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Stephen Nover NHL Picks

Date	Match Up	Rating	Score	Result	Profit	Lead Time	Analysis
09-28-20	Lightning v. Stars OVER 5		2-0	Loss	-138	12 h 33 m	Show
There's a reason why so much juice is attached to this 5 total. There haven't fewer than five goals scored during any of the five previous games played in this Stanley Cup championship series. I'm going to ride that trend here with the high-scoring Lightning, who led the NHL in scoring during the regular season and are averaging 3.7 goals in their last four games. Dallas has shown it can be aggressive with attacking defensemen to go with high-scoring veteran centers and forwards. The Stars have scored 3 or more goals in four of their last six games. This has been an Over series for a long time with the high end cashing 77 percent of the time during the past 26 meetings. Tampa Bay leads the series 3-2 and is heavily favored in this game. So if the Stars are trailing with time running out they are likely to pull their goalie and keep him out even if falling behind by two goals since they have nothing to lose.
09-28-20	Lightning -1.5 v. Stars		2-0	Win	165	12 h 31 m	Show
I give a lot of credit to Dallas. Few, if anybody, expected the Stars to reach Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals. I had the Stars at a nice plus price in their Game 5 double-overtime victory this past Saturday. The teams played that game without rest. Now they've had one day in between games. That's enough for the Lightning to end this series. Tampa Bay has defeated Dallas in eight of the last 11 meetings. Since Game 2, the Lightning have outplayed the Stars throughout much of the series. Tampa Bay has won 41 of the last 53 times when playing for the fourth time in six days. The Lightning also are a perfect 6-0 following a loss in the playoffs. The Stars have shown a lot of toughness and resilience especially having to go with backup goalie Anton Khudobin, who has been far better than expected in this series. But time has run out on Dallas and Khudobin. I see the Lightning ending the series with a multiple goal victory.
09-26-20	Stars +145 v. Lightning		3-2	Win	145	12 h 13 m	Show
Less than 24 hours after the Lightning's controversial, 5-4, overtime victory against the Stars on Friday night the teams are back in action today. This is unusual scheduling, which could lead to a randomness element to the game. Randomness is a plus for the underdog. Sure the Stars could quit after suffering a tough defeat in such a short time frame. But they also could come out extremely fired out. This is their playoff life after all being on the verge of elimination down 3-1. Dallas has proven resilient all season. There's more of a chance, I feel, that the Lightning could suffer a letdown coming off such a big win in such a short period of time. Tampa Bay has to feel very good up 3-1 in the series. The Stars have not been outclassed. They won Game 1 by three goals. They've lost two games by one goal each, including this past one in overtime after leading by two goals. The Stars have not peaked. They are capable of playing better. This would be the perfect time to show that.
09-23-20	Lightning v. Stars OVER 5		5-2	Win	100	12 h 0 m	Show
Dallas goalie Anton Khudobin fell back to Earth giving up three first period goals in Tampa Bay's 3-2 Game 2 Stanley Cup Finals win against the Stars on Monday. The Lightning led the NHL in scoring during the regular season averaging 3.5 goals a game. Their puck movement was much better than it had been in Game 1, which was won by Dallas, 4-1. Tampa Bay seems to have its attack back on track and shouldn't get so conservative and defensive-minded if building up an early lead again like it did on Monday. Tampa Bay would catch a break, too, if Dallas' Blake Comeau is out. Comeau is one of the Stars' better defensive forwards. He's a plus for the Under not the Over. Comeau is a game-time decision after getting injured in the last game. The Stars realize now they aren't going to win if they never go on the attack. The Lightning are too deep and too talented. Dallas is averaging 4 goals a game following a playoff loss. So I expect to see the Stars play aggressive like they did against the Avalanche and to effectively counterpunch like they did against the Golden Knights.
09-21-20	Stars v. Lightning -147		2-3	Win	100	14 h 15 m	Show
Each time Tampa Bay has lost a playoff game it came back to win the next game. I expect that pattern to continue in Game 2 of this Stanley Cup Final. So does the linemaker making the Lightning this high of a favorite. This goes to my way of thinking that the Lightning are the superior team. They certainly won't lack focus after being ambushed, 4-1, in Game 1 this past Saturday. The Stars dominated the first two periods of that game being the much fresher team. Dallas was idle for four days previous to that matchup, while the Lightning had just concluded their series against the Islanders with an overtime victory on Thursday night. The Lightning seemed to figure out the Stars in the third period posting 22 shots on goal while dominating the period. Dallas has done great to reach this point. This isn't a fade on the Stars as it is more a play on the Lightning based that they will play a much crisper and better game than they did during the first two periods of Game 1 when fatigue was an issue for them. Even with that defeat, the Lightning still have defeated the Stars in five of the past seven meetings
09-21-20	Stars v. Lightning OVER 5		2-3	Push	0	14 h 14 m	Show
Until I see a 5 1/2, I'm going to fire on the Over. A 5 total is too low on a Tampa Bay game. The Lightning led the league in scoring at 3.5 goals a game. They were flat and tired during the first two periods of Game 1 this past Saturday. That's because they had just taken out the pesky Islanders in overtime on Thursday night. The Lightning showed their offense in the third period firing 22 shots on goal. Dallas goalie Anton Khudobin has been playing well above his head. You wonder how long his magic can last? The Stars' defensemen were more aggressive in counter attacking in Game 1. Unlike other defensive-minded teams like the Islanders, the Stars can play an offensive style. They have the veteran goal scorers to produce high scoring games. The Over won in six of the seven games the Avalanche-Stars played in their series.
09-19-20	Stars v. Lightning OVER 5		4-1	Push	0	17 h 18 m	Show
Tampa Bay is the better team, but I'm not going to buck the hot Stars especially since the Lightning have a short turnaround after their Thursday overtime victory against the Islanders to clinch that series. So instead of getting involved with a side, I'm going the total route where I see each team producing at least two goals apiece. I highly doubt backup Stars goalie Anton Khudobin can repeat the magic he did against the Golden Knights when he stopped 153 of 161 shots for a .950 save percentage. The Lightning have a more potent attack than Las Vegas and they have their top playoff scorer, Brayden Point, back in the lineup. There's even the outside chance Steven Stamkos could suit up. He has yet to play during the Stanley Cup. Tampa Bay is averaging 3.3 goals during the playoffs. This is in line with the regular season when the Lightning led the NHL in scoring at 3.5 goals per game. The Lightning has three attacking lines and scoring depth up and down their roster. Dallas has shown it can play and win with a wide open style. The Stars took out the Avalanche in that fashion. It wouldn't surprise me if the well-rested Stars came out super aggressive to take advantage of Tampa Bay's fatigue issue.
09-17-20	Lightning v. Islanders +145		2-1	Loss	-100	13 h 39 m	Show
I'm not convinced Tampa Bay has the mental toughness to close out this Eastern Conference finals after losing, 2-1, to the Islanders in double overtime this past Tuesday. That was the Lightning's opportunity. The Islanders still face elimination down 3-2 in the series. But New York is riding house money. The pressure remains on the Lightning. Tampa Bay has been in this situation before - and failed miserably blowing 3-2 series leads in 2016 and 2018 in the Eastern Conference finals. The double overtime win gives the Islanders new-found momentum. New York goalie Semyon Varamov also looked back in good form. The Lightning still could be without Brayden Point, their leading scorer in the playoffs. At this plus price, I'll take a shot with the well-coached, disciplined and mentally tough Islanders. They may not win, but they certainly won't go gently into the night.
09-15-20	Islanders v. Lightning OVER 5		2-1	Loss	-135	16 h 58 m	Show
Anytime the Lightning are involved and the total is less than 5 1/2, I'm automatically attracted to the Over. Moreso, with the Islanders on the brink of playoff elimination where they will be forced to take chances and empty the net if trailing. Tampa Bay has three strong scoring lines. This has been on display because the Lightning have scored 3 or more goals in eight of their past 10 playoff games. The Islanders, who rely on defense and discipline, have yielded three or more goals to Tampa Bay in three of the four games during the series. Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov could be wearing down from the grueling playoffs because his net play has considerably slipped.
09-14-20	Stars v. Golden Knights OVER 5	Top	3-2	Push	0	15 h 33 m	Show
The total for each of the first four games of this Western Conference Finals series has been lined at 5 1/2. Each game has gone Under. The oddsmaker has finally adjusted moving the total down to 5. So now is the time to play Over. The Golden Knights are in desperation territory down 3-1. Las Vegas finds itself on the brink of elimination despite outshooting the Stars, 105-67. Dallas backup goalie Anton Khudobin has played well above his head. The Stars realize they can't keep getting lucky winning low-scoring games while relying on Khudobin to bail them out. They have to step up their attack like did when they took out Colorado during their previous series. Dallas averaged four goals per game during that seven-game series. The Stars' power play has managed just one goal. So that is due to change, too. I envision a much more up-tempo game than what we've seen so far in the series. The Golden Knights will be aggressively attacking with all four of their quality lines. This could result in a much higher scoring game for them. If it fails, the total still is very much live to go Over as the Golden Knights won't hesitate to pull their goalie early if down by one goal and keep their goalie on the bench, too, if the Stars score an empty-netter to go up by two goals. This is a scenario that happens when teams face elimination.
