10* RANGERS (DESTRUCTION)

The Rangers have their backs against the wall. They were favored to win this series, but they've uncharacteristically struggled on both ends of the ice. Now down 3-1, I expect New York to extend this series at least one more game. The Pens took Game 4 by a score f 7-2, but note that the Rangers are a near-perfect 7-1 in their last 8 in trying to revenge a 5 goals or greater loss to an opponent. The Pens are still also just 3-8 in their last 11 on the road. Igor Shesterkin is an amazing talent and I look for the Rangers' netminder to bounce back here; the play is the Rangers!

AAA Sports

10* LEAFS (BOB)

These are two really good teams. Two teams filled with talent and experience. Their offensive and defensive numbers are very similar. Honestly, it would not be difficult to write a convincing argument for either team to win today. The Lightning are in rebound mode here after a 5-2 loss in Game 3. Revenge? It works in some cases, but not here in my opinion. The Leafs (the players, coaches, the organization and its fan base), our without question the "hungrier" dog in this fight. The Leafs haven't won a playoff series in decades. Toronto will be risking life and limb again today and I think that's going to be the difference-maker. Tampa has depth and skill, but I say it's drive to win is now faltering. Expect Toronto's determination to win the day; the play is the Leafs!

AAA Sports

10* BRUINS (1ST RND. GOY)

Just a plain old "common sense" play here with this one. The Bruins will be risking life and limb today to try and avoid the 0-3 hole. Carolina was great on the road this year, but even better at home. The Bruins are also 7-2 in their last 9 in trying to avenge 2 straight losses against an opponent. But, the Bruins have now lost 5 straight to Carolina after dropping all 3 regular season contests as well. Yes, Carolina will likely go on to win this series, but we can now expect Boston's best effor this evening. And in my estimation, that'll be more than enough to finally notch a victory; the play is the Bruins!

AAA Sports

8* BLUES (DESTRUCTION)

Only three weeks left in the regular season, and fatigue is clearly a huge issue for teams playing the 2nd game of a B2B. Each of these team's played last night, meaning that the home ice advantage simply can't be overlooked as a very real deciding factor tonight. New York is off a tight 2-1 win at Carolina, and an imminent letdown is in the card in my opinion. The Blues play with revenge as well after a 2-1 loss at Long Island in March. St. Louis beat Minnesota 4-3 in OT last night and I say the Blues keep that momentum rolling strong here; lay the price, the play is St. Louis!

AAA Sports

10* STARS (EXPRESS)

Toronto has sure been hot, but so has Dallas. The Leafs are off a tight 7-6 OT loss at Florida, giving up a huge lead in the unfortunate setback, and now they face a Stars side that's won 4 of its last 5 and which plays with revenge after a 4-0 loss to Toronto in mid March (note that Dallas is 7-2 in its last 9 in trying to revenge a shutout loss against an opponent.) All things considered, a great price here as I expect Toronto get caught looking ahead to its much more winnable home game against the lowly Canadiens next; lay the price, the play is Dallas!

AAA Sports

8* PANTHERS (DESTROYER)

I think that the Panthers are well worth the price of admission in this one. Toronto comes in off a highly-satisfying 6-2 win at Tampa just last night. We don't have to overthink this one at all. Toronto will be fatigued here for sure. Florida has won 4 straight, but it also plays with "revenge" here after falling 5-2 to the Leafs in late March. I say the revenge-minded home side digs deep here and takes advantage of this content and tired Toronto side; lay the price!

AAA Sports

10* CANUCKS (EXPRESS)

Off 4 straight wins, including 2 straight in Seattle, I say the Knights finally have a letdown here in this difficult road venue. This is a home and home set, with two days off before a matchup in Vegas. I say the Knights take the foot off the gas here and get caught "looking ahead." The Canucks can't afford that same luxury though with that game in Vegas up next. Vancouver also plays with revenge here after falling 7-4 to the Knights on November 13th. When you add it all up, I say this one means A LOT "more" to the Canucks!

