Lightning @ Rangers 8:15 PM ET

Game# 49-50

Play On: Rangers +113 (10*)

The Rangers return home with the series tied at 2-2 and coming off 2 road losses at Tampa Bay. The Rangers are 10-1 in their last 11 games following 2 consecutive losses. New York is also 8-0 in their last 8 at home during these playoffs and outscored their opponents by an aggregate score of 35-16. Furthermore, they’re 3-0 at home versus Tampa Bay this season and outscored them 13-4 while doing so. During his 7 starts versus Tampa Bay this season, Igor Shesterkin has a brilliant .942 save percentage. That includes a 3-0 record at home versus Tampa Bay with a superb .962 save percentage. Give me the Rangers for a Top Play wager.

Colorado @ Edmonton 8:00 PM ET

Game# 43-44

Play On: Colorado -124 (10*)

Edmonton has been limited to only 4 power play chances in the first 3 games of this series. The Oilers will be without forward Evander Kane who has scored 13 goals during these playoffs and is out via 1-game suspension due to a dangerous boarding penalty in Game 3.

Colorado has dominated the first 3 games of this series while outscoring Edmonton by a cumulative score of 16-8 and they hold a 130-90 advantage in shots on goal. The Avalanche have averaged an extremely impressive 40.6 shots on goal per game during these playoffs. The Avalanche have amassed 34 or more shots on goal in each of their previous 6 games. Colorado is 26-6 this season after having 30 or more shots on goal in each of their previous 5 games and averaged outscoring those opponents by a sizable 1.7 goals per game. Colorado has also won 6 of their last 7 and averaged a robust 4.9 goals scored per game. Give me Colorado on the money line for a 10* Top Play wager.

Rangers @ Hurricanes 8:00 PM ET

Game# 21-22

Play On: Rangers +134 (10*)

The opposition to this pick will come from Carolina’s 7-0 home playoff record during these 2022 NHL Playoffs. However, my positive experiences when betting on any Game 7 of a NHL Playoff series started with who I felt was the most reliable or sharp in goal. I don’t think there will be many to disagree with me that Igor Shesterkin has been far better than Antti Raanta. That’s especially so over the past 4 games. During that stretch Shesterkin is 3-1 with a terrific .953 save percentage. Throughout the previous 3 games, Raanta has an uninspiring .889 save percentage. Additionally, the Rangers special teams play has outplayed the Hurricanes and by a wide margin. I look for both of my main points regarding special teams and goaltending to pave the way for a Rangers win tonight. Give me the Rangers on the money line.

Winnipeg @ Buffalo 7:05 PM ET

Game# 19-20

Play On: Buffalo +137 (10*)

Winnipeg is coming off wins in each of their previous 2 games. However, the Jets are 0-6 versus the money in their last 7 following back-to-back wins and were outscored by a sizable margin of 2.9 goals per game. Connor Hellebuyck is slated to be in goal for Winnipeg and he’s gone just 9-18 versus the money line in 18 road starts this season.

Buffalo has shown drastic signs of improvement in recent game. The Sabres are 6-3 versus the money in their last 9 with an average money line price of +202 and 2 of those losses came in overtime. Hypothetically speaking, if you risked $100 on the money line on Buffalo during that previously mentioned 9-game stretch, you would have made a net profit of $925. Craig Anderson is slated to be in goal for Buffalo. The 40-year-old veteran has gone an outstanding 7-3 in 10 home starts this season while compiling a sparkling .919 save percentage. Buffalo will look to ride the momentum after winning 6-5 at Chicago in their previous outing while overcoming a 4-0 deficit early in the 2nd period. Give me Buffalo as a Top Play money line underdog.

Carolina @ Nashville 7:08 PM ET

Game# 43-44

Play On: Nashville +120 (10*)

It’s do or die for Nashville tonight for all intents and purposes. They’re down 2-0 in the series and are coming off a humbling 3-0 loss in Game 2 and 5-2 defeat in the series opener. On a positive note, since the start of last season, Carolina is 1-6 following back-to-back home wins by 2 goals or more. Additionally, Nashville was outscored 2-0 during 3rd period action in Game 2. The Predators are 7-1 this season following a game in which they allowed 2 goals or more in the 3rd period of their previous game.

Recent NHL money line betting history indicates that the Predators are a superb value in this specific situation. Since the 2016-2017 NHL season began, any home team that’s coming off a division loss by 3 goals or more, and they’re facing an opponent coming off home wins in each of their previous 2 games played, resulted in the home clubs going 40-11 (78.4%). The home team’s average money line in those 51 games was +108. Bet on Nashville for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Tampa Bay @ Florida 7:38 PM ET

Game# 65-66

Play On: Tampa Bay -120 (10*)

This to me is a simple matter of reading between the lines with no pun intended. We have a Florida team playing at home in an opening game of a playoff series, and they finished regular season play on a 6-game win streak, versus an opponent who has lost 3 straight while being outscored 14-3 in the process of doing so, and it’s the road team who is listed as a money line favorite. Furthermore, these teams finished the regular season with 2 consecutive games against won another which resulted in 4-0 and 5-1 wins by Florida. The sportsbooks are begging you to take the home underdog but I’m not falling for the trap. Besides, Tampa Bay possesses an enormous edge when it comes to postseason experience which usually shows up early in a series. Bet on Tampa Bay for a 10* Top Play wager.

Montreal @ Winnipeg 10:05 PM ET

Game# 53-54

Play On: Montreal -132 (10*)

Winnipeg has gone 7-3 against the money line in their last 10 and that includes a current 3-game win streak. Conversely Montreal has lost 4 straight and 7 of its last 8 versus the money line. Yet, it’s Montreal who is a decent sized favorite tonight. It’s more time than not as easy as it appears when it comes to sports betting. This is one of those spots to think like an oddsmaker while also doing away with conventional thinking.

The Canadiens will go with backup Jake Allen in goal tonight. Allen has been terrific in 7 starts this season while compiling a brilliant .932 save percentage. The way #1 goaltender Carey Price has recently played, Allen gives Montreal their best chance to win.

The Jets are coming off Thursday night’s 6-3 home win over Montreal. However, since the start of last season, Winnipeg is an abysmal 0-7 against the money line following a game in which a combined 9 or more goals were scored. Bet on Montreal for a 10* Top Play wager.

Calgary @ Edmonton 10:05 PM ET

Game# 23-24

Play On: Edmonton -127 (10*)

Edmonton is coming off last night’s 2-1 win at Calgary. As a result, the Oilers have now won 4 of its last 5 and 8 of their previous 10 games. Furthermore, since the start of last season, Edmonton is an extremely profitable 10-1 versus the money line when playing with no rest. The Calgary power play has gone 4-33 (12.1%) on the road and 1-15 (6.7%) during its last 5 games overall. That’s not good news considering they will be facing an Oilers team tonight that averages a robust 3.7 goals scored per game at home. Bet on Edmonton for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Philadelphia vs. Montreal 8:00 PM ET

Game# 49-50

Play On: Philadelphia -137 (10*)

The Flyers are coming off an embarrassing 5-0 loss in Game 2 of this series which now is tied at 1-1. The good news for Philadelphia is Montreal has gone 2-11 this season following a game in which they scored 5 or more goals. Furthermore, the Flyers are 8-0 in their last 8 games following a loss and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 41-17. Bet on the Flyers for a 10* Top Play wager.

Carolina vs. Boston 11:00 AM ET

Game# 5-6

Play On: Boston -133 (10*)

The Hurricanes are 0-6 in their last 6 against Boston and have been outscored by a combined 23-8 in those contests. Tuukka Rassk was in goal for 4 of those 6 wins and posted a brilliant .956 save percentage. Speaking of Rask, he has been consistent all season while recording a stellar .928 save percentage in 43 starts.

Carolina has not played since last Tuesday after making quick work of the Rangers in a 3-0 Qualifying Round sweep. Since the start of last season, Carolina is a dismal 3-12 when playing on 3 or more days rest. They will be playing a Boston team which has a .603 money line win percentage this season. Since the start of last season, Carolina is 5-15 when facing an opponent with a money line win percentage of .600 to .750. Bet on Boston for a 5* money line wager.

Bruins @ Blues 8:20 PM ET

Game# 11-12

Play On: Bruins +108 (10*)

Despite St. Louis having an opportunity to win their first ever Stanley Cup and in front of their home fans to boot, I firmly believe the Bruins will be able to stave off elimination. Boston has lost each of the previous 2 games in this series and this season they’ve gone 9-2 during its last 11 following 2 consecutive defeats which includes 5-1 on the road. Furthermore, the Bruins are coming off a 2-1 loss in Game 5, and they’ve gone 11-2 this season following an outing in which they scored 1 goal or less which includes 3-0 during these 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. I’m looking for Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask to be far superior than the Blue rookie Jordan Binnington. Lastly, I full expect Boston to playing with the highest degree of desperation and urgency that St. Louis won’t be able to match for an entire 60 minutes or however long it takes to decide a winner. Bet on the Bruins for a 10* Top Play wager.

