks v. Dallas Stars UNDER 5.5 | Top | 5-4 | Loss | -122 | 11 h 4 m | Show |
I’m playing on Dallas and Anaheim to finish UNDER the total. These playoffs started out with a lot of high-scoring games. However, as we’ve gone deeper into each series, we’ve slowly started to see a shift the other way. I expect that to continue here and believe that getting an extra half goal (5.5 instead of 5, like all the other games) could well prove to be the difference. Yesterday’s four games averaged five combined goals. Two of three games on Friday finished at five or less. Two of three Thursday games also finished at five or less. The two games at Dallas in this series have averaged 4.5 goals. The UNDER is already 2-1 when the Stars were trailing (or the Ducks were winning) in the series. I look for those stats to improve tonight. 10* best bet |
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04-26-14 | Columbus Blue Jackets v. Pittsburgh Penguins -185 | 1-3 | Win | 100 | 44 h 55 m | Show | |
I’m playing on PITTSBURGH. Yes, the price is high. However, I feel it could easily be higher. While they lost a heartbreaker due to some questionable goaltending (and a bad bounce) last time out, the Penguins are the superior team. While they’re loaded overall, they’ve also got arguably the best player in the world (Crosby) on their team. I expect a highly motivated effort from the captain here. The Pens outscore teams 3.4 to 2.3 here. The Jackets get outscored 2.7 to 2.6 on the road. The Pens are 9-5 (+1.3) when playing with two day’s rest in between games, 21-11 (+5.5) in that situation the past couple of seasons. During that time, the Jackets are 13-17 (-2.4) when playing with two day’s rest in between games, 7-9 (-2) this year. In basically a must win game, I expect the cream to rise to the top, Crosby leading by example and the Pens earning the important victory. 8* personal favorite |
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04-24-14 | San Jose Sharks v. Los Angeles Kings UNDER 5 | 3-6 | Loss | -100 | 13 h 19 m | Show | |
I’m playing on SJ and LA to finish UNDER the total. While I’m not all that surprised that the Sharks are up 3-0 in the series, I am surprised that they’ve scored so many goals. Its rare that every game in a series is high-scoring, particularly with a defensive-minded team like LA involved. I expect Game 4 to finally be low-scoring.
While those stats have taken a hit recently, the UNDER remains a lucrative 19-4 when the Kings had allowed four or more goals in their previous game. The UNDER is also 7-2-2 when the Kings were off three or more consecutive losses. Additionally, the UNDER is 6-2 the last eight times that the Sharks had seen their previous three games top the total. We’re getting a generous line on the Under 5, due to the results of the first three games, and I expect those stats to improve here. 10* blue chip |
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04-23-14 | St. Louis Blues v. Chicago Blackhawks -145 | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 13 h 14 m | Show | |
I’m playing on CHICAGO. The champs showed they weren’t going to go down without a fight last time out. I like their chances of evening up the series this evening.
Here’s an excerpt from my writeup in Game 3. Most of it still applies, so I’m including it here: "...After a pair of heart-breaking OT losses in St. Louis, the Hawks are in a hole. Coming back against this talented St. Louis team will not be easy. I don’t expect the defending champs to go down without a fight though. While the Seabrook suspension admittedly hurts, the Hawks remain one of the most talented teams in the league. Coach Quenneville - a longtime former St. Louis coach - is a proven winner. They could easily be up 2-0 in this series. Needless to say, this is a must win situation for them. While the Blues have been solid on the road, the Hawks have been dominant (27-7-7) at home all season. They were also 11-2 in the playoffs last year, outscoring the opposition by a combined score of 41-23. I’m not counting them out quite yet ..."
Throw in the fact that the Hawks now have a goalie full of confidence from coming off a shutout and I feel the price could easily be higher. 9* personal favorite |
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04-22-14 | San Jose Sharks v. Los Angeles Kings UNDER 5 | 4-3 | Loss | -103 | 18 h 16 m | Show | |
I’m playing on SJ and LA to finish UNDER the total. Four games were played last night. All marked the third game of their series and that meant that each was played at a new venue. While the opening two games had nearly all been high-scoring, three of last night’s four Game 3’s were shutouts, 3-0, 2-0 and 1-0.
Tonight, the Sharks/Kings shift their series to LA for Game 3. After back-to-back humiliating and high-scoring losses, I expect the normally defensive-minded Kings to attempt to go back to what got them here.
Despite getting lit up in both games at SJ, the UNDER remains 11-2-2 after the Kings allowed four or more goals and a highly profitable 19-3-5 in that situation the past few seasons. During that time, the Kings have also still seen the UNDER go 18-7-5 when they were off a loss by two or more goals.
Games here at LA have averaged a mere 4.6 goals on the season. Opposing teams average only 23.3 shots and 2.0 goals per game here.
Remember, before this series started, the previous two 2014 meetings between these teams had scores of 1-0 and 2-1. So, there has been a recent history of low-scoring games.
With the high-scoring games at SJ, we’re getting better line value than we normally would be. I’m expecting a much different style of game. 10* best bet. |