AAA Sports

10* HURRICANES (EXPRESS)

I feel Carolina should in fact be a much larger favorite here. I like playing against teams that have been on an extended win streak, and then lost a tight game. I like playing AGAINST them in the following contest, and that's the exact scenario here. Minnesota's 8 game win streak was just snapped in a tight 4-3 OT home loss to the Penguins and I expect a predictable letdown here now on the road in this difficult road venue. Carolina is off a 4-0 win over Montreal and it plays with revenge after a tight 3-2 loss to the Wild in mid Feb. As I said off the top, this line should be a lot larger; the play is Carolina!

AAA Sports

10* COYOTES (GOM)

A couple of weeks ago the Flames lost outright at home to Montreal as a big favorite, and I think they're going to suffer the same fate here. Calgary is clearly the better team and Arizona is going to have to play a really good game here to take advantage of this spot, but I believe Calgary is definitely overpriced again considering the circumstances. The Flames haven't been playing their best hockey of late, having split wins/losses over their last 6 games. They're off a 4-3 loss here at home to San Jose has a -300 favorite, but with Edmonton coming to town tomorrow night, I believe this sets up as a classic "look ahead" spot for the home side. The Coyotes play with revenge after a 4-2 loss to the Flames at the start of Feb. They're off 3 straight losses, but note that they're 7-2 in their last nine after 3 or more straight losses in a row. The value is WAY too good to turn down here; the play is the Coyotes!

AAA Sports

10* KNIGHTS (BOB)

Nashville is off a 6-1 loss at LA and I think it'll struggle here in this difficult road venue as well. With three whole nights off before a game vs. the lowly Flyers at home after this, this also sets up as a look-ahead spot. The Knights will look to take advantage, and to also avenge a 3-2 loss to the Predators on January 4th. Considering all of the above situational circumstances working in favor of Vegas here, I believe this to be the very definition of "great line value!" The play is Las Vegas.

AAA Sports

10* DUCKS (DESTROYER)

The Ducks are beyond desperate after 8 straight losses. Most recently it was a 6-3 setback to Nashville. They play with revenge here as well after an 8-3 loss to the Hawks two weeks ago. Note that Anaheim is 7-3 in its last 10 in trying to revenge a 2 goals or greater road loss against an opponent. So here's the perfect opponent to get untracked against. Chicago is off 3 straight losses, most recently a 6-4 home setback to the Jets. As Bob Barker used to say: The Price Is Right! In my opinion, this is the very definition of "great line value." The play is Anaheim!

AAA Sports

10* KINGS (EXPRESS)

The Kings have been trading wins/losses over their last 5 games. Off a 5-1 loss at Vegas, I expect this pattern to continue here. LA plays with revenge after a 4-2 loss at Nashville on January 6th. Note that LA is 7-3 in its last 10 in trying to revenge a 2 goals or greater road loss against an opponent. The Predators are off a 6-3 road win at Anaheim just last night and I believe they'll struggle here with fatigure in the second game of the B2B. As Bob Barker used to say, "The Price Is Right!" In my professional opinion, this is the very definition of "great line value." The play is LA.

AAA Sports

10* PREDATORS (EXPRESS)

Both teams have been playing extremely well, but the "revenge factor" pushes the pendulum in favor of the Predators in my opinion. Honestly, it would not be too difficult to write a concinvincing argument for either of these teams to win, but Nashville lost 3-0 at Toronto on November 16th and the Predators are 7-1 in their last 8 in trying to revenge a shutout road loss against an opponent. That's the difference-maker here for us; the play is the Predators!

AAA Sports

10* WILD (EXPRESS)

After winning 4 of 5 and 2 in a row, I believe Boston stumbles here on the road vs. the much hungrier Wild. Boston has a game at Chicago on Monday night as well, so fatigue is going to be a major issue here for the visiting side. Minnesota has lost 2 straight, but it enjoys 3 whole nights off after this, so I'm expecting a full 3 period effort from the home side. It's a great "spot" wager and as Bob Barker used to say, "The Price Is Right" as well; the play is the Wild!

AAA Sports

10* KINGS (EXPRESS)

I think the visiting side is well worth the price of admission in this matchup. The Kings are 32-19-6-2, but they've been at their best on the road with an 18-7-4-1 record. The Sharks are 25-25-5-2 this year, including 13-13-2-1 at home. LA plays with immediate revenge here and that fact is the basis behind this selection. The Sharks just upset the Kings in LA by a score of 4-3 in OT two nights ago, and LA is 7-2 in its last nine in trying to revenge a home loss against an opponent. SJ has 3 whole nights off after this game and I say it gets caught looking ahead; so look for the revenge-minded Kings to answer on the road on Saturday night!