Bruins @ Blues 8:00 PM ET

Game# 7-8

Play On: Blues -108 (10*)

The Blues are coming off an embarrassing 7-2 home loss to Boston on Saturday. I fully expect St. Louis to play with a high degree of desperation and urgency tonight. They can ill afford to go down 3-1 in the series with Game 5 being played at Boston on Thursday.

Any NHL team that allowed 6 or more goals in their previous game, and they’re facing an opponent coming off a win by 4 goals or more, resulted in those teams going a very profitable 52-24 (68.4%) during the past 5 seasons Bet on the Blues for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Maple Leafs @ Bruins 7:00 PM ET

Game# 9-10

Play On: Maple Leafs +128 (10*)

The professional sports postseason zig-zag theory has worked to perfection in this series. The teams have alternated wins, neither has lost 2 straight games, and both have followed up a loss with a win. I look for that trend to continue this evening. The Leafs lost Game 6 at home and they’ll rebound to win Game 7 at the TD Garden in Boston. Bet on the Maple Leafs for a 10* money line Top Play.

Bucks @ Pistons 8:00 PM ET

Game# 573-574

Play On: Over 219.5 (5*)

There will be no analysis today.

Tampa Bay @ Columbus 7:05 PM ET

Game# 37-38

Play On: Columbus +120 (10*)

Since trailing 3-0 after the first period of Game 1, Columbus has outscored Tampa Bay 12-2. Columbus head coach John Tortorella has his club peaking at the most opportune time. The Blue Jackets have won 5 straight and 10 of their last 11 games. Segei Bobrovsky has been brilliant in goal over the previous 8 periods of this series. Conversely, his goaltending counterpart Andrei Vasilevskiy has a terrible .866 save percentage through the first 3 games of this series. Bet on Columbus for a 10* money line Top Play wager.

Las Vegas @ Toronto 7:05 PM ET

Game# 55-56

Play On: Las Vegas +115 (10*)

The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off a 5-0 win at Pittsburgh on Saturday and are now a perfect 6-0 on the road this season. However, they’ve gone just 3-5 at home and that includes losing 4 of its last 5 at the Air Canada Centre. Conversely, Las Vegas is coming off a 3-0 home win over Carolina in their previous game.

Any NHL money line road underdog of +100 to +150 that’s coming off a home shutout win, and they’re facing an opponent that’s coming off a road win, resulted in those road underdogs going 25-9 (73.5%) since 1997. Bet on Las Vegas as a money line underdog for a 10* Top Play wager.

Washington @ Las Vegas 8:05 PM ET

Game# 9-10

Play On: Las Vegas -138 (10*)

The Las Vegas Golden Knights find themselves on the brink of elimination for a first time in these 2018 NHL Playoffs. Vegas dropped 3 straight following a 6-4 win in Game 1. On a positive note, Las Vegas hasn’t lost 4 straight games all season long. They’ve also gone 36-14 against the money line on home ice this season, and that includes 7-2 during postseason action.

Las Vegas is coming off last Saturday’s 3-1 loss in Game 3 and Monday’s 6-2 defeat during Game 4. Both of those setbacks came at the Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C.  The combination of this precise data and current money line sets up an extremely profitable NHL betting algorithm which is illustrated below.

Any NHL money line home favorite of -120 to -230 (Las Vegas) that’s coming off a road loss by 3 goals or more, and they’re facing an opponent (Washington) that’s won each of their previous 2 games with both played at home, resulted in those home favorites going a terrific 42-5 (89.4%) during the past 5 seasons. The average money line for those 47 favorites was -135. Bet on Las Vegas for a 10* Top Play wager.

Washington @ Las Vegas 8:05 PM ET

Game# 3-4

Play On: Washington +136 (10*)

The bottom line is, Game 1 could’ve gone either way and Las Vegas just received one lucky bounce more. Despite the loss, Washington is still a stellar 8-3 during this postseason. I look for Washington’s top line featuring Alex Ovechkin to have a huge game tonight and that will be enough in making the difference. Bet on Washington for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Winnipeg @ Las Vegas 9:05 PM ET

Game# 3-4

Play On: Winnipeg +113 (10*)

Winnipeg is coming off a 3-1 home loss to Las Vegas on Monday night. The Jets are a remarkable 27-4 this season when revenging a same season loss. Furthermore, Winnipeg is a perfect 6-0 during their last 6 following a loss in their previous outing and won by the decisive average of 3.2 goals per game. Wednesday will be just the 3rd game in 10 days for Las Vegas.

Any team (Winnipeg) that’s facing an opponent (Las Vegas) which is coming off a road win by 2 goals or more, and they’ll be playing in their 3rd game or less over the last 10 days, resulted in those teams going 59-29 (67%) during the past 5 seasons. The average money line for those 88 teams was +106.9. Bet on Winnipeg for 10* Top Play wager.

Winnipeg @ Nashville 8:05 PM ET

Game# 53-54

Play On: Winnipeg +135 (10*)

Nashville forced a deciding Game 7 by winning 4-0 this past Saturday at Winnipeg. Nevertheless, Nashville has gone 0-5 in their last 5 games following a win during these 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Predators are just 3-3 at home this postseason. Furthermore, Nashville is 1-6 this season following a road shutout win and 0-4 this year when coming off a road win by 3 goals or more. Meanwhile, Winnipeg is 5-0 in its last 5 games following a loss and that includes 3-0 in the playoffs. The road teams are 4-2 in this playoff series. Bet on Winnipeg for a 10* Top Play money line underdog wager.

Las Vegas @ San Jose 7:35 ET

Game# 65-66

Play On: San Jose -135 (10*)

San Jose may have lost Game 5 at Las Vegas, but they showed me some character and grit by not quitting despite being down 4-0 midway through the 3rd period. The Sharks responded with 3 unanswered goals and ultimately allowed an empty net goal in a 5-3 defeat. Couple the momentum they can take away from that furious comeback that just fell short, plus the desperation and urgency they’ll be playing with on home ice while attempting to stave off elimination, and you have a lethal combination. Furthermore, after being shutout in this series opener, San Jose has scored 3 goals or more in 4 straight games. The Sharks are a perfect 7-0 at home this season following 3 straight games in which they scored 2 goals or more. Bet on San Jose for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Pittsburgh @ Washington 7:05 PM ET

Game# 59-60

Play On: Washington -110 (10*)

Pittsburgh is coming off a 3-1 win in Game 4 to even this series up at 2-2. During the past 3 seasons, Pittsburgh is a poor 13-24 on the road following a game in which they allowed 1 goal or less. Conversely, Washington is 14-3 this season following a game in which they scored 1 goal or less. The Capitals are also a very profitable 18-7 this season when playing with same season revenge., and that includes a 4-1 home win in Game 2 of this series.

I put very little stock into how teams do on a specific day of the week. However, today’s situation is an exception to the rule. Pittsburgh is a dismal 1-9 this season during away games played on Saturdays. Meanwhile, Washington is a stellar 15-4 this season in games played on a Saturday. Bet on Washington for a 10* Top Play wager.

Winnipeg @ Minnesota 8:05 PM ET

Game# 53-54

Play On: Winnipeg -107 (10*)

Minnesota rebounded with a strong effort in game 3 and came away with a convincing 6-2 win over Winnipeg. However, the Wild are a dismal 0-5 in their last 5 games following a win. Minnesota is also a poor 3-10 this season following a division win and that includes 1-6 if that victory came by 3 goals or more.

Despite their loss in game 3 of this series, Winnipeg has gone a terrific 13-2 during its last 15 games. The Jets are also an extremely profitable 22-4 this season when playing with same season revenge. Bet on Winnipeg for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Boston @ Buffalo 7:35 PM ET

Game# 59-60

Play On: Buffalo +118 (10*)

The Bruins will be a tired bunch tonight. This will be Boston’s 5th game in 7 days, and they’re coming off an impressive 7-2 home win over Columbus last night. Backup Anton Khudobin is slated to be in goal for Bostoin tonight. Khudobin has struggled during his previous 4 starts and that’s evidenced by a terrible .866 save percentage. Khudobin was in goal against Buffalo in the only other meeting this season, and was on the losing end of a 5-4 final score at TD Garden in Boston.

