Mike Lundin Premium Picks

Penguins vs Blue Jackets NHL Free Pick

The Angle(s): The Columbus Blue Jackets catch the Pittsburgh Penguins in a great scheduling spot. The Blue Jackets have been off since Saturday, giving them five full days to rest and practice, while the Penguins are playing their third game in five nights and their second straight on the road. The Penguins also come in on a two-game skid and have been leaking goals, allowing 13 over their past three games, including five in Wednesday’s loss to the Capitals.

The Blue Jackets were a tough out in this building last season, going 20-13-8 at Nationwide Arena, and they already put up six in their home opener against the Sabres. They also had the Penguins’ number a year ago, winning the last meeting 4-3 in January after taking a 5-4 shootout decision in Pittsburgh. With fresh legs against a tired defensive group, we like the home side in what the market is treating as a coin flip.

The Bet: Blue Jackets ML (3%). 

4% NHL TOP PLAY of the Day

The Angle(s): The Washington Capitals have looked sharp out of the gate, opening 2-1-0 with a pair of five-goal performances. They went into Carolina and beat the defending champion Hurricanes 5-2, then handled the Penguins 5-3 in their home opener on Wednesday. Their lone loss came as a +170 dog at Tampa Bay. This is a deep group up front, and they have a score to settle after the Rangers embarrassed them 8-1 in the final meeting of last season.

The New York Rangers come in riding a four-game winning streak, and that hot start is exactly why this price is so short on the home side. Three of those four wins came at Madison Square Garden, and this is their first road game in a week.

The Bet: Capitals ML (4%). 

4% Wazzu @ Utah State TGIF CFB TOP PLAY of the Day

The Angle(s): The Washington State Cougars (1-4) simply cannot move the ball against FBS competition. Their lone win came over Duquesne, and they have been held to 10 points or fewer in three of their four losses, bottoming out last week in a 26-6 home loss to Fresno State. For the season, the Cougars rank 133rd in the FBS in total offense (288.4 yards per game) and now they hit the road on a short week to play at elevation in Logan.

The Utah State Aggies (1-4) own the same record but have shown far more against a tougher slate. The Aggies took Washington to the wire in Seattle in a 16-14 loss as a four touchdown underdog and handled Troy 21-10 in their last home game. Their defense is good enough to keep a broken Cougars offense off the board, and there is also a revenge element after the Cougars beat them 34-21 in a bowl game last December.

The Bet: Utah State ATS (4%). 

TGIF CFB: Iowa @ Washington BOOKIE BU$TER

The Angle(s): The Washington Huskies (3-2) are a much better team than their 0-2 Big Ten record suggests. Their two conference losses came by a combined seven points, including a 25-21 defeat at USC in which they led by 11 in the second half and gave up the go-ahead score on a fumble return. The market is punishing them for those results, but quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (1,327 passing yards, 8 TDs) remains the most dynamic player on the field, and the defense has quietly held up its end too.

The Iowa Hawkeyes (4-1) walk into a brutal spot. They are on a short week after a physically demanding 31-14 loss to Ohio State, and in a tough travel spot. The offense managed only 39 rushing yards last week, and starting QB Hank Brown is questionable, with Kirk Ferentz saying the team cannot count on him.

The Bet: Washington (3%) ML.