AAA Sports

10* WILD (GOW)

This is a great spot wager. The Rangers managed a 4-1 win over Winnipeg on the road despite getting outshot 36-22. The Rangers have sure been playing well of late, but I expect them to stumble here finally against this much "hungrier" Wild side. Minnesota has lost 8 of 10, inculding 2 in a row. That includes a 6-3 home loss to Dallas last time out. The good news for us though is that Minnesota is 7-1 in its last 8 after a home loss of 3 or more goals. The Wild managed a 3-2 win over New York in January, but I expect a much bigger victory this time around; lay the price with confidence!

AAA Sports

10* DUCKS (ASSASSIN)

No need to overthink this one. Fatigue is the main issue that I like the Ducks here, as Vegas is off a 5-2 loss at home to the Bruins just last night. The Ducks play with revenge here as well after a 3-1 loss to the Knights in late January. With a "cream puff" of a game against Ottawa at home, Vegas gets caught "looking ahead" as well. The Ducks broke a 2-game slide with a 4-3 win over Boston in their most recent action and note that they're 6-2 in their last 8 in trying to revenge a road loss against an opponent. Overall, this is the very definition of "great line value" in my opinion; the play is Anaheim!

AAA Sports

10* RANGERS (EXPRESS)

Looks like a great spot to pull the trigger on the hungry home side. Yes, the Blues have been playing better of late, but all good things must come to an end. St. Louis has won 4 straight, including a 4-0 road victory at Chicago in its most recent outing (the Blues are interestingly though just 3-7 in their last 10 off a shutout road win in their last game.) New York had won 4 of 5 before most recently suffering B2B defeats, falling 1-0 at Pittsburgh, before then dropping a 5-2 decision at home to the Canucks in its most recent. With a tough upcoming game at the Islanders, I say the Blues finally stumble here; look for the more desperate home side to take advantage!

AAA Sports

10* WILD (EXPRESS)

These are two good teams. Calgary is 31-14-6-0, while Minnesota is 31-16-0-3. The Flames are a respectable 16-10-2-0 on the road, while the Wild are a great 16-4-0-1 at home. But this play comes down to one single thing for me here, the "revenge factor." Minnesota does indeed play with revenge here after falling 7-3 at Calgary on the 26th (the Wild are in fact 7-3 in their last 10 in trying to revenge a road loss against an opponent in which it conceded 6 or more goals in.) Revenge is a dish best served "cold" the say, and it's forecast to be FREEZING in Minnesota tonight; the play is the Wild!

AAA Sports

10* CAPITALS (GOW)

Both teams are fighting for better seeding in the playoffs. Toronto is 34-14-4, while Washington is 28-17-9. The Leafs are off a 10-7 win at Detroit, and suffice it to say, I believe a predictable letdown is in the cards here after that "outlier." The Capitals on the other hand have lost 2 straight. Most recently it was as 2-1 setback to the Flyers. Still, the Caps have scored 3 or more goals in 7 of their last 9 games. They're also 10-3 in their last 13 at home vs. the Buds, while Toronto is in fact just 3-8 in its last 11 in this series overall. Looks like a great spot to pull the trigger for a Washington bounceback!

AAA Sports

10* WILD (BOB)

I think this is a great spot to pull the trigger on this really good visiting side. Calgary has been great, as it's 30-14-6 overall, including 14-4-4 at home, but after 9 straight wins, it finally came up short in a 7-1 loss at Vancouver last time out. I say the Flames have a predictable letdown here in the second game after their big win streak was snapped. The Wild will look to take advantage, and won't be taking anything for advantage here after their 3-1 loss at Toronto on Friday night. This is the opener of a home and home set for the Wild, with Calgary coming to Minnesota on March 1st. I say the Wild strike first!

AAA Sports

10* LEAFS (DESTRUCTION)

Toronto is off a 4-3 OT loss at home to Columbus. It averages 3.54 GPG, while allowing 2.80. It plays with revenge here after a 4-3 loss at Minnesota at the start of December. With an upcoming two-game road trip starting this weekend, Friday's game takes on added importance for the Buds. Minnesota averages 3.79 GPG, while allowing 3.00. It's off a poor 4-3 loss at Ottawa. With a game at Calgary on Saturday, followed by a home game against the Flames after that, I say the visiting side gets caught "looking ahead." Considering all of the above factors, I think we're getting a GREAT price on the revenge-minded home side; lay the price!