Buffalo has grossly underachieved to this point of the season. The Sabres have gone just 2-4 during its last 3 games. However, 3 of those 4 losses came in overtime, and the lone exception was a 2-1 defeat at Philadelphia. Buffalo will have the luxury of playing on 2 days of rest between games. Bet on Buffalo for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Dallas @ Vancouver 10:05 PM ET

Game# 13-14

Play On: Vancouver +115 (10*)

Vancouver enters tonight’s game riding a current 4-game win streak. The Canucks are coming off a 6-2 win over Washington in their previous game. Vancouver is averaging 3.0 goals scored per outing throughout their first 10 games.

Any money line home underdog that’s allowed 2 goals or less in each of their previous 4 games, and they’re averaging 2.85 or more goals scored per game, resulted in those money line home underdogs going 20-7 (74.1%) since 1996. Bet on Vancouver as a 10* Top Play money line underdog wager.

Sabres @ Islanders 7:05 PM ET

Game# 063-064

Play On: Sabres +113 (10*)

The Buffalo Sabres deserved a better fate in their season opening home overtime 3-2 shootout loss. The Sabres were much the better team for a majority of the game, and amassed 45 shots on goal. If not for the efforts of all world goaltender Carey Price, Buffalo could’ve easily came away with a 2 or 3 goal win. Buffalo’s 3rd and 4th lines are much better than a season ago, and their top 6 forwards seem to have taken to new head coach Phil Housley’s up-tempo style of play. The Sabres defense is also vastly improved from a season ago. They will be facing an Islanders teams that sustained a 5-0 blowout loss at Columbus last night and were outshot 37-29. Bet on the Sabres for a 10* Top Play money line underdog wager.

Pittsburgh @ Nashville 8:05 PM ET

Game# 11-12

Play On: Nashville -137 (10*)

The home teams are a dominating 5-0 in these 2017 Stanley Cup Finals, and have outscored the visitors by a cumulative score of 24-6 while doing so. Since the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Nashville is a perfect 7-0 at home when trailing in a series, including wins in games 3 and 4 of these Stanley Cup Finals. Furthermore, Nashville is 9-1 at home during this 2017 postseason, and Pittsburgh has dropped 4 of their last 5 on the road. Bet on Nashville for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Pittsburgh @ Nashville 8:05 PM ET

Play On: Nashville -135 (10*)

After losing the first 2 games of the Stanley Cup Finals, Nashville received a huge confidence boost by way of a convincing 5-1 home win in Game 3. Since the 2015 NHL Playoffs, Nashville is a perfect 7-0 at home when trailing in a series. The Predators have had a huge territorial edge during the first 3 games of this series, evidenced by a lopsided 97-67 shots on goal advantage. Nashville’s Pekka Rinne resembled the goaltender in Game 3 that we’ve witnessed during their first 3 playoff series wins over Chicago, St. Louis, and Anaheim. Net on Nashville for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Edmonton @ Anaheim 10:35 PM ET

Game# 53-54

Play On: Anaheim -135 (10*)

Anaheim is coming off a 5-3 home loss in Game 1. On a positive note, the Ducks have now scored 3 or more goals in 9 straight games. Furthermore, Anaheim is 8-1 this season after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game. The Ducks are also 9-1 in their last 10 games following a loss.

Any money line favorite that’s scored 3 goals or more in each of their previous 4 games, versus an opponent (Edmonton) coming off a game in which there was a combined 7 or more goals scored, resulted in those favorites going 157-73 (68.3%) during the past 5 seasons. The average money line for the favorite in those 230 games was -148.7. Bet on Anaheim for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Nashville @ St. Louis 8:05 PM ET

Game# 1-2

Play On: Nashville +106 (10*)

Nashville Goaltender Pekka Rinne was magnificent in the 4-game sweep of the Western Conference #1 seed Chicago Blackhawks. Rinne compiled a brilliant .976 save percentage and posted a pair of shutouts during his 4 starts in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. St. Louis took advantage of a 1st round opponent (Minnesota) that entered the playoffs on a complete tailspin over the last few weeks of regular season action. They’ll find the going much tougher in this series and it will take a game or 2 for them to get acclimated.

St. Louis closed out its first-round series against division rival Minnesota with a road win. Wednesday will be just the 3rd game in 10 days for the Blues.

Play against any home team which is -100 to -150 on the money line, and is coming off a road win over a division opponent, and this will be their 3rd game or less during the past 10 days. Road teams in that precise situation have gone 33-14 (70.2%) since 1996. Play on the Nashville Predators for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Canadiens @ Rangers 8:05 PM ET

Game# 51-52

Play On: Canadiens -103 (10*)

It’s well documented that the Rangers have been the best road team in hockey this season. However, at home it’s been a whole different story at home. They’ve gone a disappointing 22-21 on home ice, and that includes 3-9 in their last 12 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers won the previous 2 games in this series both by 1-goal margins, and have not captured 3 in a row since February 13th. New York is 0-3 in their last 3 games following back to back wins.

It’s win or go home tonight for Montreal as they’re on the brink of playoff elimination. Their sense of urgency and desperation will be cranked up to a very high level. Montreal can be confident in knowing they’ve gone an outstanding 11-3 during its last 14 road games. The Canadiens have killed off all 14 of the Rangers power play chances in this series.

Any road team (Montreal) that’s -100 to -150 on the money line, playing with same season double revenge stemming from a pair of 1 goal losses, resulted in those road teams going 32-8 (80%) since 1996. Bet on Montreal for a 5* money line wager.

Boston @ Ottawa 7:05 PM ET

Game# 9-10

Play On: Boston -115 (10*)

The Boston Bruins are on the brink of elimination after suffering home losses to Ottawa in Games 3 and 4 on home ice. Yet, at the time of this writing, NHL betting odds indicates that Boston is a money line road favorite of -116 in Game 5. My past experiences have proven to me that odds-makers are more times than not right when installing a favorite in these types of contrarian situations.

Ottawa enters today have won 6 of their last 8 games. However, the Senators are a dismal 1-8 at home this season after winning 5 or 6 of their previous 7 games.

Boston losses in the last 2 games each came by a 1 goal margin. The Bruins currently have a winning percentage of .523 this season which includes playoff games. The combination of this data qualifies for an extremely profitable NHL money line betting angle.

Any money line road favorite of -200 or less with a win percentage of .510 to .600, facing an opponent that they’ve lost to in each of the previous 2 meetings, and each of those defeats came by 1 goal, resulted in those road favorites going 56-17 (76.7%) since 1996. Bet on Boston for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Calgary @ Anaheim 10:35 PM ET

Game# 85-86

Play On: Anaheim -155 (10*)

I very seldom like to lay this type of juice, but it’s playoff time, the board is limited, and there’s an exception to every sports handicapping rule. This pick certainly qualifies as an exception. Calgary hasn’t won at Anaheim since 2006. As a matter of fact, the Ducks have won 26 consecutive home games against the Flames. With all being considered, this is a very reasonable money line price for the home favorite Ducks. Sometimes less is more when analyzing a game. Let’s just keep things simple and force Calgary to end their futility when playing in Anaheim. Bet on the Anaheim Ducks for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

NY Rangers @ Montreal 7:05 PM ET

Game# 1-2

Play On: Montreal -147 (10*)

The Rangers finished as the best road team in the NHL. Nonetheless, they went 0-4 in its last 4 and 1-5 during their previous 5 away games. What concerns most regarding the Rangers heading into the playoffs in the lack of consistency they displayed over the past 6 weeks or so. They were 0-5 in its last 5 and 2-9 during their previous 5 games following a win. By the way, they defeated Pittsburgh 3-2 in their meaningless regular season finale. The Rangers were 0-8 during the regular season following a 1-goal win over a fellow Metropolitan Division opponent.

Montreal is a perfect 3-0 versus the Rangers this season. Carey Price started in goal in all 3 of those wins, and compiled a solid .922 save percentage. The Canadiens finished up regular season action by winning 15 of its last 21 games. Play on Montreal for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Anaheim @ Calgary 9:35 PM ET

Game# 19-20

Play On: Calgary -140 (10*)

Sunday will be Anaheim’s 3rd road game in 4 days and 4th during the past 6 days. They’ve lost their last 2 on this road trip and both were decided in overtime. On both occasions the Ducks blew a late 3rd period lead. Anaheim has gone a dismal 1-8 on the road this season when playing their 3rd game in 4 days.

Sunday will be the finale of a 4-game in 7-day home stand for Calgary. The Flames are 15-4 during their previous 19 games and 10-2 in its last 12 at home. Bet on Calgary for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Anaheim @ Edmonton 10:05 PM ET

Game# 65-66

Play On: Edmonton -125 (10*)

Edmonton has won 8 of their last 9 games, and their only loss on that sequence came at Anaheim 4-3. There’s a bit of revenge factor that favors Edmonton and must be factored in. Furthermore, Edmonton has won 7 straight games at home. These teams played each other once this season in Edmonton, and the Oilers skated away with a convincing 4-0 win. Bet on Edmonton for a 10* money line wager.