09-12-20	Golden Knights -1.5 v. Stars		1-2	Loss	-100	14 h 42 m	Show
Dallas leads this Western Conference Finals series 2-1. But the Stars aren't the better team. Las Vegas would have the series lead if Dallas backup goalie Anton Khudobin didn't come up with the game of his life stopping 38 of 40 shots in the Stars' 3-2 overtime victory on Thursday. The Golden Knights have dangerous scoring capability with all four of their lines. They know the importance of jumping in front of the Stars. Dallas is 8-1 in one-goal games during the playoffs and 3-7 in games decided by multiple goals. If the Golden Knights are able get an early lead, I could see that snowballing into a blowout victory. The Stars have reverted back to their conservative, defensive ways of the regular season. Ben Bishop is not in net for them, though. Khudobin is and I don't see him producing a second straight monster game. He's not a spectacular goalies. He's just a solid backup who needs plenty of defense in front of him for protection. This limits the Stars from an offensive perspective. Despite the Game 3 loss, the Golden Knights still have beaten the Stars seven of the past 10 times. The Stars also are 2-8 the past 10 times after giving up 2 or fewer goals during their last game.
09-11-20	Lightning v. Islanders +140		3-5	Win	140	12 h 22 m	Show
No, the Islanders may not be nearly as talented as Tampa Bay. But the Islanders are extremely well-coached and have proven resilient since play resumed. New York outshot the Lightning, 28-21, and had numerous missed scoring opportunities in a 2-1 Game 2 loss. So I don't see the Islanders quietly going in the night down 0-2 in the series. They are in must-win territory and draw Tampa Bay minus suspended right winger Alex Killorn and likely without injured center Brayden Point, too. Killorn had the team's third-most goals during the regular season and Point was Tampa Bay's No. 1 playoff points producer. The Islanders have the defense and discipline to get back into this series. The last time the Lightning had been held to as few as 21 shots on goal was March 3.
09-10-20	Golden Knights v. Stars UNDER 5.5		2-3	Win	100	16 h 59 m	Show
There is high juice attached to taking the Under here. And for good reason. There have been a combined four goals scored during the first two games of this Western Conference Final. The Stars have reverted back to their style of play they used during the regular season, which is stressing defense being conservative. It worked in Game 1 when they won, 1-0. The Stars aren't panicking after losing, 3-0, in Game 2. They are going to stick to their defensive formula. They need to protect backup goalie Anton Khudobin and don't want to get into an up-and-down type of shooting match with Las Vegas and leave Khudobin vulnerable. The Golden Knights are the better team. They have no reason to take chances. The Stars are cold - 117 minutes and 24 seconds without a goal - and Las Vegas' has by far the superior goalie, Robin Lehner. He has the fifth-highest postseason save percentage in NHL history and is looking to be the first goalie since 2004 to record five shutouts during a single playoff year.
09-08-20	Stars v. Golden Knights UNDER 5.5	Top	0-3	Win	100	18 h 5 m	Show
The Golden Knights have picked a bad time to have their offense go cold. Las Vegas has managed just four goals in its last four games. The Golden Knights have scored just two goals when a goalie was in net during their last 240 minutes - and none of those goals was scored by a forward or center. The Golden Knights have scored two or fewer goals in seven of their last 11 games if you don't include a pair of empty net goals in their Game 7 victory against the Canucks. The Stars can play up-tempo as they showed against the Avalanche, or revert back to their natural, conservative defensive style. That's what they did in Game 1 of this series in defeating Las Vegas, 1-0. I expect the Stars to stick to their natural style knowing how cold the Golden Knights' forwards are. Dallas prefers a tight-checking methodical game especially when Anton Khudobin is in net. The Stars know how important it is to protect Khudobin. A quote from Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer is telling. This is what he was quoted as saying following Game 1: "...They (the Stars) play a hard, heavy game. They make you work for your offense. This is going to be a different series, and we're going to have to get our head around that and find a way to create offense. It's not going to look or feel like the Chicago series or the Vancouver series."
09-07-20	Islanders +138 v. Lightning		2-8	Loss	-100	16 h 22 m	Show
What we have here is a unique situation. The Islanders just concluded a seven-game series with the Flyers that finished Saturday night. The Lightning, by contrast, haven't played in a week. I'm going to ride the Islanders' adrenaline and 3-0 record in Game 1 series against the Panthers, Capitals and Flyers at this plus price against Tampa Bay's long rest. The Lightning are the better team, but the Islanders have the momentum to take this Game 1 especially given that Tampa Bay is likely to be highly rusty. The Islanders are a frustrating team for the opposition because they are defensive-minded, disciplined and well-coached. These factors are big on the Islanders getting this far, but their offense also has stepped up. The Islanders are averaging 3.38 goals since the league resumed. That figure would have ranked fourth in the league if computed out during the entire season. New York scored 3 or more goals in each of their seven games against the Flyers.
09-06-20	Stars v. Golden Knights OVER 5.5		1-0	Loss	-125	31 h 46 m	Show
The Golden Knights should be good for at least three goals against Dallas. Las Vegas has scored 3 or more goals in 12 of its last 17 games. The Golden Knights have four scoring lines and fired the most shots on goal of any team in the NHL. Las Vegas should also find it easier to score facing Dallas' 33-year-old back-up goalie Anton Khudobin than it did against Vancouver's hot rookie goalie Thatcher Demko. Khudobin has a 2.94 goals against average since the restart. The Stars have given up 30 or more shots on goal in eight of their last 10 games. Dallas has gone Over the total in seven of its last eight games. The Stars have completely changed the way they played during the regular season going from a defensive-minded conservative style to wide open using their defensemen to attack and force the action. Miko Heiskanen has especially thrived playing this way. He has the second-most playoff points. If you discount a one-goal performance in Game 6 against the Avalanche, the Stars are averaging 4.8 goals in their last seven games. Las Vegas and Dallas met during the round robin on Aug. 3. The Golden Knights won that game, 5-3.
09-04-20	Stars +116 v. Avalanche		5-4	Win	116	11 h 57 m	Show
Despite a slew of injuries, Colorado has won the last two games in this Western Conference Stanley Cup semifinal to force today's Game 7. The Avalanche have momentum. But I want the Stars going for me considering how banged-up Colorado is and how important this game is for the future of Dallas' organization. This is the situation the Avalanche are in: They likely will be without captain Gabriel Landeskog, a member of their top line. They also likely will be missing Erik Johnson, one of their top-four defensemen along with three other plays who provide depth, which is important at this late stage. But worse of all for the Avalanche is they probably will be missing starting goalie Philipp Grubauer and his top backup, Pavel Francouz. That would put journeyman third-stringer Michael Hutchinson back in goal. The Stars don't need to play their "A" game to beat Hutchinson, who I consider one of the worst backup goalies in the NHL. Credit to Hutchinson for allowing a total of four goals in the last two games. Dallas, though, managed only 15 shots during the last two periods of Game 6. The Stars' top line of Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov and Tyler Seguin have managed just one point during the last two games. They are much better than that, especially going against Hutchinson and a Colorado defense that isn't as good as the Stars' No. 2 ranked defense. The ramifications could be huge for the Stars if they lose this game and thus blow a 3-1 series lead. Interim coach Rick Bowness probably won't be back. The roster could be gutted, too, with the team's aging veterans sent packing in abysmal failure.
09-03-20	Flyers v. Islanders -115	Top	5-4	Loss	-115	16 h 0 m	Show
These two teams are very similar, stressing defense and discipline. Except the Islanders are the better team. The Flyers barely held off elimination by nipping the Islanders in overtime two days ago. I see the Islanders closing the series out now in their second try just like they did against the Capitals and Panthers. Except for the opening period in Game 3 and the second period in Game 5, the Islanders have gotten the better of Philadelphia. The Flyers were outscored by the Canadiens during their previous Stanley Cup series and I don't believe they can step up enough to force a Game 7 against the extremely sound and well-coached Islanders, who are playing their best hockey. The Islanders have defeated the Flyers in seven of their past nine meetings.
