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Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #23 Tuesday 10* Top Play Dallas Stars Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - Home ice hasn't meant much at all in this series and that was also the case in the first round series for the Blues when they eliminated the Jets. The fact is that with the St Louis win at Dallas Sunday, the road team is now 9-3 in the Blues 12 playoff games. So simply based on current trending you have a St Louis team laying a -140 price even though the home team has lost 75% of the time in Blues games this post-season. Simply on value alone one could not win an argument that the Stars are not the correct choice in this game from a betting standpoint. There is even more support too however. I like the fact that we have Ben Bishop on our side over Jordan Binnington of the Blues. No disrespect to Binnington but this will be his first Game 7 at the NHL level. His counterpart, Bishop, was originally drafted by the Blues in 2005. Note that in 2005 Binnington was 11 years old. The fact is that Bishop has a massive experience edge compared to the Blues rookie netminder. Bishop is 28-18 with a superb .927 save percentage in his 48 NHL playoff games and took the Lightning to the Stanley Cup Finals four years ago. In terms of trending here, the Stars are 9-3 in their last 12 road games with a posted total of 5 goals or less. The Blues are 1-5 the last 6 times they were off a game in which they allowed 1 goal or less. 10* DALLAS

Early Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Game #13 Monday 10* Top Play Boston Bruins Money Line (+) @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - The Blue Jackets were a great story this post-season with their shocking sweep of the Lightning in round one. Also, I have always been a fan of Columbus coach John Tortorella and his ways though some may find him abrasive. To me his more of an old-school coach and there is not enough of the old-school mentality left in professional sports and we need it! With all that said however, the Bruins are the better team in this series with more post-season experience and their starting to impose their will in this series. As a result, the Jackets season ends tonight. Boston has now scored 4 goals in back to back games to rally back from a 2-1 deficit and take a 3-2 series lead. To put that in proper perspective, the Blue Jackets haven't scored 4 goals a single time in this series. Also, all the pressure is on Columbus here. They need to win to extend the series while the Bruins come in loose and relaxed as they have won two straight games and still have Game 7 in their back-pockets should it be needed. From the standpoint of the mentality of each team approaching this game, the Bruins hold a huge edge. Also, Boston finally has their top line and big guns going again in this series and that has their confidence level extremely high which, in turn, makes the Bruins very dangerous. Since Game 6 is at Columbus we also get line value here because that makes Boston a dog in this one and that is why I am elevating this play to my highest rating. The Bruins have won 25 of 36 this season when off a game in which they scored 4 or more goals. The Blue Jackets have lost 8 of 12 in franchise history when trailing in a playoff series and Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is now officially "rattled" after what has transpired the past two games. 10* BOSTON

Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 Sunday 10* St Louis Blues Money Line (+) @ Dallas Stars @ 3:05 ET - The recipe for success in the Blues post-season from a wagering standpoint is simply to play the road team in their games. With the Stars upset win at St Louis in Game 5 of this series, the road team has now won 8 of the Blues 11 post-season games. In terms of Dallas matched up with St Louis this season, the road team has won 6 of the 9 games. Considering those factors as well as the pressure on the Stars to close this series out on home ice, I like the road dog Blues in this one. Sometimes the pressure of closing a team out can be hard on a team and this is particularly true in a situation like this where a hockey club has Game 6 on home ice with a chance to end it. Dallas knows if they fall short they then have to go on the road for Game 7 and that is always a tough situation for a road team to win. That said, it may surprise you to hear this but the Stars are likely to be the team squeezing the sticks a little too tight in this one! They feel the pressure of needing to close this out in Game 6 and avoid a Game 7 on the road. For the Blues, they actually feel good about their series chances, despite the Game 5 loss, as they know they just have to win this afternoon and they get a chance to host a Game 7 which is always a nice proposition. Also, St Louis is off back to back losses in this series. The Blues are an incredible 12-3 this season when they enter game off 2 or more consecutive losses. The Stars are actually 2-5 the last 7 times they entered a game off 2 or more consecutive victories. The Blues have won 18 of their last 27 games against teams with a winning record. The Stars have lost 17 of their last 22 Sunday games! 10* ST LOUIS