No analysis on Saturday's NHL due to time constraints.

NY Islanders @ Detroit 7:35 PM ET

Game# 007-008

Play On: Detroit +100 (10*)

Detroit will enter tonight’s game with a renewed confidence after wins over Pittsburgh and Washington in their last 2 outings. Detroit is expected to go with Petr Mrazek in goal tonight, and he’s compiled an impressive .940 save percentage over his previous 4 starts. Detroit has beaten the Islander in both meetings between these clubs this season.

The Islanders are coming off a 6-4 win over New Jersey in their last outing. Nevertheless, they’ve gone 2-9 on the road this season after winning their previous game. The Islanders have also dropped their last 3 away games overall, and were outscored by a huge 13-3 margin in those contests. Bet on Detroit for a 10* Top Play money line underdog wager.

Tampa Bay @ Winnipeg 7:05 PM ET

Game# 019-020

Play On: Winnipeg -130 (10*)

Winnipeg is coming off 3 straight losses in a row, and each came by 2 goals or more. Tampa Bay is coming off a 2-1 loss at Minnesota last night.

Any home team (Winnipeg) that’s -100 to -150 on the money line, and is coming off 3 straight losses by 2 goals or more, versus an opponent (Tampa Bay) coming off a 1-goal loss, resulted in those home teams going 30-5 (85.7%) since 1997. Bet on Winnipeg for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Buffalo @ New Jersey 7:05 PM ET

Game# 55-56

Play On: Buffalo +104 (10*)

New Jersey is coming off an impressive 5-1 win at Columbus, and has now gone 6-0 in their last 6 road games. However, they’ve inexplicably lost 7 straight games on home ice.

Buffalo is coming off a 4-0 home win against Ottawa in its last time out. The Sabres top goaltender Robin Lehner has been brilliant in his last 2 starts, stopping 79 of 81 shots on goal while compiling an excellent .975 save percentage in addition to posting a shutout. Buffalo has been generating plenty of offensive chance, evidenced by their 37 or more shots on goal in 5 of its last 7 games.

Any money line road underdog of +100 to +150, coming off a home shutout win, and is facing an opponent coming off a road win by 2 goals or more, resulted in those road underdogs going 21-7 (75%) since 1996. Bet on Buffalo for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Chicago @ San Jose 10:35 PM ET

Game# 077-078

Play On: Chicago +135 (10*)

Chicago returns from the all-star break on a 2-game losing streak. The Blackhawks have gone an extremely profitable 6-1 this year following 2 straight losses. Chicago is also a stellar 6-2 in their last 8 away games. San Jose has been on a roll of late. However, most of that success has come in away games. The Sharks are a mediocre 4-4 in their previous 8 home games. Bet on Chicago for a 10* Top Play money line underdog wager.

Winnipeg @ Anaheim 8:05 PM ET

Play On: Anaheim +100 (10*)

Winnipeg is coming off wins in each of their previous 2 games. The Jets are an abysmal 0-8 this year following 2 straight wins. Winnipeg’s goaltending and defensive zone play has been horrible of late. The Jets have allowed a combined 25 goals (3.6 GPG) during their last 7 games.

Since the start of the 2014-2016 NHL campaign, Anaheim has gone a dominating 9-1 against Winnipeg, and that includes winning all 5 road games. The Ducks are coming off a 5-3 loss at Minnesota in their previous game. Anaheim is a perfect 4-0 in their last 4 games following a loss, and 22-5 during its previous 27 contests following a game in which each team scored 3 goals or more. Bet on the Anaheim Ducks for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Washington @ Pittsburgh 7:05 PM ET

Play On: Washington +120 (+110)

Washington enters today’s game riding a 9-game winning streak, and has outscored their opponent by a decisive 40-11 during that time. As a matter of fact, they held 4 of those 9 opponents scoreless. Braden Holtby has been lights out for Washington in goal. Holtby has earned 3 shutouts during his past 5 starts.

Washington has a stellar win percentage of .674 this season, and Pittsburgh is at .619 on the year. Washington defeated Pittsburgh 5-2 last Wednesday during the previous meeting between these Metropolitan Division rivals.

Any money line road underdog (Washington) playing in the 2nd half of the season, possessing a win percentage of better than .500, versus an opponent (Pittsburgh) that’s playing with same season revenge stemming from a loss by 2 goals or more, and they own a win percentage of .600 to .700, resulted in those road underdogs going 37-16 (69.8%) during the past 5 seasons. The underdogs average money line in those 53 games was +132.8. Bet on the Washington Capitals for a 10* Top Play wager.

Philadelphia @ Buffalo 7:05 PM ET

Play On: Buffalo -107 (10*)

Philadelphia has lost 8 of their last 10 games. During that stretch, they’ve allowed 2 goals or more on all 10 occasions.

You may be surprised to know that Buffalo is 15-6 against the money line this season when scoring 2 goals or more. As a matter of fact, 4 of those 6 losses have come in overtime. The Sabres are coming off a momentum building 4-3 win over Winnipeg in their previous game, and overcame a 3-1 3rd period deficit in doing so. Anders Nilsson will be in goal tonight for Buffalo, and he’s 4-2 in 6 home starts with an excellent .942 save percentage. Bet on Buffalo for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Washington @ Toronto 7:05 PM ET

Play On: Toronto -102 (10*)

You may be surprised to know that Toronto is 7-3 at home this season. On a somber note, they enter tonight on a 3-game losing streak, and each of those losses have come by exactly 1-goal. The Maple Leafs will be playing on 2 days of rest, and this will be Washington’s 3rd game in the last 4 days. Toronto is among the best offensive scoring teams in the NHL, averaging 3.1 goals scored per game.

Any team (Toronto) coming off 3 consecutive losses which each came by 1 goal, and they average 2.85 or more goals per game, resulted in those teams going 23-6 (79.3%) during the past 5 season. The average money line for those teams was +102, and that’s right within Saturday’s parameter. Bet on Toronto for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Washington @ Columbus 7:05 PM ET

Play On: Columbus +118 (10*)

Columbus has enters tonight having won 5 straight home games, and outscored those opponents by a combined 27-10. Sergei Bobrovsky is slated to be in goal once again for the Blue Jackets, and he’s compiled a stellar .931 save percentage in his first 12 start of the season. Columbus possesses the top power play in the NHL while converting on an astounding 33.3% (12-36) of its man advantage opportunities. Washington will be playing its first of 2 games in 2 nights, and has opted to start backup Philipp Grubauer in goal tonight, and will turn to Braden Holtby at home tomorrow night against defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh. Bet on Columbus for a 10* Top Play money line pick.

Buffalo @ Boston 7:05 PM ET

Play On: Buffalo +145 (10*)

The Sabres have gone a stellar 4-1-2 on the road this season, and Boston is just 1-3 at home. My personal special team efficiency ratings show Buffalo with a massive +14.1 edge over Boston. Buffalo has won 4 of its last 5 overall, and allowed only a combined 5 goals in those games. Conversely, Boston has scored 2 goals or less in 7 of their previous 8 games. Bet on Buffalo for a 10* Top Play money line underdog wager.

Pittsburgh @ San Jose 8:05 PM ET

Play On: Pittsburgh -110 (10*)

Pittsburgh squandered an excellent opportunity to win the Stanley Cup on home ice in Game 5 during a 4-2 loss. However, the Penguins are a remarkable 18-1 in its last 19 games following a loss. Contrarily, San Jose is 11-18 at home this season following a win. Pittsburgh has held a decisive 179-120 shots on goal advantage over San Jose during this Stanley Cup Final. That equates to a +11.8 shots on goal advantage per game, and a huge territorial advantage. Take Pittsburgh for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Pittsburgh @ San Jose 8:05 PM ET

Play On: Pittsburgh +122 (10*)

Pittsburgh has dominated from a territorial standpoint during the first three games of this series. They’ve held a decisive 113-74 combined shots on goal advantage over San Jose in this Stanley Cup Final. The Penguins are coming off a 3-2 overtime loss at San Jose on Saturday. However, Pittsburgh has gone an incredible 17-1 in its last 18 games following a loss. Contrarily, San Jose is 0-5 during their previous 5 games following a win. Take the Pittsburgh Penguins as for a 10* Top Play money line underdog wager.

Pittsburgh @ Tampa Bay 8:05 PM ET

Play On: Pittsburgh -136

Are you wondering how Pittsburgh is going to respond after sustaining such a devastating overtime defeat in Game 5? Well, all I can tell you is this, Pittsburgh has gone 16-1 in their last seventeen games following a loss, and that includes 4-1 during the playoffs. The only blemish on their record in that regard happened in Game 5 on Sunday. The Penguins are 4-3 on the road during these playoffs, and that includes 2-0 following a loss. You can surely make a case that Pittsburgh deserves a better fate than being down 3-2 in this series. They’ve had a cumulative 196-131 shots on goal advantage, and a massive +13.0 shots on goal per game differential. As a matter of fact, Pittsburgh has averaged an impressive 39.2 shots on goal per outing in the first five games of these Eastern Conference Finals. Considering their recent success after suffering a loss, and their huge territorial edge in this series, I’m going with the road favorite Penguins for my NHL Playoff Game of the Year.