09-02-20	Avalanche v. Stars OVER 6		4-1	Loss	-113	13 h 57 m	Show
There's only one way to play the total on this series - and it's certainly not Under. Colorado and Dallas have averaged 8.6 goals per game during the first five games of this Stanley Cup series. There haven't been fewer than seven goals scored in any game. The Over has won each time. It's clear the Stars are comfortable playing up-tempo, which is how the Avalanche prefers it. Various players are stepping up in huge ways on offense and the goaltending has been putrid. The Avalanche are down to ineffective backup goalies, while the Stars trotted out Ben Bishop for the first time since Aug. 13. An obviously rusty and perhaps not-100 percent healthy Bishop surrendered four goals in the first period before getting the hook. Bishop was making only his fourth appearance since March 10. Dallas has gone Over seven straight times. Colorado has gone Over in six of its last seven games. So I see no reason not to continue to ride the Over wave.
09-01-20	Islanders v. Flyers +109		3-4	Win	109	17 h 19 m	Show
I'm not saying the Flyers are the superior team to the Islanders. I just don't see this series ending in five games. I see Philadelphia extending the series to at least six games. The Flyers won Game 2 and then lost 3-1 and 3-2 during the last two games. Philadelphia has proven resilient all season. The Flyers are 40-18 when playing on one day's rest and until Game 4 had bounced back from every postseason defeat with a victory. The Flyers dominated the second period of Game 4 and outshot the Islanders in that contest, 38-33.
08-31-20	Bruins v. Lightning -113		2-3	Win	100	13 h 10 m	Show
Don't step in front of the Lightning. Tampa Bay is smelling blood as it seeks redemption from being swept in the first round of the Stanley Cup last season after dominating the regular season. The Lightning have won three in a row against the Bruins after losing the first game. The Lightning have smashed the Bruins outscoring them, 10-2, during the past three games. Backup goalie Jaroslav Halak hasn't been up to the task of stopping the Lightning's high-powered attack. The Bruins haven't matched up well to the Lightning during the past few seasons losing 14 of the last 17 games.
08-30-20	Golden Knights v. Canucks OVER 5.5		5-3	Win	100	13 h 22 m	Show
I definitely can see each team putting up three goals in this matchup. The Canucks lack the defense to stop the Golden Knights, who have produced 3 or more goals in 10 of their last 13 games and go four lines deep. The Canucks' top two lines can do plenty of damage with their youth, talent and skating ability. Vancouver showed that in Game 2 winning 5-2 before getting some bad luck in Game 3. This is a back-to-back spot. However, the teams should have gas left since they were idle Wednesday through Friday. Vancouver's talented offense and below average defense has resulted in the Over going 21-10-1 during its last 32 games.
08-30-20	Flyers v. Islanders -121		2-3	Win	100	11 h 17 m	Show
Don't underestimate the intensity and killer attitude of the Islanders to take out opponents during these Stanley Cup playoffs. The Islanders took out Washington, a team with far more firepower than Philadelphia, in five games during the first round while the Flyers were being outscored and struggling with the inferior Canadiens. Now the Flyers are down 2-1 in the series to the forechecking, disciplined Islanders. The Islanders play the Flyers' type of game except better. Philadelphia has scored just 16 goals in nine Stanley Cup games, an average of less than two goals per game. The Islanders have outplayed the Flyers for the past five periods. So I see no compelling reason not to stick with them.
08-29-20	Golden Knights v. Canucks OVER 6		3-0	Loss	-107	20 h 42 m	Show
The Canucks' two top lines showed their talent and speed being instrumental in Vancouver's 5-2 Game 2 victory on Tuesday. Vancouver has the offense to do that to foes. The Canucks aren't so strong on the defensive end. It's why the Over is 21-9-1 in Vancouver's last 31 games. The Golden Knights have scored 4 or more goals in eight of their last 11 games since hockey resumed. The Golden Knights won Game 1 of the series, 5-0, and have the depth to dominate when third and fourth lines are skating. Both teams should be fully fresh after getting extra rest time with the postponement of Thursday's game until Saturday. The Over has cashed four of the past five times the teams have met.
08-29-20	Flyers v. Islanders -114		1-3	Win	100	17 h 2 m	Show
The Canucks' two top lines showed their talent and speed being instrumental in Vancouver's 5-2 Game 2 victory on Tuesday. Vancouver has the offense to do that to foes. The Canucks aren't so strong on the defensive end. It's why the Over is 21-9-1 in Vancouver's last 31 games. The Golden Knights have scored 4 or more goals in eight of their last 11 games since hockey resumed. The Golden Knights won Game 1 of the series, 5-0, and have the depth to dominate when third and fourth lines are skating. Both teams should be fully fresh after getting extra rest time with the postponement of Thursday's game until Saturday. The Over has cashed four of the past five times the teams have met.
08-26-20	Avalanche v. Stars OVER 5.5	Top	6-4	Win	100	21 h 15 m	Show
There were eight goals scored in Game 1 of this series. There were seven goals produced in Game 2. Yet the oddsmaker still is hanging a 5 1/2 total on this matchup just like in the first two games. That Over/Under is too short. Dallas has played aggressive in the playoffs. The Stars' top scorers have come alive helping Dallas produce five goals each during the first two games of the series. The Over is 5-0 in the Stars' last five games. Dallas is averaging 4.1 goals during its last seven games. The Stars can continue to take advantage of Colorado backup goalie Pavel Francouz. Both teams are without their starting goalies as Dallas is missing Ben Bishop. Look for Colorado to come out super aggressive down 2-0 in the series. The Avalanche's calling card is offense. They ranked fourth in scoring during the regular season. They have the most talented scorer on the ice in Nathan MacKinnon. The Avalanche have scored three or more goals in 11 of their last 15 games. The Over is 4-1 in their past five games.
08-25-20	Canucks v. Golden Knights OVER 5.5	Top	5-2	Win	100	19 h 13 m	Show
The Canucks don't have the defense nor depth to keep the Golden Knights' offense in check. Las Vegas has scored at least 4 goals in eight of 10 games since hockey resumed. Las Vegas is averaging 5 goals per game in three meetings with the Canucks this season. The Canucks should have more energy than they did in Game 1 on Sunday after they had just eliminated the Blues. Vancouver has outstanding young goal scorers in Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson. They also have good scoring depth this season. Vancouver was embarrassed, 5-0, in Game 1 of this series. It's noteworthy to point out that the Canucks are 18-7-1 to the Over the past 26 times when they failed to score more than two goals during their previous game.
08-24-20	Stars v. Avalanche OVER 5.5		5-2	Win	100	18 h 28 m	Show
Forget perception. The Stars are far more offensive-minded in the playoffs. Veterans Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov have all stepped up. The result has been the Stars averaging four goals during their last six games. Colorado's major strength is its fourth-ranked offense. Look for the Avalanche to step up their attack after losing, 5-3, in Game 1 of this series this past Saturday. The Avalanche lost starting goalie Philipp Grubauer and veteran defenseman Erik Johnson to injuries in that game. Neither is expected to play here. The Stars remain without their stud goalie, Ben Bishop. There's a huge drop from Bishop to backup goalie Anton Khudobin.
08-24-20	Islanders +100 v. Flyers		4-0	Win	100	16 h 41 m	Show
Impressive. That's what you have to say about the Islanders' performance in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs when they dominated and took out the Capitals. The Flyers had to go six games to eliminate the Canadiens. Montreal outscored Philadelphia in its first-round series. The Flyers were bothered by the Canadiens' physical, aggressive style. Philadelphia averaged just 1.8 goals during the series. The Islanders are a step up from Montreal. The Islanders swept the Flyers during the regular season winning all three matchups.
08-23-20	Canucks v. Golden Knights OVER 5.5	Top	0-5	Loss	-115	20 h 4 m	Show
Vancouver likes to attack and has the NHL's fourth-best power play. Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller are all accomplished goal scorers. The Canucks are a top-eight scoring team with a below average defense. That combination has resulted in a 20-8-1 mark to the Over in their last 29 games. The Golden Knights wouldn't mind an up-tempo game either since they will have plenty of energy having last played this past Tuesday. The Over is 6-0 the past six times the Golden Knights have played on 3 or more day's rest. Las Vegas wants to make an early statement in this series and they can do that by peppering the net with shots. The Golden Knights led the NHL in shots on goal. The teams met twice during the regular season. There were nine goals scored in each game.
08-23-20	Canucks v. Golden Knights -1.5		0-5	Win	145	20 h 1 m	Show
The Golden Knights have never lost in regulation to the Canucks in 10 meetings. I don't expect that pattern to change in this Game 1. Given that the Golden Knights are the superior team and are in a very good situational spot, I'm expecting a Las Vegas multi-goal win so I'd rather grab a nice plus price on the puck line than lay heavy juice. The Canucks just played this past Friday night when they eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues. That's a quick turnaround and a letdown spot. By contrast, the Golden Knights have been idle since Wednesday. Having four days to rest and prepare is huge at this stage. The Golden Knights opened their Stanley Cup playoffs with a 4-1 Game 1 victory against the Blackhawks, who had just got through upsetting the Oilers. I could envision the same type of victory here for the Golden Knights, who have a huge edge in depth and defense.