AAA Sports

8* VEGAS (DESTRUCTION)

Vegas came out of the All Star game and posted a convincing 4-0 win at Edmonton. Since then it's last 3 straight. That includes a tough 4-3 OT loss here at home to the Kings 2 nigths ago. THis is the first time they've faced the Sharks this season. They get 4 nights off after this one before a game against the lowly Coyotes. San Jose has lost both of its games since the All Star break. That includes a 5-4 OT loss here 2 nights ago against the Canucks. The Sharks average only 2.69 GPG, while Vegas averages 3.22. Look for Vegas to take advantage here and to finally stop the bleeding; lay the price!

AAA Sports

10* KNIGHTS (BLOOD-BATH)

LA is 24-17-7, while Vegas is 28-18-3. The Kings are coming off a 5-2 loss to the Oilers. Cal Peterson allowed 3 goals in 27 shots. Overall the Kings have been good on both ends of the ice, as goaltender Jonathan Quick is 12-10-6 with a 2.60 GAA. But recent form is an issue for the visiting side obviously. The Knights actually come in as the "hungrier" team here after 2 straight losses. Most recently they fell 2-0 to Colorado. That's noteworthy in this case, as Las Vegas is 7-1 in its last 8 off a shutout loss. The Golden Knights are also 4-1 in their last 5 vs. the Pacific division, while the Kings are just 3-7 in their last 10 in this series. No upsets here, lay the price with confidence; the play is Las Vegas!

AAA Sports

10* LEAFS (BLOOD-BATH)

Pittsburgh's won 4 straight since returning from the All Star break, but I believe it'll finally stumble here in this difficult road venue. The Penguins are off a tight 5-4 OT win at home ver the lowly Flyers. In fact, the only good team they've beaten since the return was a 4-2 victory over Boston on the first night. Since then thy also have wins over putrid Ottawa and terrible New Jersey. Toronto plays with revenge here after a 2-0 loss to the Pens in November. And that's noteworthy in this case, as the Buds are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 in trying to revenge a shutout road loss against an opponent. Toronto is just 2-2 since returning to action, but it won its lone home game in that span, a 4-3 OT victory over league-leading Carolina. Look for the Leafs to do the same here, as they defend their ice; I have no issues at all in laying this price!

AAA Sports

10* STARS (BLOOD-BATH)

Dallas opened up the second half with a big 4-3 win over Nashville. Expect the Stars to keep the good times rolling here on home ice. Overall Dallas averages 2.98 GPG, while allowing 3.02. The Jets opened up with a 2-0 win at home over the Wild. They average 2.81 GPG, while conceding 2.88. Both teams allow more goals than they average themselves, so the home ice advantage CAN NOT be overlooked as a very real deciding factor today. Dallas plays with revenge here as well after a 4-3 loss at Winnipeg in early November. The Jets also have an incredibly tough game at Nashville tomorrow night, setting this up as a classic "look-ahead" spot for the visiting side as well. All things considered, a great price; the play is Dallas!

AAA Sports

10* KNIGHTS (DESTRUCTION)

Vegas crushed Buffalo by a score of 5-2 in its final game before the break and I expect it to find a way to deliver here on the road to open up the second half. The Knights average 3.35 goals per game, while allowing 2.96. The Oilers average 3.31 GPG, while allowing 3.29. Edmonton is just 12-8 at home this year, while Las Vegas is 14-10 on the road. The Oilers closed with a 5-3 win in the nation's capital to close out their first half, but I expect the Knights' superior defense to help them pull off a minor upset here in Edmonton on Tuesday night; the play is Las Vegas!

AAA Sports

10* HURRICANES (GOW)

Two of the best in the East collide in this one. Toronto averages 3.60 GPG, while allowing 2.64, while Carolina averages 3.48 GPG, while allowing 2.33. Very evenly matched clubs, each coming in rested and determined to post a big second half run. So why will Frederik Anderson get the better of his former team tonight? Carolina is 4-0 in its last 4 as an underdog, while Toronto is interestingly just 1-4 in its last five Monday games. I say that Carolina's league-leading defense is the difference-maker today; the play is the Hurricanes!