San Jose @ St. Louis 8:10 PM ET

Play On: Over 5.0 (10*)

You may be surprised to know that since the 2012 postseason, Game 2 of each of those series have gone 34-19 (64.2%) over the total. It gets even more lucrative when assessing each Game 2 of a Conference Final. Since 1996, Game 2 of a Conference Finals series have gone a cumulative 25-9 (73.5%) over the total. It’s quite apparent, once teams get beyond the feeling out process of a series opener things tend to open up more offensively in Game 2. I often look at most betting trends as being irrelevant or purely coincidental. That’s not the case in this instance, and this betting algorithm borders more toward an angle than a trend.

Here are some interesting team trend tidbits in regards to tonight’s total which I deem relevant. San Jose has scored 3 goals or more in eight straight games following an outing in which they tallied 1 goal or less. The Blues have also scored 3 goals or more in four straight games, following an outing in which they scored 2 goals or less. St. Louis has gone 20 straight games without going under the total in back to back outing. Both teams have displayed a potent power play in the playoffs. St. Louis has cashed in on 28.6% of their man advantage opportunities, and San Jose is a tad better at 28.9%. Take this game to go over the total for a 10* Top Play wager.

San Jose @ St. Louis 8:05 PM ET

Play On: San Jose +120 (10*)

Despite losing all three games at Nashville in their previous series, San Jose has been the best road team in the NHL this season, and that’s evidenced by a 31-16 (66%) versus the money line in that exact role. It also must be noted, two of those three playoff losses at Nashville came by way of overtime, and San Jose won all three games at Los Angeles during its first round series. The Sharks are coming off a 5-0 rout over Dallas in their previous outing

I really like St. Louis’ chances to go all the way, but they’re been far from invincible at home thus far in these playoffs. They’ve gone just 4-3 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis through the first two rounds. The Blues were also extended to seven games in each of their first two playoff series. They’ve been their own worst enemy in that regard, going only 2-3 in games in which they had an opportunity to close out a series. They won Game 7 at Dallas by a convincing 6-1 score in its last outing.

Any money line road underdog (San Jose) of +100 to +150, coming off a home win in which they shutout their opponent, and they’re facing a team (St. Louis) coming off a road win by 2 goals or more, resulted in those road underdogs going 21-6 (77.8%) since 1996. This is certainly a rare situation but an extremely profitable and successful one nonetheless. Especially considering the average money line underdog price in those 27 games was +126.7. Take the San Jose Sharks for a 10* Top Play wager.

St. Louis @ Dallas 8:05 PM ET

Play On: St. Louis -105 (10*)

This money line speaks volumes in terms of the books perspective. We have a road team in a Game 7 that just squandered a chance to close this series out at home, and is facing the #1 overall seed in the Western Conference, and yet they deem this to be a virtually even matchup.

The Blues are 4-2 on the road during these playoffs, and Dallas is just 3-3 at home. St. Louis has gone an outstanding 7-1 following a loss during their last eight games, and Dallas is 1-4 in its previous five following a win. My personal special teams efficiency rating indicate that St. Louis has a substantial edge over Dallas based on both teams performances during these 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Play on the St. Louis Blues for a 10* Top Play wager.

Pittsburgh @ Washington 8:05 PM ET

Play On: Pittsburgh +105 (10*)

Washington escaped with a 4-3 overtime win in Game 1 of the series. Despite that loss Pittsburgh is still 18-4 during their last 22 games. As a matter of fact, they've gone a perfect 13-0 in their last 13 games following a loss. I look for the red-hot Penguins to even the series up on Saturday. Play on Pittsburgh for a 10* money line Top Play wager.

Pittsburgh @ Washington 8:05 PM ET

Play On: Washington -125 (10*)

Washington was able to advance by knocking off Philadelphia in six games, and did so despite scoring just a combined 2 goals during the last three games of the series. It must be noted, Washington did average 35.0 shots on goal per game during those three outings, and were stymied by the red hot goaltending of Micheal Neuvirth. Braden Holtby was fabulous in goal for Washington during the Flyers series, compiling an exceptional .968 save percentage, and posting two shutouts.

It wasn’t a huge surprise that Pittsburgh defeated the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. However, it was a bit of a shocker that they did so in only five games. They closed out the series with wins of 5-0 and 6-3.

Any home team against the money line, coming off three straight games in which they scored 2 goals or less in each outing, versus an opponent that scored 4 goals or more in each of their previous two games, resulted in those home teams going 45-14 (76.3%) during the past five seasons. Play on Washington for a 10* Top Play wager.

Los Angeles @ San Jose 10:35 PM ET

Play On: Los Angeles +102 (5*)

There plenty of playoff experience that comes with success in the Kings locker room. They were undeterred in Game 3 after losing the first two at home, and came away with a 2-1 overtime win. The Kings are a more than respectable 23-19 on the road this season, and that includes 3-1 at San Jose. Speaking of San Jose, they’re a NHL best 30-13 on the road this season, but an unimpressive 18-24 at home. As a matter of fact, you would be hard pressed to name any teams who made the playoffs during the past two decades, possessing this bad of a home record. More recently, San Jose is 2-6 in its last 8 games played on home ice. Play on Los Angeles for a 10* Top Play wager.

San Jose Sharks @ Los Angeles 10:35 PM ET

Play On: Los Angeles +104 (10*)

The Kings were in this exact situation versus San Jose during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They has lost the first two games of that series at home, and rallied to win in seven games. There’s a ton of character and resiliency in the Kings locker room, and that will bode well for them this evening. Los Angeles was a more than respectable 22-19 on the road this season.

By virtue of winning the first two games of this series on enemy ice, San Jose is a NHL best 30-13 during away games this season. However, the Sharks went a mind boggling 18-23 at home. As a matter of fact, they finished the regular season by losing five of its last seven at home. Three of those five home defeats came against teams that didn’t make the playoffs, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Winnipeg.

Desperation, urgency, and playoff experience will prevail in tonight’s game. Play on Los Angeles for a 10* Top Play wager.

Washington @ St. Louis 8:05 PM ET

Play On: St. Louis -137 (10*)

St. Louis head into their regular season finale tied with both Dallas and Los Angeles for the #1 seed in the Western Conference. They faced the Capitals on 3/26, and came away with a 4-0 road win. The Blues are 8-1 in their last 9 games, and have allowed 1 goal or less on 7 of those occasions.

Washington has had both the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division wrapped up for quite some time now. That's been reflected in the lack of urgency they've displayed in recent games. The Caps have lost 3 in a row and 4 of its previous 5. Their main goal at this juncture is to get to the playoffs unscathed of injuries. Play on St. Louis as a 10* Top Play wager.

San Jose @ Minnesota 8:05 PM ET

Play On: San Jose +104 (10*)

San Jose is a Western Conference best 27-13 on the road this season, and that includes 6-1 in its last 7 away games. Minnesota enters today's game on a 3 game losing streak, and they were outscored by a cumulative 11-5 during those contests. Play on San Jose for a 10* Top Play wager.

Detroit @ Florida 7:05 PM ET

Play On: Florida -134 (10*)

Florida is coming off identical 4-1 road wins over Montreal and Toronto in their previous two games. That improved their win percentage to .563 for the season. The Panthers have gone an extremely profitable 9-1 this season following a road win by 2 goals or more. Detroit enters tonight with a win percentage of .493 on the season. Jimmy Howard will be in goal tonight for Detroit, and he's 4-9 in 13 road starts this season.

Any money line favorite coming off road wins by 2 goals or more in each of their previous two games, possessing a win percentage of better than .500, versus an opponent with a win percentage of less than .500, resulted in those favorites going 37-6 (86%) since 1996. Play on Florida for a 10* Top Play wager.

Tampa Bay @ New Jersey 7:05 PM ET

Play On: Tampa Bay -137 (10*)

Tampa Bay enters tonight riding a four game winning streak, and is coming off a 2-1 home win over Arizona in its previous contest. The Lightning will also be playing with two days rest, and New Jersey was a 6-1 loser at Columbus last night.

Any away money line favorite of -120 to -170, coming off a home 1 goal win, versus an opponent coming off a loss by 2 goals or more against a team from within the same division, resulted in the money line away favorite going 41-10 (80.4%) since 1996. Play on the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 10* Top Play wager.