08-22-20	Stars v. Avalanche OVER 5.5		5-3	Win	116	9 h 43 m	Show
Both of these teams are on offensive rolls so I'm going to ride with it. The Stars are coming off seven unanswered goals in eliminating the Flames, 7-3, two days ago. Dallas scored five or more goals in three of the six games in the series. So the Stars shouldn't be dialing back their aggressive, attacking style that worked. The Avalanche are riding plenty of momentum, too. They are coming off back-to-back seven-goal games. Colorado is more than willing to play a fast skating tempo game.
08-21-20	Blues -130 v. Canucks		2-6	Loss	-130	16 h 39 m	Show
The Blues have been down this path before. They were down 3-2 in the playoffs against the Stars last season. St. Louis rebounded to win that series on its way to capturing the Stanley Cup. Maybe the Canucks can take out the Blues. But I don't see it happening in this Game 6. The Blues are kicking themselves for blowing a 3-1 second period lead in a 4-3 loss to the Canucks on Wednesday. Outstanding goaltending by Jacob Markstrom has been a huge key for Vancouver. The Blues have fired an average of nearly 43 shots a game during the last three games. I don't see the Canucks being able to keep up and Markstrom is due to start wearing down.
08-21-20	Blues v. Canucks OVER 5		2-6	Win	100	16 h 38 m	Show
Things could get out of hand in this Game 6 matchup with the Blues on the verge of elimination trailing 3-2 in the series. There were seven goals scored in the last game with Vancouver winning, 4-3. Play opened up and game flow should stay up-tempo for this matchup. The Blues have scored three goals in each of the last four games. St. Louis has fired 37, 39 and 49 shots on goal during the past three games. Vancouver has netted at least three goals in six of its last eight games. The Canucks are a top-eight scoring team with a below average defense. So it's not surprising the Over is 19-8-1 in the Canucks' last 28 games.
08-21-20	Flyers -129 v. Canadiens		3-2	Win	100	13 h 7 m	Show
The Flyers came back from an embarrassing, 5-0, loss in Game 2 to defeat the Canadiens in the next game. I expect the Flyers to follow that same winning pattern after losing, 5-3, on Wednesday in a physical and emotional game. Philadelphia is 6-0 the past six times after laying five or more goals in its previous game. Montreal scored five goals in each of its victories. But in the other three games in this series, the Canadiens have produced only one goal. The Canadiens also will be without injured Brendan Gallagher, who tied for the team lead in goals during the regular season.
08-20-20	Stars v. Flames +113		7-3	Loss	-100	19 h 13 m	Show
This is a real even series with a seven-game feel to it. So I'll take a plus price on Calgary believing the Flames will extend the series to seven games being down three games to two. The underdog has won eight of the last 11 between these two teams. The Flames were extremely close to opening a 3-1 lead in the series, but they gave up a late game-tying goal in Game 4 and then lost in overtime. I respect the Stars' defense, but I would give a strong nod to Cam Talbot over Anton Khudobin in net. Talbot is in a tremendous groove. The Flames need to do a better job of testing Khudobin especially Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm. They are all overdue to produce better scoring performances.
08-20-20	Islanders v. Capitals OVER 5		4-0	Loss	-124	6 h 60 m	Show
The Capitals displayed their firepower in the last game firing 28 shots during the last two periods while producing three goals. I see the Capitals carrying that over into this game. The Islanders haven't been able to slow down superstar Alex Ovechkin. Washington, though, has a slightly below average defense that the Islanders can dent. The Capitals are on the brink of elimination so they would have to take plenty of chances if trailing in the third period, which could lead to empty net goals. The Over is 5-1-1 the past seven times the teams have met.
08-19-20	Canucks +127 v. Blues		4-3	Win	127	15 h 46 m	Show
The Canucks nearly went up 3-0 in the series. They won the first two games and led in the third game before losing in overtime. Sparked by backup goalie Jake Allen, the Blues have evened the series. But now it's Vancouver's turn to win. The Canucks own an edge in firepower especially now that it's for certain that explosive winger Vladimir Tarasenko is done for the series because of a shoulder injury.
08-19-20	Coyotes v. Avalanche OVER 5.5		1-7	Win	115	10 h 37 m	Show
So much for the conservative Coyotes keeping the lid on Colorado. The Avalanche exploded for seven goals in their last game. They have fired 81 shots on goal during the past two games. Colorado was the fourth-highest scoring team in the league during the regular season. The Avs aren't going to be held in check any more by the Coyotes. This game could feature a lot of penalties with a much faster tempo than earlier in the series. Arizona faces elimination with a loss so there could be a lot of late scoring action.
08-19-20	Hurricanes +135 v. Bruins		1-2	Loss	-100	8 h 28 m	Show
Even though Boston can close out the series with a victory here leading 3-1, I'm not convinced the Bruins are the superior team. If you discount a late empty net goal, every game has been decided by one goal. The Bruins have managed to win three of those four games. If the Hurricanes didn't blow a two-goal lead in the last game, the series would be even at 2-2 and this betting line might be different. Yes, it's a blow that the Hurricanes lost rising star forward Andrei Svechnikov. But he also had missed time when the Hurricanes met the Capitals in the first round last season. The Hurricanes won that series. The Bruins are not unscathed. Their leading scorer, David Pastrnak, has not played in the last three games and starting goalie, Tukka Rask, opted to leave the team.
08-19-20	Blue Jackets v. Lightning OVER 5		4-5	Win	100	9 h 44 m	Show
Tampa Bay led the NHL in scoring this season at 3.5 goals per game. The Lightning have the firepower and motivation to steamroll the Blue Jackets after Columbus stunned them in the playoffs last season with a first-round sweep. Columbus finds itself on the verge of elimination down 3-1 in the series. The Blue Jackets have managed just three goals in the last two goals. They are overdue to score more. Both goalies have played well, but goalie fatigue could factor now. An early start time won't help. The Blue Jackets will have to open up and take more chances if they fall behind as expected. This could mean extended open net time, too.
08-18-20	Blackhawks v. Golden Knights OVER 5.5		3-4	Win	100	20 h 53 m	Show
The total during this series has gone from a high of 6 1/2 down to 5 1/2 with juice at some books for this Game 5 matchup. Perhaps 6 1/2 was a stopping point. But even though the last two games have fallen well short of going Over, I still believe Over is the way to go with these two teams especially now where 5 1/2's were still available. I don't see 35-year-old Corey Crawford finding the fountain of youth and stringing together two straight monster performances. The Golden Knights played well in Game 4 and fired 49 shots on Crawford. He stopped 48 of them. Now two days later, Crawford has to stand tall again against a peaking Golden Knights team and a leaky, mistake-prone defense. Golden Knights Coach Pete DeBoer said he wasn't worried about his team's offense. I'm not either. The Golden Knights will get their share of goals. They could come close to exceeding this total just by themselves. The Blackhawks, with their style of favoring speed over physical play, is built for higher-scoring games. Chicago has produced 3 or more goals in seven of its last nine games.
08-18-20	Blackhawks v. Golden Knights -1.5		3-4	Loss	-100	20 h 33 m	Show
The Blackhawks have nothing to be ashamed of. They made the playoffs taking out the Oilers in round-robin play. The Blackhawks also didn't get swept by the Golden Knights during this Stanley Cup playoff series because they won Game 4 two days ago. But now the clock has struck midnight for Chicago. The Golden Knights could be the best team in hockey. They out-chanced the Blackhawks, 41-4, in losing this past Sunday despite playing perhaps their best game of the series. There is a huge class and depth difference in this series. The Blackhawks have some great veterans, but they also have a lot of youth and their third line can't compete with the Golden Knights' third line. Las Vegas is up 3-1 in the series despite not scoring a single power-play goal. That's due to change. The Golden Knights had the ninth-best power play during the regular season. Now the Golden Knights have added motivation after losing in their last game. The edges are all there, so I feel confident in backing the Golden Knights at a plus price laying 1 1/2 goals rather than laying heavy juice.
08-18-20	Flyers -130 v. Canadiens		2-0	Win	100	12 h 38 m	Show
The Canadiens certainly caught the Flyers' attention when they whipped them, 5-0, in Game 2 of this series. The Flyers came back to nip Montreal, 1-0, on Sunday. The Flyers are the superior team and they reinserted themselves with that victory. I don't see this series going more than five games so I like the Flayers. The lay price isn't too high to back the better team. Philadelphia is 12-2 following a victory and has beaten Montreal in nine of the last 13 meetings.