AAA Sports

10* RED WINGS (GOW)

Off B2B road wins, I expect the Ducks to stumble in their final game before the All Star break. Detroit plays with revenge here as well after falling 4-3 at Anaheim at the start of January. Detroit has lost 3 of its last 4. It's off a 7-4 loss here to Toronto, but note that it's 7-3 in its last 10 off a home loss of 3 or more goals. Detroit comes out and takes advantage of this spot, while also avenging the earlier loss; great value here on Detroit!

AAA Sports

10* BLUES (EXPRESS)

Calgary is off B2B blowout wins, but I think it'll have difficulties here in St. Louis. Most recently the Flames clobbered Columbus 6-0 on the road. St Louis though plays with revenge here after a 7-1 setback at Calgary just last week. The Blues are 6-2 in their last 8 in trying to revenge a road loss of 5 or more goals to an opponent as well. Calgary is back home for a game against the Canucks next, so I think it gets caught looking ahead to that more winnable game. The Blus are 16-4-1 at home this year. Look for that streak to get added to tonight; lay the reasonable price!

AAA Sports

8* FLAMES 

Calgary has won 2 of its last 3. It beat Florida 5-1 at home, then fell 5-3 at Edmonton, before then hammering the Blues 7-1 at home in its most recent. With a super tough game at St. Louis tomorrow night in the rematch, the Flames are going to lay a beating on Columbus tonight in my opinion. I expect a lop-sided outcome, meaning that I definitely have no issues laying this larger-than-normal price. Columbus has lost 3 of its last 4, most recently a 2-1 home loss to Ottawa. And with the Rangers coming to town tomorrow, the home side gets caught looking ahead; all things considered, a very fair price!

AAA Sports

10* OILERS (EXPRESS)

Edmonton finally broke its 7-game slide with a big 5-3 home win over Calgary and I expect it to continue its climb back to the top of the mountain. Vancouver is off 2 straight losses. The Canucks have a difficult 5-game road trip to plan for starting on Thursday. I say they get caught looking ahead. The Oilers won the last matchup 2-1 back on October 30th, but all signs point to their superior and motivated offense finding the back of the net a few more times in the Pacific Northwest this evening; lay the price, the play is Edmonton!

AAA Sports

10* FLAMES (GOW)

St. Louis has been playing really well this year. It's won 8 of 10, including 3 straight. But because this is the opener of a home and home set, I really like the Flames to dig deep here and deliver in friendly confines. This is the first matchup of the year between the teams. Calgary though is desperate after dropping 7 of its last 10. It broke a 4 game slide with a 5-1 win over Florida, then 3 nights later fell 5-3 at Edmonton. The Flames will actually play at Columbus before their rematch in St. Louis on the 27th, but regardless Calgary is 5-1 in its last 6 off a road loss in which it allowed 5 or more goals in. I say Calgary digs deep and delivers in this crucial game; so lay this reasonable price!

AAA Sports

8* BLUES (EXPRESS)

St. Louis is 24-11-5, while Vancouver is 18-18-4. The Blues enter off a relatively simple 5-0 win at Seattle. They've now scored 3 or more goals in 7 of their last 9 games. They rank 7th in goals against as well. The Canucks come in on the other end of the spectrum, losers of 4 of their last 6. They've scored 2 goals or less in 6 of their last 9 games. They rank 10th overall defensively, but their lack of offensive punch is the issue here. Look for the streaking Blues to take advantage; lay the price!

AAA Sports

Kings (10* NON-CONF GOM)

Pittsburgh has played great this year. It comes to LA with only one loss in its last 12 games. The Penguins concede 2.46 GPG. But the feisty Kings have won 2 in a row and 4 of their last 5. LA has also been fantastic defensively, ranked fourth overall on that end of the ice. Evgeni Malkin is back for Pittsburgh, and that'll help out the Penguins in the second half of the season and in the playoffs. But LA is off a great 3-1 win over a red hot Rangers team and I expect a similar defensive effort here on home ice. I say the Pens get classically caught looking ahead to their final road games at San Jose and Vegas. A great spot bet on the undervalued underdog home side! 