Nashville @ Toronto 7:05 PM ET

Play On: Nashville -150 (10*)

Toronto has lost their last three and six of its previous seven games. The Leafs are also 1-6 in their last seven home games. Nashville is coming off a 2-1 win at Montreal last night, and has now won six of its last seven road games. Backup Carter Hutton will start in goal tonight, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Hutton has compiled an exception .964 save percentage in his last four starts. Toronto has gone an anemic 0-20 on the power play during their last five games, and Nashville is 13-13 on the penalty kill in its last five outings. Play on the Nashville Predators as a 10* Top Play wager.

San Jose @ St. Louis 8:05 PM ET

Play On: San Jose +100 (10*)

San Jose has gone an outstanding 20-11 on the road this season, and that includes 9-2 versus team with a winning record. St. Louis has gone just a mediocre 6-5 in their last 11 home games, and was a money line favorite on each of those occasions. Money line bettors that wagered to win $100 on St. Louis in their last 11 home games lost $95 despite their 6-5 record in those contests.

St. Louis is coming off a 5-4 win over Arizona in its previous game. San Jose sustained a 5-2 loss to Carolina in its last outing. Any money line road underdog of +100 to +150, coming off a loss by 3 goals or more, versus an opponent coming off a game in which both teams scored 4 goals or more, resulted in the road underdog going an extremely profitable 56-39 (58.9%). Hypothetically by wagering $100 on the road underdog in each of those 95 games, you would’ve realized a net profit of $3030. Play on the San Jose Sharks for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Colorado @ Vancouver 10:05 PM ET

Play On: Colorado +110 (10*)

Vancouver has lost 4 straight games, and each of those was by identical scores of 5-2. The Canucks have lost 6 straight at home, and are just 9-18 during games played in Vancouver this season.

Colorado has won 4 of its last 5 games, has won 4 straight on the road, and is an extremely profitable 18-13 in away games this season. A $100 wager on Colorado in each of their road games has produced a net profit of $1320, and that qualifies as an excellent rate of return on investment. Play on the Colorado Avalanche for a 10* Top Play wager.

St. Louis @ Arizona 9:05 PM ET

Play On: Arizona +121 (10*)

Arizona has gone 3-0 in its last three home games, and outscored the opposition by a wide margin of 16-6. St. Louis is 4-0 in its last four against the likes of Florida, Tampa Bay, Dallas, and Los Angeles. The last two of those wins came in overtime, including 2-1 at home versus the Kings in its previous game. After such a demanding stretch against top flight competition, they now head out on the road for one game before returning for another home tilt. This appears to be a huge letdown spot for the Blues. In addition, St. Louis has gone a dismal 6-12 this season following a home win.

Any home team off two straight home wins, and each victory was by 2 goals or more, versus an opponent off a home 1 goal win, resulted in those home teams going 44-14 on the money line since 1996. Play on the Arizona Coyotes for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

NY Islanders @ New Jersey 7:05 PM ET

Play On: New Jersey +109 (10*)

The Devils are coming off a 6-3 home loss to Philadelphia in their previous outing, and that snapped a three game win streak. On a positive note, they be playing tonight on 2 days of rest, and will be facing an Islanders team coming off an emotional 3-2 overtime loss at home last night versus Eastern Conference leader Washington. Jaroslav Halak will be in goal for the Islanders on Friday, and he’s gone 1-3 in his last 4 starts with a horrible .842 save percentage. Play on the New Jersey Devils for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Boston @ Nashville 8:05 PM ET

Play On: Boston +120 (10*)

Boston has gone 7-1 in their last 8 road games. That’s no fluke since the Bruins have been much better on the road than at home this season. As a matter of fact, Boston is an uninspiring 12-14 on home ice, and a terrific 19-9 in away games. After starting, Nashville has lost 5 of their last 6 at home. Michael Hutton the last two games, Pekka Rinne is expected to be back in goal for the Predators tonight. Rinne has been terrible in his last four starts, evidenced by a pathetic .838 save percentage during those outings. Play on Boston for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Montreal @ Arizona 9:05 PM ET

Play On: Montreal -110 (10*)

Montreal had their three game win streak snapped during a 6-4 loss at Buffalo in their previous game. The Canadiens will be playing on two days of rest, and this will be just their second game in six days. Contrarily, Arizona will be playing in its third in four, and fourth game during the previous six days. Obviously Montreal will have a huge advantage in terms of rest. In addition, they’ll be facing an Arizona team which has 1-6 in its last seven and 3-10 during their previous thirteen games. The Coyotes are also 2-47 in its last nine games at home. Play on the Montreal Canadiens for a 10* Top Play wager.

NY Islanders @ Carolina 7:05 PM ET

Play On: Carolina +130 (10*)

The Islanders have allowed 2 goals or less in each of their previous three games. Carolina is coming off back to back 2-1 overtime losses. Play against any team on the money line that’s allowed 2 goals or less in each of its last two games, versus an opponent coming off overtime losses in each of their previous two contests. By following this NHL betting strategy, hypothetically you would’ve gone 57-35 (62%) since 1996. The teams coming off two consecutive overtime losses had an average money line price of +109. If you wagered $100 on those teams it would’ve resulted in a net profit of $2740. That equates to superb money line underdog value. Numbers don’t lie and liars don’t figure. Play on the Carolina Hurricanes for a 10* Top Play wager.

Boston @ Winnipeg 8:05 PM ET

Play On: Boston +111 (10*)

Boston is come off an embarrassing 9-2 home loss to Los Angeles in a game the Kings had 57 shots on goal. I look for them to bounce back with a huge effort tonight. The Bruins have been much better on the road than at home this season, going 16-8 in away games. Winnipeg is 1-5 in its last 6 and 2-7 during their previous 9 home games. Play on the Boston Bruins for a 10* Top Play wager.

Vancouver @ Arizona 9:35 PM ET

Play On: Vancouver +115 (10*)

Arizona has lost four games in a row, and allowed an alarming 5 goals or more in each of those defeats. As a matter of fact, the Coyotes are 2-8 in its last 10 games, and have gone 1-6 during their previous seven at home. Vancouver is coming off a 3-1 win at Colorado last night. The Canucks have now gone 4-2 in their last 6 and 6-4 during its last 10 away games. Play on the Vancouver Canucks for a 10* Top Play wager.

Edmonton @ New Jersey 8:05 PM ET

Play On: New Jersey -110 (10*)

Edmonton will be playing their third road game in four days. They lose each of the first two and by a cumulative score of 13-2. As a matter of fact they were lambasted 8-1 against the Islanders on Sunday. Edmonton is 0-10 on the road this season following a game in which they scored 1 goal or less, and were outscored by an average of 2.5 goals per contest. New Jersey is coming off a 2-1 Metropolitan Division loss to the Rangers in their previous game.

Any money line home favorite coming off a 1 goal divisional loss in its previous game, and they’re playing with same season revenge stemming from a loss in which they allowed 5 goals or more, resulted in those home favorites going 35-7 (83.3%) during the last five seasons. Play on the New Jersey Devils for a 10* money line wager.

Carolina @ Calgary 10:05 PM ET

Play On: Carolina +105 (10*)

Carolina was surging before the all star break by going 7-3 in their last 10 games. Eddie Lack will make his sixth straight start in goal tonight for Carolina. He’s gone 3-1 in his last 4 with an excellent .952 save percentage. Carolina defeated Calgary just prior to the all star break (1/24) in Raleigh by a score of 5-2.

Calgary has lost three straight and is 2-7 in their last 9. The Flames were a 2-1 loser to Nashville in their previous game. Calgary has gone a dismal 1-9 this season following a 1 goal loss in its previous game. Play on Carolina as a 10* Top Play pick.

Ottawa @ San Jose 1:35 PM ET

Play On: Ottawa +141 (10*)

Since the start of last season, Ottawa has won all three games played against San Jose, and outscored them by a decisive 14-6 margin. The Senators are coming off an impressive 5-3 win at Los Angeles on Saturday. San Jose has won 5 straight games, but they last two have come in overtime.

Any team (Ottawa) coming off a win by 2 goals or more, versus an opponent (San Jose) coming off two consecutive overtime games, resulted in those teams going 73-43 (62.9%) since 1996. Play on the Ottawa Senators as a 10* money line underdog pick.

This is a road weary Detroit team which will be playing the finale of a six game in thirteen day road trip tonight. As a matter of fact, Thursday will be their ninth contest on the road over its past tem games. The Red Wings have played in just one home game since 12/22/2015.

Arizona enters tonight red hot having gone 8-3 against the money line in their last eleven games, and that includes winning its last four in a row. During this current four game win streak, they’ve allowed just a combined 6 goals, and rookie goaltender Louis Dominique has compiled a superb .949 save percentage while starting in each of those contests. Play on the Arizona Coyotes as a 10* money line pick.