08-17-20	Bruins v. Hurricanes +114		4-3	Loss	-100	19 h 41 m	Show
This series has the makings of going the full seven games. There have been three close games and the Bruins have managed to win two of three. I see the Hurricanes evening the series here. I'm not buying into the perception that Boston is the better overall team. The Bruins are 1-7 the past eight times they've been playoff chalk. The Hurricanes have won seven of their last nine games. There have been significant developments since the series began. The Hurricanes have lost Andrei Svechnikov, their No. 2 goal scorer and a rising star. The Bruins are without their starting goalie as Tuukka Rask decided to leave the bubble to be with his family. It's 50-50, too, if the Bruins get back injured David Pastrnak. Backup goalie Jaroslav Halak was up to the task in Boston's Game 3 victory, 3-1, stopping 29 of 30 shots. Halak may not be that effective in this next matchup.
08-17-20	Lightning v. Blue Jackets +140		2-1	Loss	-100	10 h 19 m	Show
The Blue Jackets are a tough out with proven resiliency. They are 3-0 in the postseason following a defeat. So I see value at this price taking the underdog Blue Jackets and their red-hot goalie Joonas Korpisalo, who has a 1.51 GAA and .956 saver percentage in seven playoff games. Tampa Bay is 3-7 the last 10 times it has been favored. It's an added bonus for the Blue Jackets if Cam Atkinson returns to the lineup. He's missed the last two games due to an undisclosed injury.
08-16-20	Flyers -130 v. Canadiens	Top	1-0	Win	100	17 h 28 m	Show
The Flyers are far superior to the Canadiens. I thought the Flyers could sweep their series against Montreal. That's not going to happen after the Canadiens embarrassed Philadelphia, 5-0, on Friday. The Flyers are not happy with that defeat especially after the Canadiens still used their top power play unit up 5-0 in the third period. Carey Price is stepping up for Montreal. But I still like youngster Carter Hart more as Price is past his prime. Even with that stinging loss, the Flyers are 20-6 in their last 26 games. Their top five scorers have yet to produce a goal in the series. They are way overdue for a breakout performance. I see that happening here.
08-15-20	Golden Knights v. Blackhawks OVER 6		2-1	Loss	-113	17 h 54 m	Show
Chicago has an up-tempo, attack mentality and proven offensive stars in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Kane. The Blackhawks also have too much youth and playoff inexperience, which leads to mistakes on defense. Las Vegas goes four lines deep. The Golden Knights have the depth to always apply offensive pressure on the Blackhawks. Las Vegas' second line of Jonathan Marchessault, Paul Stastny and Reilly Smith have been particularly effective in this series. The Blackhawks are giving up 3.8 goals in their last six games. The Golden Knights are averaging 4.4 goals in their last seven games. Las Vegas has scored 4 or more goals in all but one of its past seven games. Chicago is averaging 3.7 goals in its last seven games. The Over has won eight of the last 11 times these teams have met.
08-15-20	Golden Knights -1.5 v. Blackhawks		2-1	Loss	-100	17 h 51 m	Show
The Golden Knights took the Blackhawks' best punch in Game 2 on Thursday and still won, 4-3 in overtime. The Golden Knights blew a multiple goal lead in that game. I don't see that happening here. The Golden Knights' depth, playoff experience and defense is too much for the Blackhawks' mix of a few stars, playoff newcomers and lack of defense. So I'm going to take a plus price on the Golden Knights winning by more than one goal rather than lay heavy juice. When the Golden Knights win, it's often by more than one goal. That has been the case in eight of their last 11 victories.
08-15-20	Avalanche v. Coyotes OVER 5.5		2-4	Win	120	12 h 58 m	Show
Sparked by one of the top No. 1 lines in hockey, the Avalanche finished with the fourth-highest scoring offense in the NHL. They have scored 3 or more goals in 11 of their last 14 games. So Colorado is going to produce its share of goals here. But what about the more conservative Coyotes? They've played a tight-checking style during the first two games of the series. It hasn't worked. They are down 2-0 in the series after losing 3-0 and then 3-2 on Friday. I see Arizona coming out more aggressive, trying to open things up because they lack Colorado's depth. Down 2-0, the Coyotes can't afford to play tight anymore. This is the third time in four days the teams are meeting. So there's a fatigue factor, which could lead to sloppiness and more blueline mistakes than usual.
08-14-20	Canucks +129 v. Blues		4-3	Win	129	14 h 18 m	Show
Watch out for Vancouver. The Canucks have won four in a row. Their speed and scoring depth was on display in Game 1 of this series when the Canucks defeated the Blues, 5-2. The Canucks are peaking while the Blues have serious problems. So while I respect the defending Stanley Cup champions, I believe the wrong team is favored here. St. Louis has yet to win since hockey resumed going winless in the four-team round-robin tournament. The Blues have key injuries and Vladimir Tarasenko hasn't been 100 percent following a shoulder injury suffered this past October. Alex Steen and Sammy Blais missed Game 1 against Vancouver due to injuries. Another problem for the Blues is the subpar play of goalie Jordan Binnington. He was great last season. Not now, though. He's struggling and his GAA of 3.6 during his last five starts reflects that.
08-14-20	Coyotes v. Avalanche UNDER 5.5		2-3	Win	100	10 h 5 m	Show
Arizona's style is to hang around hoping for a break since the Coyotes can't come close to matching Colorado's firepower. The Coyotes were heavily outshot in Game 1, but that strategy was working because the score was 0-0 going into the final seven minutes. Then a controversial interference penalty was called on the Coyotes. Colorado scored on the power play and then added two more goals to win, 3-0. The Avalanche is content to play Arizona's conservative, tight-checking style hoping to wear out the Coyotes like they did in Game 1. Colorado held Arizona to only 14 shots on goal, but Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said his team is capable of playing better defense. Note this game starts early - noon Edmonton time. Early starts often are a plus for the Under.
08-13-20	Hurricanes +125 v. Bruins	Top	3-2	Win	125	15 h 11 m	Show
The Bruins weren't sharp during the round robin series. They were able to get past the Hurricanes, 4-3, in double overtime on Wednesday, though. The Hurricanes hadn't played in seven days after sweeping the Rangers in a qualifying series. The rust showed because the Hurricanes were sluggish. Yet they nearly won. Expect a much better effort from the Hurricanes today. Fatigue shouldn't factor for them either since they had been idle for so long prior to yesterday. The Hurricanes haven't forgotten the Bruins sweeping them in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Carolina has better scoring depth than Boston and its top line of Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen can match the Bruins' powerful No. 1 line of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand. Carolina swept the Rangers despite not having key defenseman Dougie Hamilton. He played Wednesday, though. So that's a major plus for the Hurricanes. The Bruins have yet to convert a power play opportunity this month going 0-for-13.
08-13-20	Blackhawks v. Golden Knights OVER 6		3-4	Win	100	13 h 43 m	Show
Since there were just five goals scored in Game 1 of this series, the oddsmaker opened the total at 6 with juice to the Over instead of 6 1/2. I think that's a mistake. This is going to be a high-scoring series just like the Blackhawks had against the Oilers. I respect the Golden Knights' defense. They were impressive in Las Vegas' 4-1 Game 1 win keeping the Blackhawks bottled up in their own end most of the game. The Blackhawks are playing on house money. They really shouldn't be here. So I see them playing even more loose than normal. They know they can't win a tight, defensive game. They have some outstanding offensive players. Chicago has scored 3 or more goals in 10 of its last 12 games. Expect an up-tempo game. The Golden Knights have scored 3 or more goals in 12 of their last 14 games. They have produced 4 or more goals in five of their last six games against much better defenses than Chicago. The Blackhawks lack the defensive depth to counter Las Vegas' outstanding line depth.
08-13-20	Blackhawks v. Golden Knights -1.5		3-4	Loss	-100	13 h 41 m	Show
The Blackhawks upset the Oilers in their qualifying series. But they are very much outclassed in this series. That showed in the Golden Knights' 4-1 victory in Game 1. Look for the Golden Knights to roll to another multiple goal victory aided by their top goal and point scorer, Max Pacioretty. He missed Las Vegas' three round-robin games, but played in Game 1. Pacioretty should play better in this game. The Blackhawks don't play clean enough on the backend to keep the Golden Knights from scoring. Las Vegas is averaging 4.5 goals in its last six games. The Golden Knights also have a huge defense advantage with Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb, Alec Martinez and Nate Schmidt.
08-12-20	Canucks +129 v. Blues		5-2	Win	129	10 h 25 m	Show
Maybe the Blues can just turn it on. But I'll take a plus price to fade the defending Stanley Cup champions in this Game 1 playoff matchup. The Blues went 0-3 in their round-robin postseason games. They are 6-13 the past 19 times facing an above .500 opponent. Goalie Jordan Binnington, who was so instrumental in the Blues' capturing the Stanley Cup last season, isn't playing well with a 4.10 GAA and .895 save percentage during the round-robin competition. The Canucks have their confidence up after beating the Wild in four games during their qualifying series. They have played the Blues strong this season winning twice while losing once, which came in overtime.