AAA Sports

10* DALLAS STARS.

Florida is 18-3 at home, but only 4-4-1 on the road. Dallas is 4-9 on the road, but 11-3-1 at home. "Home ice" has meant EVERYTHING to these clubs and I expect that trend to continue in a big way here! With a red hot Pittsburgh team coming to town nexts, the Stars can't afford to look past the Panthers today. Dallas enters off B2B home wins, most recently a convincing 7-4 victory over Minnesota (Dallas is 6-2 in its last eight after scoring 6 or more goals in a win in its previous outing as well.) Florida opened its 4-game homestand with 2 straight losses, but it's since won 4 in a row at home, most recently a 6-2 win over Calgary. But with a game at division rival Carolina on Saturday, this does 100% for sure set up as a "look ahead" spot for the visiting side. It's a great set of situtional and stat based evidence that leads to our one and only 10* top underdog play of the year!

AAA Sports

This is an 8* on EDMONTON

Heading into 2022, the Oilers aren’t exactly in what we’d call a “great” position (they are 4th in the Pacific), but they are a lot better off than the Devils, one of the worst teams in the league. While the Devils did win on Wednesday, that’s rare. They’d previously lost six in a row before defeating Buffalo 4-3. It’s been 23 days since New Jersey won a home game. They aren’t going to win this one; they face Edmonton, who has Connor McDavid. McDavid is having an all-time great season, leading the league in assists and points. Counting last season’s playoffs, McDavid has 159 points in 2021. That’s the most points by a player in a single calendar year since Jaromir Jagr turned in 164 back in 1999. We look for McDavid to be the difference-maker again for Edmonton this afternoon as they look to bounce back from Wednesday’s loss to the Blues. The Oilers are 18-5 their last 23 games vs. teams from the Metropolitan Division and they are 17-7 their last 24 games as a road favorite. As for New Jersey, they’ve lost each of the previous four times they’ve been off a win. Play on EDMONTON

AAA

This is a 10* on DAL

At the start of December, both of these Central Division teams were playing well. Minnesota had an eight-game win streak that was the third longest in team history. Dallas was on a seven-game run of its own. But then things went south for the Stars as they lost five in a row, their longest losing streak since 2014. That streak is now over following Saturday’s emotional OT win over the Blackhawks where the team overcame a scary injury to Tanner Kero, who had to be stretchered off the ice. While three power play goals were the key to victory for Dallas, they outshot Chicago 39-23 and probably should have won that game in regulation. On the other hand, there was no sugarcoating how poorly Minnesota played in a 3-2 loss to Buffalo on Thursday, even though the game went to a shootout. The Wild allowed 40 shots on goal as they lost for a third straight time. After winning eight in a row, it’s now been 11 days since the Wild won a game as they’ve also dealt with two postponements during that stretch. Tough to get into a rhythm when you’re dealing with unexpected time off. The Stars have had this game circled ever since taking a 7-2 loss in the Twin Cities last month. Look for them to send Minnesota to its fourth straight defeat. Play on DALLAS

AAA

This is an 8* on VEGAS

Vegas goes for its third win in a row tonight as they pay a visit to New Jersey. While the Golden Knights are in solid shape right now, the Devils are not. The home team has lost seven of eight as well as three in a row. The Devils have given up 10 goals in the last two games while the Golden Knights have scored 10 goals in the last two games. New Jersey has lost 11 of the 15 times they’ve faced a team with a winning record. The Knights are 17-11 with 34 points and now is the time to make a move in the division with the two Alberta teams both struggling. Lots of illness right now with the Devils, COVID and non-COVID, and to add insult to injury they’ve allowed short-handed goals in each of the last two games. Vegas has no problems scoring. They’ve tallied 28 goals in the last six games. Play on VEGAS

This is an 8* on ANAHEIM

Not many expected to see the Anaheim Ducks leading the Pacific Division, but here we are in mid-December and the team has 37 points, which has them on top. The Ducks are coming off a successful five-game road trip out East. Their only loss in the last four games was 1-0 to Pittsburgh. Now five of the team’s last eight games have gone past regulation. But the 1-0 loss to the Pens is the only time the Ducks have been beaten in regulation during that stretch. It should be an easy two points tonight when the Ducks host the expansion Kraken. As you probably expected, the Kraken have struggled in their maiden season. They are last in the Pacific Division and are allowing the second most goals per game in the league. This is a rare chance to fade Seattle off a win as they played last night and beat San Jose 3-1. Fading this team off a win seems like a sound idea, especially when they’re not rested. This is the first time all season that the Kraken have been in that situation. Seattle has multiple players out with COVID, one of them top line center Yanni Gourde. The Ducks are simply a better team than the Kraken, which they already proved once with a 7-4 win up in Seattle last month. Play on ANAHEIM.