The Bruins have dominated this head to head series during the past three seasons by going 6-1 against their Atlantic Division rival (Rangers). Boston has gone a dismal 9-13 against the money line in road games this season, but is a superb 12-6 on the road. Monday’s expected starter in goal for the Bruins is Tuukka Rash, and he’s 7-4 on the road with a stellar .940 save percentage.

The Rangers have been mirrored in an awful slump, and especially when considering the talent level on this club. They’ve gone a horrible 6-14 against the money line in their last 20 games. Their usually reliable all world caliber goaltender Henrik Lundquist has been erratic over his last nine starts. Play on the Boston Bruins as a 10* Top Play money line underdog.

St. Louis has dropped their last four games in a row, and this will be their 9th game in the last 14 days. Any money line home favorite, versus an opponent that’s lost 4 of its last 5 games, and they’ve played 8 or more games in the last 14 days, resulted in those home teams going 55-14 (79.7%) during the past five seasons. Play on the Anaheim Ducks for a money line 10* Top Play.

Detroit @ San Jose 10:05 PM ET

Play On: San Jose -130 (10*)

Detroit is coming off one goal road wins in each of their previous two games. They’ll be playing in just their second game in the last five days.

Any NHL team that’s facing an opponent coming off one goal road wins in each of their previous two games, and is playing in its second game during the past five days, resulted in those teams going 41-9 (82%) against the money line since 1996. Play on the San Jose Sharks as a 10* Best Bet.

Toronto is coming off a pair of impressive wins over Los Angeles 5-0 and 7-4 last night at Colorado. Those two victories improved their money line record to 9-5 this season against non-conference opponents. The Leafs have been on a nice offensive roll for an extended period of time. They’re averaging a robust 4.5 goals per game during its previous six contests. That’s not good news for an Arizona team which has allowed 5 goals or more in six of their last nine games, and has gone a dismal 2-7 during that stretch. Play on the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Edmonton returns home for the first time since completing a grueling four game in six day road trip. The excursion got off to a good start by knocking off the red-hot Boston Bruins. Then things went a bit sideways, they lost the last three, and each of those defeats came by 2 goals or more. They enter today with a .412 win percentage. The good news for Edmonton is they’ve won six straight games at Rexall Place and will be playing tonight on four days of rest. They will also be facing a Winnipeg team on Monday which has gone 1-9 in their last ten road games. Play on the Edmonton Oilers for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

The Rangers have lost five straight road games heading into tonight. They allowed an average of 4.0 goals per game during those losses. New York has scored 4 goals or more in each of their previous three contests overall, and has still managed to lose two of those three games.

Minnesota is coming off a 6-2 home win against Vancouver on Tuesday. That improved their home money line record to 11-4 this season, and that includes winning in each of their previous three. Devan Dubnyk has been confirmed as the starting goaltender for Minnesota this evening. He’s compiled an excellent .960 save percentage and posted a shutout during his previous four starts. Dubnyk is 10-3 at home this season with a stellar .931 save percentage and four shutouts.

Any money line favorite (Wild) that scored 6 goals or more in their previous game, versus an opponent (Rangers) that scored 3 goals or more in each of its last two games, resulted in the favorite going 54-14 (79.4%) during the past five seasons. Play on the Minnesota Wild for a 10* money line wager.

The Sabres are coming off a pair of 2-1 over red-hot opponents in Detroit and Los Angles. In doing so they put a halt to a six game Kings win streak, and a thirteen game stretch in which Detroit earned at least one point. They have plenty of momentum after erasing a 1-0 deficit by scoring two goals in the final five minutes at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit last night. Buffalo has received superb goaltending from both Linus Ullmark and Chad Johnson in their last two games, and they enter tonight on a three game home win streak. New Jersey has been a huge surprise to start the season. However, they’ve gone just 5-8 against the money line in the last thirteen games. Play on the Buffalo Sabres for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

San Jose enters tonight on a four game losing streak, and has been outscored in those outings by a cumulative margin of 14-6. Their most recent loss came at Calgary last night by a score of 4-2. Martin Jones made the start in goal last night, and in all likelihood backup Alex Stalock will get the nod this evening. In four appearances on the road, including three starts, Stalock has a poor .879 save percentage.

The Edmonton Oilers enter today having won their last three games. All of those contests were played at home, and Wednesday will be just their fourth outing during the past nine days. Anders Nilsson is once again expected to be in goal for Edmonton. Nilsson has started each of the games during Edmonton’s current win streak, and compiled an excellent .957 save percentage in those outings. Play on the Edmonton Oilers for a 10* money line wager.

San Jose has gone a red-hot 7-1 in their last eight games. Tuesday’s expected goaltender for the San Jose is Martin Jones, and he’s compiled an excellent .944 save percentage in his last four starts. The Sharks are coming off a 5-2 home win over Calgary in their previous game. San Jose is 23-4 against the money line during the past three seasons, following a home win in which they scored 4 goals or more. Pittsburgh has dropped their last two, and three of its previous four games. Play on the San Jose Sharks as a 10* Top Play money line selection.

The Ducks have gone 1-4 in their previous five games, and tonight will be their 8th game in the last 14 days. Anaheim is 2-7 on the road this season, and is averaging a pathetic 1.3 goals scored per game in those outings. Florida has won three of their last four games. Roberto Luongo is expected to be in goal for Florida this evening, and he’s posted a stellar .936 save percentage in 8 home starts.

Any money line home favorite (Florida( versus an opponent (Anaheim) that lost 4 of their past five games, and this will be their 8th game or more in the last 14 days, resulted in the home team going 53-14 (79.1%) during the past five seasons. Play on the Florida Panthers for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

The Rangers enter tonight’s game riding a dominating six game winning streak. I say dominating because they outscored their opponents by a combined 21-6 during that stretch. The Rangers are allowing just a paltry 1.7 goals per game this season, and that includes an even better 1.4 in nine home contests. The Rangers are coming off a 3-0 divisional win over Carolina in their previous game.

St. Louis will be playing in the finale of a four game in nine day road trip. The Blues have won each of their first three, and that includes back to back shutouts Jake Allen in their last two. There’s a red flag that comes up in my eyes that pertains to this current road trip. St. Louis has allowed opponents an average of 37.3 shots on goal per game in those three contests.

Any money line favorite coming off a divisional win, versus an opponent coming off 2 or more road wins in a row, resulted in the favorite going 37-7 (84.1%) the past five season. The favorite also had a sizable 1.8 goal per game differential during those 44 contests. Play on the New York Rangers for a 10* Top Play wager.

These teams have met once this season, and San Jose skated away with a 2-0 win. The Sharks have gone 5-1 against Anaheim since the start of last season, and 6-0 at home versus the Ducks during the past three seasons.

Play against any money line road underdog (Anaheim) in the first half of the season, playing with same season revenge that stems from a loss by 2 goals or more, and they have a winning percentage of .300 or less, versus an opponent (San Jose) with a winning record. This NHL handicapping algorithm has gone an excellent 32-3 (91.4%) against the money line during the past five seasons. Play on the San Jose Sharks for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Something has to give in Thursday’s game between these two ice cold teams. The rest factor certainly has to be weighed heavily when handicapping this contest. Philadelphia will be playing their third road game in the last four days, and it will also be their 6th game overall during the previous nine days. On the other hand, tonight will be just the second game in five days for Calgary. The Flyers enter tonight on a five game losing streak, and have lost the last four by two goals or more.

Any money line home favorite (Flames) of -200 or less playing in the first half of the season, coming off losing four of their previous five games, and has a winning percentage of .300 or less, versus an opponent (Flyers) with a losing record, resulted in that home favorite going 63-18 (77.8%) since 1996. Play on the Calgary Flames for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Anaheim is 1-7 and has been held scoreless in five games. They’ve been shutout in each of their previous two games, and remarkably it’s the second time already this season in which that’s occurred. Tuesday will be Anaheim’s third game in four days, fourth in the previous six days, and all of those contests will have been played on the road. That’s not good news considering their facing an opponent (Dallas) tonight who will be playing just their second game in the last five days, and both of those will have came on home ice. Backup Anton Khudobin will be ingoal tonight after Frederik Anderson play in Monday's 1-0 overtime loss at Chicago. Khudobin has compiled a terrible .875 save percentage in three starts.

Dallas is currently 6-2, and averaging a robust 3.4 goals scored per game. Antti Niemi is expected to get the start in goal tonight, and he’s compiled a stellar .928 save percentage during four starts and one relief appearance. Dallas is clearly the better team at this juncture, more rested, and holds a huge offensive edge. Play on the Dallas Stars as a 10* "Top Play" wager.