08-12-20	Canadiens v. Flyers -1.5		1-2	Loss	-100	15 h 0 m	Show
Kudos to the Canadiens for taking out the Penguins during the qualifying rounds. But now reality strikes for the Canadiens. They draw the Flyers. The Flyers are deserving of being the top seed in the Eastern Conference. But are they deserving of laying 1 1/2 goals against Montreal in this first game matchup? Put it this way: Each of the Flyers' last 10 victories have been by more than one goal. If you discount a 2-0 loss to the Bruins, the Flyers are averaging 4.2 goals during their last 17 games. They are giving up 1.2 goals in their past seven games. The Canadiens have surrendered three or more goals in eight of their last 11 games. They are averaging just 1.8 goals during their past seven games. Clear class difference. So I'm going to turn a high lay price into a huge plus price by banking on the Flyers to win by more than one goal.
08-11-20	Blackhawks v. Golden Knights -1.5		1-4	Win	140	15 h 7 m	Show
The Golden Knights are not the Oilers, the team the Blackhawks took out to reach this point. Unlike the Oilers, the Golden Knights are not brain dead. Las Vegas' case to bury the defensively-challenged Blackhawks is the return of Max Pacioretty, the team's leading scorer. He makes the Golden Knights' power play more deadly and helps Las Vegas field three strong attacking lines. I see a big disparity between these two teams, so I'm laying 1 1/2 goals and taking the Golden Knights on the run line.
08-11-20	Blackhawks v. Golden Knights OVER 6.5		1-4	Loss	-100	15 h 5 m	Show
The Blackhawks are on house money after upsetting the Oilers to reach this stage. They are offensive-oriented and make mistakes defensively. The Blackhawks averaged 4 goals per game in beating the Oilers in four games. Chicago has scored 3 or more goals in 10 of its last 12 games. The Over has cashed in 16 of the past 21 instances when the Blackhawks have played on 3 or more day's rest. The Golden Knights are averaging 4.6 goals in their last six games. They led the league in shots on goal. The Over has cashed seven of the last nine times these teams have met.
08-11-20	Blue Jackets v. Lightning -164		2-3	Win	100	6 h 46 m	Show
Bad spot for the Blue Jackets and a monster revenge spot for Tampa Bay. That combination makes me lay this price with the Lightning. The Lightning were shockingly swept by the Blue Jackets last season after a dominant regular season. They will have tremendous motivation. The Blue Jackets took out the Maple Leafs in five games during their series. The finale of that series was Sunday. This is an early start time. So the turnaround is very short for Columbus. The Blue Jackets have struggled to score averaging just 2.1 goals per game during their last eight games. Tampa Bay is unlikely to have Victor Hedman, one of the better defensemen in the league. But the Lightning have the depth to overcome his loss. This is the Lightning's season as a Game 1 upset loss could send them into the type of tailspin they experienced last year in the Stanley Cup.
08-08-20	Golden Knights v. Avalanche OVER 5.5		4-3	Win	100	12 h 43 m	Show
I'm not sold on the Golden Knights' defense right now. Las Vegas has given up at least three goals in four of its last five games. The Golden Knights have had problems with Colorado this season giving up 13 goals in two games. The Avalanche have produced three or more goals in eight of their last 11 games. But I also envision the Golden Knights getting their share of goals. It's a plus if their leading scorer, Max Pacioretty, is ready to return to the lineup. He has yet to play since the season resumed. Las Vegas notched five goals versus Dallas and six against St. Louis in its two games following the layoff.
08-07-20	Oilers -128 v. Blackhawks		2-3	Loss	-128	15 h 56 m	Show
Credit to the Blackhawks for pulling out a victory on Wednesday to take a 2-1 series lead on the Oilers. But I'm still convinced the Oilers are the better team. So I'm behind them in this do-or-die spot. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who led the league in points, are too much for Chicago. Both have been hot in the postseason with Draisaitl producing six points and McDavid seven points. They've combined for eight goals. McDavid is the most dangerous offensive player in the NHL.
08-07-20	Oilers v. Blackhawks OVER 6.5		2-3	Loss	-104	15 h 55 m	Show
The teams have played three games in their series. All three have gone Over with 10, 9 and 7 goals being scored. Perhaps the streak ends here. But I'm going to keep riding the Over. These are two offensive-minded teams. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are superstars and at the top of their games. Neither team has featured good goaltending. The Blackhawks live and die by attacking and being aggressive. This can lead to mistakes. But they are not all of a sudden going to get cautious. So the pace should remain fast. The Oilers have scored at least 3 goals in 12 of their last 17 games. It's not difficult to envision each team scoring at least three goals.
08-07-20	Islanders -123 v. Panthers		5-1	Win	100	8 h 29 m	Show
Now that the Panthers got their victory, Iook for the Islanders to close out this series with a victory today. New York is the better team. The Panthers nipped the Islanders, 3-2, on Wednesday because the Islanders made uncharacteristic mistakes and stupid plays. Expect a much cleaner effort from them as they thrive on discipline and defense. The Islanders had defeated the Panthers six straight times until that loss. The Panthers could be missing Jonathan Huberdeau, who is their leading scorer. He missed the last five minutes of Wednesday's game with an injury.
08-06-20	Flames v. Jets OVER 5.5		4-0	Loss	-100	10 h 11 m	Show
Calgary can finally get a five-year bad taste out of its mouth. All the Flames have to do is beat the shorthanded Jets today since they lead their best-of-five series 2-1. The Flames haven't eliminated a playoff opponent since 2015. So years of pent-up frustration could occur with the Flames producing six goals like they did in their 6-2 victory on Tuesday in the previous game. Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck was tremendous during the regular season. But he was not sharp on Tuesday. So now his reliability comes into question especially with Calgary's top two lines playing well. It's a plus if the Jets get back some of their injured offensive stars. I'm not counting on that happening, though. But I do believe the underdog Jets will play this game aggressively and open their play up.
08-06-20	Capitals -113 v. Flyers		1-3	Loss	-113	7 h 24 m	Show
I'm expecting Washington star defenseman John Carlson to play after he missed Monday's loss to the Lightning. Carlson practiced on Wednesday. But even if Carlson is a no-go, I still like the Capitals in this spot. The Capitals were frustrated in a shootout loss to the Lightning. The Flyers are going to be rusty. They last played on Sunday when they defeated the Bruins, 4-1, in an underdog role. Flyers rookie goalie Carter Hart was outstanding in that win. However, the Flyers are going with 35-year-old Brian Elliott in net for this matchup. That's a break for the Capitals.
08-05-20	Oilers -135 v. Blackhawks		3-4	Loss	-135	16 h 36 m	Show
The class difference between these two teams is greater than the lay price in my view. Edmonton has too much offense for a mistake-prone Blackhawks defense. Connor McDavid is at the top of his game. There is no one better in the NHL. The Blackhawks caught the Oilers napping in the first period of Game 1 scoring four goals. Since then during the past five periods, the Oilers have outscored the Blackhawks, 9-5. Chicago has not done well in quick turnarounds going 9-25 the past 34 times when playing on one day rest.
08-05-20	Oilers v. Blackhawks OVER 6.5		3-4	Win	102	16 h 35 m	Show
The oddsmaker set a total of 6 with juice on the Over in Game 1 of this series. The result was a 6-4 Chicago victory. Undaunted, the oddsmaker kept the total at 6 with juice to the Over in Game 2. The Oilers won, 6-3. Now the oddsmaker isn't being so stubborn. He's opened this Game 3 with a total of 6 1/2 with juice to the Under. But these teams aren't changing their styles. Connor McDavid is at the top of his superstar game and the Blackhawks lack the defense to keep the Oilers from putting up multiple goals. The Blackhawks have enough offense to contribute their share of goals. I had easy wins with the Over in the first two games of this series. So I see no reason to change at this point.
08-05-20	Avalanche v. Stars +117		4-0	Loss	-100	12 h 37 m	Show
I expect a strong effort from the Stars after they blew a 3-1 lead to the Golden Knights on Monday in a 5-3 loss. The Stars got soft in the third period giving up four unanswered goals. The Stars have yet to lose to Colorado in four games this season. The Avalanche escaped with a 2-1 victory against the Blues in their first game since play was halted. I prefer Ben Bishop against any of Colorado's goalies.
08-04-20	Wild v. Canucks +104		3-4	Win	104	19 h 15 m	Show
The Canucks were unexpectedly shut out in Game 1 on Sunday, losing 3-0. Look for the Canucks to make the necessary adjustments and get their offense rolling. Minnesota's defense and goalie Alex Stalock played over their heads in that opening series victory. The Canucks go four lines deep. They had five players who produced 21 or more goals during the regular season. I expect a much better result from Vancouver down 0-1 in the series.