AAA

This is a 7* on STL

The Red Wings are currently in fourth place in the Atlantic Division with 29 points. But there’s a seven-point gap between them and the top three teams in the division (Florida, Toronto, Tampa Bay). Not only do we not expect Detroit to catch those teams, they are quite likely to take a tumble down the standings. Look no further than their -10 goal differential as reason for that line of thinking. The Red Wings have been a pretty lucky team recently. During a five-game win streak, which is now over, they had four one-goal wins and three of those required overtime or a shootout. The win streak ended with a 5-2 loss to Nashville on Tuesday. Expect another loss in St. Louis tonight. The Blues lost in Detroit 4-2 back on November 24th, so they’re out for revenge. After four hard-fought games against Tampa Bay and Florida (played both teams twice), this should be a relatively easy game for the Blues, who are 8-3-1 on home ice so far. Play on ST. LOUIS

AAA

This is a 10* on EDMONTON

Edmonton has to be happy with its start to the season. They have a 15-5 overall record and are second in the Pacific Division with 30 points. They are only one point behind first place Calgary. At home, the Oilers are 8-1 and have scored 38 goals. Tonight they host Pittsburgh, a team that is fourth in the Metropolitan Division and ironically enough just lost 2-1 to Calgary. Before that, the Penguins lost 6-3 at home to Montreal. They had won five in a row before the back to back losses. Back to Edmonton, the Oilers have won their last two games - 5-3 at Arizona and 3-2 at Vegas. They should be pretty fired up to be back home Wednesday night as the Oilers are looking for what would be their first regulation win over the Penguins since 2006! They have just four wins in the last 19 meetings with the Penguins. That includes six straight home losses. But we feel tonight is the night they snap that streak. There’s no debate over which team is playing better hockey right now and Edmonton is 38-16 its last 54 games as a favorite. Pittsburgh is playing its fourth game in six days, a situation they’ve lost in four of the last five times. Play on EDMONTON

AAA

This is an 8* on TORONTO

The Maple Leafs look to make it nine wins in their last 10 games as they visit Anaheim tonight. The Leafs only loss since Nov 10 came at home, by a score of 2-0 to Pittsburgh. Since that loss, they have rattled off three consecutive road wins where they outscored the Islanders, Kings and Sharks 13-3. The Leafs are now tied for first place (with Florida) in the Atlantic Division with 31 points. They allow the third fewest number of goals per game in the league. Anaheim was once hot itself, winning eight in a row from October 31st through November 16th. But the Ducks have since dropped three of four, though they did win 4-0 here at home on Friday. But the team they beat (Ottawa) is one of the worst in the league right now. The fact the Ducks are third in the Pacific is something we’d call “surprising.” They’ve been a tough out at home and are also strong on the penalty kill. But Toronto, having claimed six straight road games, is in a different class. The Leafs have allowed just 11 goals their last nine games, making them a VERY difficult team to beat. We like them to get the two points on Sunday. Play on TORONTO

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This is an 8* on TOR

The Maple Leafs come into Wednesday firmly entrenched as one the Atlantic’s three top teams. Neither they nor Tampa Bay have been quite as good as Florida, but you could say the same thing for most teams across the league. The Leafs have won 11 out of their last 13 games however, and Sunday’s 3-0 win at the Islanders was their fourth shutout during that stretch. Tonight the Leafs are in LA looking to avenge one of the two defeats they’ve suffered this month. It was back on 11/8 that the Leafs lost to the Kings 5-1 at home. Both teams were on win streaks at the time of that first meeting. Now the Kings are on a four-game losing skid with the last three defeats all coming here at home. The last one was perhaps the most embarrassing as it was against Arizona, who is the worst team in the league. The Kings have already fallen a bit off the pace set by the top teams in the Pacific and we only see that gap widening as the season progresses. Toronto isn’t going to lose twice to this team, so they’ve got our backing tonight. Play on TORONTO