This money line stuck out like a sore thumb to me this morning. We have a 1-6 Leafs team that captured their lone win came against 1-8 Columbus as a money line favorite. It’s not like Arizona has been horrible thus gfar. The Coyotes are 4-4 and are coming off a road win on Saturday against a very good Ottawa Senators club. However, I like the grit that Toronto has played with despite their dismal record. Case in point was Saturday night in Montreal during a 5-3 loss to a 9-0 Canadiens team. They outshot Montreal in that loss by a decisive 52-27 margin only to be stymied by the world’s current best goaltender Carey Price. As a matter of fact, Toronto is averaging 33.9 shots on goal per game so far this season. Contrarily, the Coyotes are allowing opponents a very high average of 32.6 shots on goal per contest. Give me the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 10* Top Play money line wager.

This is a fairly even matchup on paper. However, after observing both teams play through each of their first five games, Buffalo passes my personal eye test compared to Toronto. I like the Sabres top six forwards more than the Leafs in that regard, and Buffalo’s power play has been superior compared to Toronto. The Sabres have defeated Toronto five consecutive times at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo.  

Any money line home underdog coming off two straight losses against division opponents, and they’re playing in their 2nd game in the last five days, resulted in the home underdog going 23-9 (71.9%) during the past five seasons. Play on the Buffalo Sabres as a 10* Top Play money line wager.

Vancouver has been impressive in their 3-1 start. They’ve outscored the opposition thus far 12-5, and goaltender Ryan Miller has been terrific. Miller has started all four games for the Canucks, and he’s compiled an excellent .957 save percentage. Vancouver will enter tonight’s game with 2 days of rest. Contrarily, St. Louis played last night in Edmonton, and this will also be their third game in the past four days. Jake Allen will get the start in goal tonight for St. Louis and he was unimpressive in his only other appearance this season. Play on the Vancouver Canucks are a 10* Top Play wager.

San Jose has been impressive in their first two games of the season, winning 5-1 at Los Angeles in their opener, and shutting out Anaheim 2-0 at home. Former Kings backup goaltender Martin Jones has seized the opportunity with his new club (Sharks). He allowed a goal on the first shot he faced this season, and has since stopped 46 straight shots on goal, and hasn’t been scored on in the last 118:11 of action. Braden Holtby wasn’t sharp in the Capitals 5-3 opening night win over New Jersey, allowing 3 goals on only 24 shots. I love the money line value in this game. Play on the San Jose Sharks as a 10* Top Play money line underdog.

Despite the Lightning advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals, they’ve been only 6-6 on home ice during these playoffs. This will also be the 25th playoff game for Tampa Bay, and they’re assured of tying the NHL record set by Los Angeles who played in 26 postseason contests in 2014. Granted there’s a lot of stake right now for fatigue to be an excuse or a factor, but there’s also the reality of a human element which needs consideration in that regard.

This is a Blackhawks team which possesses a plethora of playoff and big game experience. After all, Chicago is currently playing in their third Stanley Cup Finals in six years, and has also been involved in five of the previous seven Western Conference Finals series. Experience hasn’t been a factor through the first four games but will certainly pay dividends for Chicago the longer this series goes.

I’m looking for Chicago to play their best game of these Stanley Cup Finals tonight. The Lightning’s uncertainty and instability in goal will catch up with them in Game 5. Play on Chicago +110 as a money line 10* Top Play selection.

The Lightning absolutely gave Game 1 away on Wednesday. They allowed Chicago to score twice in the final six minutes of the third period which enabled them to overcome a 1-0 deficit, and skate away with a 2-1 win. They have nobody to blame but themselves after opting to go into a defensive shell during the last two periods, rather than continuing to play their successful attacking style. On a positive note, Tampa Bay is 5-1 during these 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs following a loss. Tampa needs to reestablish their home ice dominance they displayed during the regular season. They were a NHL best 32-9 at home during that time, and inexplicably have gone 5-6 during the playoffs on home ice. I look for the Lightning to play with a high degree of urgency on Saturday, and earn a positive result. Play on Tampa Bay as a as a 10* Top Play money line selection.

These teams received an extra day of rest between Games 6 and 7. In my professional opinion that will help Chicago more than Anaheim. Due to injuries to their defense, Chicago has been forced to use their top two pairings more than they would’ve like to in this series. The huge forwards of Anaheim have pounded the Chicago defense at every feasible opportunity in an attempt to wear them down. In that regard, the extra day will certainly benefit the Blackhawks defense heading into this win or go home Game 7 on Saturday.

I look for Chicago to continue in exposing Anaheim goaltender Frederik Andersen who’s been extremely shaky during the past three games. In those outings, Andersen has posted an awful .856 save percentage, and allowed 13 goals. This is a Chicago team which has been to three of the last six Western Conference Finals, and has hosted the Stanley Cup in two of the previous five years. There’s a plethora of big game experience on their roster, and that will pay dividends tonight. Play on Chicago on the money line as a 5* selection.

After being so good in the first two rounds of the playoffs, Ben Bishop has encountered some shaky moments in the Eastern Conference Finals. He was pulled from Game 6 after allowing five goals on just 26 shots during a 7-3 Tampa Bay loss. He’s now allowed 15 goals in the last four games, and compiled a poor .856 save percentage during that time.

Henrik Lundquist endured two nightmarish types of starts in Games 2 and 3 of this conference final. During those outings he allowed six goals in each game, and had a miserable .819 save percentage. Since that time he’s been magnificent during Games 4 through 6, posting a stellar 2.00 GAA, and an excellent .940 save percentage.

The Game 6 win by the Rangers made them 9-1 when facing elimination during the last two playoff years. Given the choice between these two goaltenders for a win or take all Game 7, I would opt for Henrik Lundquist each and every time. Especially considering how solid Lundquist has been in recent games, and Bishop being somewhat the polar opposite. It’s been a series of expecting the unexpected thus far, but Lundquist’s playoff and big game experience compared to that of Bishop will ultimately be the deciding factor on Friday. I’m going with “The Blue Shirts” at home. Play the Rangers in the money line as a 10* Top Play selection.

The New York Rangers have gone a terrific 6-for-13 (46.2%) on the power play during the previous three games. It’s by no coincidence, they’ve scored twelve goals overall during that time. “The Blue Shirts” have lit the lamp five times in each of the previous two games.

The Rangers all world goaltender Henrik Lundquist was absolutely terrible in Games 2 and 3 of this series. During those games, he allowed a combined twelve goals, and had a horrible .818 save percentage. His performance in Game 3 was especially costly during a Rangers 6-5 loss. That defeat was culminated by a very soft overtime goal allowed by Lundquist, and one that he’d in all likelihood stop 99 of 100 times. However, with the Rangers backed up against the wall in Game 4, Lundquist turned in one of his vintage performances that have been so prevalent throughout his career. He stopped 38 of 39 Tampa Bay shots on goal.

One of the main reasons why the Tampa Bay Lightning has reached this stage of the playoffs has been due to the superb play of Ben Bishop in goal. Unfortunately, the 6’8 backstop has been exposed in the last two games of this series, and it’s certainly a cause for concern. In those two contests, Bishop has allowed ten goals on just 52 shots, and compiled a pathetic .808 save percentage in doing so.

Just when it seemed like Tampa Bay had seized control of this series by winning two games in a row, they fell flat on their face in Game 4 at home. The Rangers regained the momentum, and took back home ice advantage with a convincing win on Friday. Playing in front of what promises to be a raucous home crowd at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, don’t expect the Rangers to squander a golden opportunity to once again take the series lead. Play the Rangers on the money line as a 10* Top Play selection.

The Rangers have gone an encouraging 4-for-9 on the power play during the previous two games, and have been the best road team in the NHL this season with a 31-16 record. I look for Henrik Lundquist to bounce back with one of his vintage performances which has made him one of the premier goaltenders in the world. The Rangers have been embarrassed by their last two performances, and especially in regard to its defensive play. There’s just too much character on the Rangers roster to expect anything less than a superb effort on Friday. I’m siding with the road underdog for one of my NHL picks. Play on the Rangers as a 10* Top Play money line underdog.

Chicago seized home ice advantage in this series as a result of their Game 2 win. That’s certainly significant since they’ve gone a perfect 5-0 at home during these playoffs, and are a combined 13-2 in home postseason games since 2014. The Blackhawks will be facing an opponent (Anaheim) tonight that possesses a stellar .645 winning percentage. Chicago is a terrific 21-6 against the money line at home since the start of last season, versus opponents with a winning percentage of .600 to .750.

Any home team (Chicago) that’s -100 to -150 on the money line, and allows 2.55 or less goals per game, and is coming off an overtime win in their previous contest, resulted in that home team going 55-18 (75.3%) since the start of the 2012-2013 season. Play on Chicago on the money line as a 10* Top Play money line selection.