08-04-20	Wild v. Canucks OVER 5.5		3-4	Win	127	19 h 15 m	Show
Minnesota held up its end of the scoring producing three goals in Sunday's Game 1 of this series. Vancouver, though, was shut out by Alex Stalock. Credit to Stalock and the Wild's defense, but I don't see that happening again. The Canucks came out tight. They have too many dangerous scorers and now have had a look at Stalock. The Over is 11-3-1 the past 15 times the Canucks have scored two goals or less during their previous game. The Over also is 18-7-2 the past 27 times the Wild have allowed two goals or less in their past game. The Canucks had just one power play opportunity in Game 1. That's extremely rare. Expect more 5-on-4 opportunities this time around for them.
08-03-20	Blackhawks v. Oilers OVER 6		3-6	Win	100	13 h 59 m	Show
I thought we would see at least a 6 1/2 total after 10 goals were scored in the Blackhawks' 6-4 opening game win on Saturday. I liked the Over very much in that game. I see no reason to change especially with the oddsmaker stubbornly sticking with an opening total of 6 minus juice to the Over. The Blackhawks launched 42 shots on goal in that game. The Blackhawks win with offense so they are not going to change their aggressive style. The Oilers were not sharp defensively. Edmonton also is likely to switch goalies going from veteran Mike Smith to Mikko Koskinen, who has never started a playoff game. I expect the Oilers to come out firing, too. They have the two leading point-scorers in the league, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, who has looked fresh and frisky coming off the long layoff. The Over has won six of the past seven times the teams have met in Edmonton.
08-03-20	Blackhawks v. Oilers -125		3-6	Win	100	11 h 45 m	Show
I like Connor McDavid and the Oilers to get revenge after losing, 6-4, in the first game of the series this past Saturday. The Blackhawks hit the Oilers with a quick four-goal first period punch. The Oilers will be more prepared this time around. The Oilers are the superior team and have motivation. McDavid produced three points in the first game and is the best player on the ice. The Blackhawks are 8-24 when playing on one day's rest.
08-02-20	Wild v. Canucks OVER 5.5		3-0	Loss	-102	12 h 30 m	Show
This total is short. The average road game for each team averaged more than six goals per game. Neither team has stellar goaltending. Vancouver has really pumped up its offense. The Canucks own the league's fourth best power play percentage and rank in the top 8 in scoring. The Over has cashed in nine of Vancouver's last 11 games. Minnesota's defense is down this season. The Wild, though, have averaged 3.6 goals during their past 21 games. So it's totally reasonable to expect at least six goals in this matchup.
08-01-20	Jets +117 v. Flames		1-4	Loss	-100	12 h 57 m	Show
These two teams are extremely evenly-matched. But I like Winnipeg's firepower more and I give the Jets a big edge in net with goalie Connor Hellebuyck. He's played so well that he is in the Vezina Trophy discussion. Calgary's defense has taken a hit with Travis Hamonic opting out of the playoffs due to concerns about Coronavirus. The Flames have a recent history of flaming out in the playoffs. They have lost the past four times they've been favored in the postseason.
08-01-20	Blackhawks v. Oilers OVER 6		6-4	Win	100	4 h 29 m	Show
Edmonton has the NHL's two leading point-getters in Leon Draisitl and Connor McDavid. They also have depth with four strong scoring lines. So the Oilers should come up big against a porous Blackhawks defense that gave up the second most shots on goal during the regular season. It shouldn't be a struggle for the Oilers to notch at least three goals. The Blackhawks also averaged 3 goals per game. This should be a free-wheeling matchup where the goalies could be rusty. It's worth noting, too, the Over has cashed eight of the last 10 times the teams have met in Edmonton.
03-11-20	Senators +150 v. Kings		2-3	Loss	-100	16 h 58 m	Show
Kudos to the Kings, who have the fewest points in the Western Conference. Despite their lowly status, the Kings have put together a six-game win streak. Note, though, that three of those victories were by one goal with two of the victories coming in either overtime, or via a shootout. Now, for just the second time in their last 16 games, the Kings are favored. This is where I jump off the Kings' bandwagon. Ottawa hasn't been playing bad either with four wins in its last six games. The Senators are 7-3 the past 10 times against the Kings. Bottom line: Too much value on Ottawa to let this one pass.
03-09-20	Avalanche v. Kings +121		1-3	Win	121	11 h 58 m	Show
Not only are the Kings playing their best hockey - winners of five in a row - but they are in a tremendous situational spot. Colorado is playing for the fourth time in six days and at its seventh different venue in a row. The Avalanche are coming off a 4-3 victory against the Sharks on Sunday. So they will be playing without rest. This is third consecutive away matchup. After this game, the Avalanche head home for four games in Colorado. LA is 6-1-1 in its last eight home games with four victories during their past four home contests. Jonathan Quick is expected to be in net for the Kings. He has a .957 save percentage and 1.35 GAA in his last five games. Colorado either will go with overworked Pavel Francouz, or backup Michael Hutchinson, in goal. Note, too, the Kings have defeated Colorado in seven of their last 10 meetings.
03-07-20	Blue Jackets v. Oilers OVER 5.5		1-4	Loss	-100	7 h 9 m	Show
The Blue Jackets have gone Over in seven of their last nine games. They have given up 3 or more goals in 11 straight games. The Oilers have scored at least 3 goals in eight of their last 11 games. Leon Draisitl remains hot with 11 points during his last four games. The Over has cashed 10 of the last 13 times the Oilers have hosted the Blue Jackets.
03-06-20	Blackhawks v. Red Wings +145		1-2	Win	145	9 h 5 m	Show
The Red Wings are getting strong goalie work from Jonathan Bernier and have been idle since Monday. But this handicap is based far more on fading the Blackhawks. It's weird to see the Blackhawks this big of a favorite especially since they are playing without rest having edged the Oilers, 4-3, at home Thursday. The Red Wings nearly beat Chicago in the first meeting between the two teams this season. They led 2-0, but fell, 4-2. This gives the Red Wings revenge incentive and a rare realistic chance to win a home game for their long-suffering fans.
03-03-20	Sabres v. Jets -150		1-3	Win	100	6 h 56 m	Show
The Jets are 10-3 the past 13 times as a home favorite. I want them going for me returning home after being idle for two days and coming off a tough 3-2 loss to Edmonton on Saturday in which they outshot the Oilers, 41-22. Buffalo is a terrible road team as evidenced by its 14-46 away mark in its past 60 away games. The Sabres' offense is heavily reliant upon Jack Eichel and he's in a scoring slump without a point in his last four games.
02-29-20	Stars +124 v. Blues		3-4	Loss	-100	7 h 57 m	Show
I'll take a plus price with the Stars in revenge mode for a 5-1 home loss to the Blues on Feb. 21. Dallas is 10-4 the last 14 times as a road 'dog and 18-7 the past 25 times when facing an above .500 opponent. The Blues, by contrast, are 4-10 versus opponents with a winning mark.
02-29-20	Canucks v. Maple Leafs OVER 6.5		2-4	Loss	-128	3 h 20 m	Show
The Canucks have gone Over eight of the last nine times they've gone against an Eastern Conference foe. Look for that pattern to continue. Vancouver has yielded an average of four goals per game during its last five games. The Maple Leafs are averaging four goals a game in their last four contests. The Over has cashed seven of the last 10 times the Maple Leafs have met a Western Conference foe.
02-28-20	Wild v. Blue Jackets -124	Top	5-0	Loss	-124	15 h 59 m	Show
These two teams just met on Tuesday in Minnesota. The Blue Jackets were playing for the eighth time in 13 days. The Wild edged them, 5-4. Now the fatigue situation is reversed. Columbus has been idle the past two days. Minnesota just played last night rolling past the Red Wings. This marks the Wild's third game in four days and fourth matchup in six days. The Wild's track record in these spots is very bad - 2-8 the past 10 times on zero rest and 2-11 the last 13 times when playing in a 3-in-4 situation. They also have a losing record on the road. This is a crucial home matchup for the Blue Jackets, who hold a narrow two-point lead over the Hurricanes and Rangers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
02-26-20	Oilers v. Golden Knights -1.5		0-3	Win	120	13 h 15 m	Show
Las Vegas is playing its best hockey on a six-game win streak. The Golden Knights should be well-rested, too, having been idle since Sunday. Edmonton, though, is coming off a road overtime loss to the Ducks last night. Because it's their second game in two nights, the Oilers are expected to start backup goalie Mikko Koskinen. He has less than sterling credentials with an .899 save percentage and 3.28 GAA in his last four games.