This is a 10* on COL

Colorado came into the season as one of the Stanley Cup favorites, but got off to a surprisingly slow start. That’s changed recently, as despite not having star Nathan MacKinnon, the Avs have won three in a row. Two wins were over Vancouver and the other against San Jose. They have scored a total of 17 goals during this win streak, which has seen them make up for the absence of MacKinnon by going 6 for 13 on the power play. Tonight the Avalanche go up against a team that is - not surprisingly - near the bottom of the league’s standings. The expansion Kraken have lost five straight while giving up four or more goals every time. We had the Over when they last played - and lost - 4-2 to Chicago. Seattle fell behind 3-0 in that game and had only three shots on goal in the first period. Only one team (Arizona) has fewer points than the Kraken’s 9 as they continue to reside in the basement of the Pacific Division. This shapes up to be another easy two points for the Avalanche. Play on COLORADO

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This is a 9* on TB

After starting the season with three straight losses, Tampa Bay has turned things around. You had to figure they would. After all, this is the team that’s won the last two Stanley Cup Finals. In each of their last seven games, the Lightning have picked up a point. That’s five wins and two overtime losses. Five of their next six games are at home, including this one against the team they beat in last year’s semifinals. It was a seven-game series with the Islanders last summer, but we expect the Lightning to roll tonight. This will be the Islanders’ 12th straight road game to open the year as they wait for their new arena to be ready. The Isles have played a game since Thursday, but you’ve got to figure they are road-weary. Having three days off didn’t help them in Newark on Thursday as they lost to the Devils 4-0. Before that was a 5-2 loss in Minnesota. It’s six straight losses to teams with winning records for the Islanders. Play on TAMPA BAY

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full analysis to follow

This is a 9* on VANCOUVER

Vancouver sits second to last in the Pacific Division as of this writing. The only team below them in the standings is the expansion Kraken. Tonight the Canucks host Anaheim, who is four points ahead. The Ducks have won their last four games, but all of those have come on home ice. The road has not been quite so kind. Four of the Ducks' five away games have ended in defeat. They’ve allowed four or more goals in each of their last four road games and lost them all. Vancouver is wrapping up a seven-game homestand tonight after playing its first six games on the road. They won 6-3 against Dallas on Sunday. We think the home ice advantage is the key determining factor in the outcome of this game. Also, Vancouver is allowing a fewer number of shots per game than Anaheim. The Ducks’ current win streak is their longest in nearly three years. Can it continue? We think not. Play on VANCOUVER

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This is a 9* on WINNIPEG

Winnipeg has won five of its last six with the one loss coming in OT. Four of those wins came without leading scorer Mark Scheifele, who returned to the lineup for a 4-3 win over Dallas earlier in the week. The Jets face downtrodden Chicago tonight. The Blackhawks have only one win this season and it came Monday at home vs. Ottawa. They and the Coyotes seem to be in a race to determine not just who finishes last in the division, but in the entire NHL. A sexual abuse scandal (from 10 years ago) has wreaked havoc on the Blackhawks franchise. Things have been no better on the ice. After winning for the first time in 2021, they blew a two goal lead to Carolina on Wednesday and lost 4-3. Who wants any part of this Chicago team right now? Not us. Play on WINNIPEG

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This is a 10* on COLORADO

The Avalanche, considered one of the odds on favorite to win the Stanley Cup, have gotten off to a very disappointing start. Thursday’s 4-3 triumph over St. Louis was just the third win of the season for the Avs. They’ve needed four goals in each of those three wins. They are 0-4 when failing to score four times in a game. Colorado is 30th in goals allowed per game at 3.71. They’ve got to work on getting that number down. We think they will on Saturday when they host Minnesota in a big early season division clash. After a 4-0 start, the Wild have lost two of three games. This will be their third road game in five days. Thursday saw them lose 4-1 to the expansion Kraken. Colorado’s third win of the season should not be dismissed as they were the first team to defeat St. Louis this year. The Avalanche outshot the Blues 42-18. Given what we all thought of the Avs at the start of the year, there’s no reason not to take them at this low price on home ice. Play on COLORADO

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