02-25-20	Panthers v. Coyotes -124		2-1	Loss	-124	4 h 17 m	Show
The Coyotes draw the Panthers at the end of their five-game, nine-day road trip. Arizona has been idle the past two days after posting an impressive home victory against Tampa Bay. The Coyotes are 10-1 the past 11 times on two days rest. The teams met last month and the Coyotes beat the Panthers, 5-2, in Florida. The Panthers are 0-5 the past five times they've been underdogs and are 1-5 during their last six visits to Arizona.
02-25-20	Flames v. Bruins UNDER 6		5-2	Loss	-109	10 h 12 m	Show
Look for the Bruins to play with a great deal of defensive intensity at home after giving up nine goals to the Canucks on the road in their last game three days ago. Before that game, Boston had allowed just 17 goals in its past 12 games. Both teams have been active on the trade market so the various lines may not be in full sync yet. Boston played at Calgary this past Friday and won, 4-3. However, only one goal was scored during the second and third periods combined as the defensives figured things out.
02-23-20	Blackhawks v. Stars -1.5		1-2	Loss	-100	2 h 26 m	Show
The Blackhawks are 2-7 in their last nine games and don't have a realistic shot at the playoffs. They take to the road fat and happy, though, after beating the Predators, 2-1, at home on Friday. Chicago is 6-21 the past 27 times when playing on one day's rest. Chicago draws an angry Dallas team coming off a 5-1 loss to the Blues.
02-22-20	Avalanche v. Kings OVER 6		2-1	Loss	-100	11 h 36 m	Show
The Kings are going with youth and playing a more wide open style. That was evident in their last game, a 5-4 home win against the Panthers on Thursday. LA has scored an average of four goals in its last 4 games. LA, though, has given up 3 or more goals in 12 of its last 14 games. Colorado is banged-up, but leads the NHL in goals per game with one of the top lines in hockey.
02-22-20	Sharks v. Rangers UNDER 6.5		2-3	Win	100	3 h 14 m	Show
The Rangers haven't allowed more than 3 goals during their last nine games. The Sharks are down a lot of firepower with Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl and offensive-minded defenseman Erik Karlsson all out. San Jose does posses the No. 1 penalty-killing unit in the NHL, though.
02-21-20	Predators -120 v. Blackhawks		1-2	Loss	-120	10 h 41 m	Show
The Blackhawks are fade material as they look to rebuild and deal with trade rumors as the trade deadline nears. Chicago is 1-7 in its last eight games. The Blackhawks have dropped their past three home games with the latest being, 6-3, to the Rangers two days ago. After this matchup, the Blackhawks face road games against the Stars, Blues and Lightning. So they know the playoffs are not going to be reached. The Predators should be pumped as defenseman Ryan Ellis could make his return to the lineup. He's been out with a head injury. Nashville is 5-2 in its last seven road games. The Predators can take advantage of a Blackhawks defense that is giving up an average of 4.3 goals in their last six games and last-ranked power play unit that has failed to score in its last six games spanning 17 chances.
02-20-20	Jets -118 v. Senators		5-1	Win	100	7 h 35 m	Show
The Jets got better and the Senators got worse with Winnipeg picking up defenseman Dylan DeMelo from Ottawa. The trade happened just two days ago. DeMelo is eager to make an impact against his old team and the timing is right. Winnipeg has been strong as a road favorite winning 23 of the last 34 times in that role. Ottawa is 4-11 in its last 15 home contests. The Senators have given up at least three goals in seven of their last eight games.
02-19-20	Coyotes v. Stars -155		2-3	Win	100	11 h 55 m	Show
You have to go back to 2012 to find the last time Arizona won in Dallas. The Coyotes are 1-9-1 in their past 11 games against the Stars, including losing 4-2 at home on Dec. 29. I don't see that pattern changing in this matchup. The Coyotes go to Dallas fat and happy riding a two-game winning streak with home victories against the Capitals and 2-1 over the Islanders this past Monday. The Stars are 6-1-2 this month, but coming off a 4-3 road loss to the Senators from Sunday. That was Dallas' fourth game in six days. The Stars are home now and have had two days to rest up following that defeat. Wednesday Free Play Rangers plus $1.17 at Blackhawks Face it Chicago it's not going to happen. The Blackhawks aren't going to make the playoffs. Not after going 1-6 in their last seven games. The Blackhawks return home for the first time in two weeks. They are 0-2 in their previous two home games. Chicago hosts the Predators after this matchup followed by road matchups against the Stars, Blues and Lightning. So deep down inside if they are being honest, the Blackhawks have to realize that their just completed 1-4 road swing just about destroyed their forlorn playoff hopes. The Rangers are in desperate need of a victory here, too, as they are outside the playoff picture. Unlike the Blackhawks, though, the Rangers have shown life winning four of their last five games. The lone loss came to the hot Bruins, 3-1, at home this past Sunday. This gives the Rangers amble time to regroup. New York has won its last five road games. The Rangers have been getting outstanding goalie play from Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev. Those two have made Henrik Lundqvist almost an afterthought. The Rangers are giving up just 1.8 goals in their last five games. Only once in their last 10 games have they surrendered more than three goals. The Blackhawks rank last in the NHL in power play percentage. They were 0-for-14 in their power play opportunities during their just conclued five-game road trip. Chicago is allowing an average of four goals per game during their last five contests.
02-17-20	Capitals +120 v. Golden Knights		2-3	Loss	-100	12 h 26 m	Show
It doesn't happen that often, but when it does you have to strongly consider Washington. The Capitals are a road 'dog to Las Vegas. Washington has won nine of the last 11 times (82 percent) it has been a 'dog. Las Vegas has been playing better, but the Capitals have had the Golden Knights' number winning six of the past seven meetings. Washington also is the top road team in the NHL. The Capitals are 19-7 in their last 26 road contests. Note this is a mid-afternoon Vegas time start. That favors the East Coast Capitals and is a negative for the West Coast Golden Knights, who usually play their home games at night.
02-15-20	Islanders v. Golden Knights OVER 5.5		0-1	Loss	-115	7 h 48 m	Show
The Islanders have scored 3 or more goals in six of their last eight games. They also have yielded 3 or more goals in each of their last seven games. If you discount a shutout loss to the Wild two games ago, the Golden Knights have scored 18 goals in their last three games. However, Las Vegas is giving up 4.2 goals per game in its last five games. The Over has cashed in seven of Las Vegas' last eight home contests.
02-14-20	Canadiens v. Penguins OVER 5.5		1-4	Loss	-115	10 h 41 m	Show
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are both hot. Crosby has scored 14 points in his last 10 games, while Malkin has notched at least one point in five straight games. The Penguins' offense is better, too, now that they acquired Jason Zucker. The Penguins can take advantage of Montreal being without its best defenseman with Shea Weber out with an ankle injury. The Penguins were held to one goal by Tampa Bay on Thursday. Prior to that, though, the Penguins had scored 15 goals in their last three home games. Montreal is getting to the desperate point. I don't see the Canadiens playing a conservative game here when they've managed just five goals in their last three games. Before that, Montreal had averaged 3.6 goals in its last five games.
02-13-20	Oilers v. Lightning UNDER 6		1-3	Win	100	5 h 43 m	Show
I'm going Under this total based on the injury report. Edmonton is minus superstar Connor McDavid. Tampa Bay will be without Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Anthony Cirelli. The Oilers scored five goals in their first game without McDavid. That was against the Blackhawks, though. Tampa Bay gives up the fifth-fewest goals in the NHL. Look for the pace to slow down with McDavid out. Kucherov and Stamkos are the Lightning's two leading goal scorers.
02-12-20	Flames v. Kings OVER 5.5		3-5	Win	100	13 h 8 m	Show
Calgary has scored 12 goals in its last two games. The Flames know they have to win with a fast-paced style because they are down two key defensemen with Mark Giordano and Travis Hamonic both out. The Kings have been held to just seven goals in their last five games, all losses. LA is trying to pick up more offense by going with youth and faster skaters. The Kings have fared well offensively against Calgary this season scoring 11 goals in three games.
02-11-20	Flyers v. Islanders OVER 5.5		3-5	Win	100	4 h 11 m	Show
This series has a powerful Over bias with 10 of the last 11 played between these two teams going above the total. Look for that trend to continue here. The Flyers have gone Over in seven of their last eight road contests, while the Islanders have gone Over during each of their past four home games. Philadelphia has notched at least three goals in seven of its last eight games, while the Islanders have given up three or more goals in each of their last five games. The Islanders have scored at least three goals in five of their past six games.
02-10-20	Islanders v. Capitals OVER 6		5-3	Win	100	4 h 29 m	Show
The Capitals have gone Over the total in 72 percent of their last 32 home games. They are the No. 3 scoring team in the NHL and have tallied three or more goals in seven of their past eight games. Alex Ovechkin is hot producing 16 goals in his last 11 games. The Islanders have scored at least three goals in four of their last five games.

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