NBC Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Game #2 Saturday 10* Top Play Boston Bruins Money Line (-) vs Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:15 ET - The Bruins are off a 4-1 win at Columbus. Not only has this swung momentum fully in favor of Boston as they head back to home ice with this series tied at 2 games apiece, note also that the only Blue Jackets goal that scored should not have even counted. Tuukka Rask has been dominant to say the least. In fact, the Bruins have now gone 7 straight games without allowing more than 2 goals in regulation! Conversely, Columbus has now allowed 3 or more goals in 3 of its last 5 games. Look for that, plus home ice, to combine to be a big difference maker in this critical Game 5. Boston got their top guys going in Game 4 and the shuffling of line combinations appears to have settled back into the Bruins going strong with their big guns now back on track in this series. That is bad news for a Blue Jackets team that has struggled to solve Rask in this series. With that said, though I normally play a lot of underdogs this is one spot where a favorite priced very fair (130 to 140 range) is offering plenty of line value to justify the investment. Boston has won 14 of 20 home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals this season. The Bruins have won 24 of 35 games this season when they are off a game in which they scored 4 or more goals. The Blue Jackets are an all-time 1-3 when a series is tied up. 10* BOSTON

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #79 Friday 10* Top Play New York Islanders Money Line (+) @ Carolina Hurricanes @ 7:05 ET - The mindset of the Islanders here is not what you might expect. Certainly they have not thrown in the towel. They know with a win tonight they remain alive in this series and that 2 of the final 3 games (if necessary) would be in New York. Also, although the final score looks ugly in Game 3, that was simply because of 2 late empty net goals. The game was tied 2-2 going to the third period and very easily could have ended up a 3-2 final. The fact is that all 3 games in this series thus far have been tight and the Islanders just haven't been able to get a bounce to go their way. Look for that to change tonight. I just don't see the Isles being denied here as head coach Barry Trotz (led Capitals to Stanley Cup Championship in June) rallies his troops here for this elimination game. The Hurricanes are 0 for 5 on the power play in the last two games while the Islanders are 2 for 5. The point is that the Canes certainly deserve a lot of credit for where this series stands but certain stats do you tell you that it easily could have played out much differently. That said, there is no significant disparity between these teams and I like the healthy underdog price here with the Islanders in a must win game. The Islanders are 14-9 this season after allowing 4 or more goals. The Hurricanes are 11-17 when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 or more games. 10* NEW YORK ISLANDERS

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #75 Thursday 10* Top Play Boston Bruins Money Line (+) @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:35 ET - The Bruins lost Game Three by a 2-1 count but all hope is certainly not lost. Boston's top line hasn't gotten going yet in this series and certainly some credit is owed to the Blue Jackets for that. However, Boston knows that with a win tonight they even the series up plus again have the home ice advantage with 2 of the last 3 games (if necessary) being played at Boston. That said, I see great value here with the underdog Bruins as Boston has gone 28-14 in recent seasons (including 10-2 this season) when off a game in which they were held to 1 goal or less! The Blue Jackets have been playing great and no one can argue with that considering they have won 8 of their last 9 games. However, Columbus has been outshot in 6 of their last 8 games. The Bruins had won 3 straight games against Columbus (including Game 1 of this series) prior to losing two straight games and now being down 2-1 in this series. I am grabbing the desperate and hungry underdog Bruins and I expect them to have their breakout game here and turn this into a very interesting series as it gets evened up at 2 games apiece. 10* BOSTON

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #74 Wednesday 10* Top Play Dallas Stars Money Line (-) vs St Louis Blues @ 9:35 ET - It is now or never for the Stars. Although this is not truly an elimination game in the literal sense, it absolutely feels like one for Dallas. The reason is because if they lose this game on home ice they would then be down 3-1 in the series and 2 of the final 3 games (if necessary) in the series would be played at St Louis. The point is that this is about as "must win" as it gets for Dallas. That said, I like the resiliency the Stars showed in Game 3 in constantly battling back all game long even though they ended up a goal short when all was said and done. Dallas had won 4 of their last 5 on home ice prior to the loss Monday. Look for the Stars to improve to 3-0 in this post-season when they are trailing in a playoff series. The Blues are 1-3 the last 4 times they have entered a game leading in a playoff series. Remember that Dallas was down 2-1 to the Predators in the first round before rallying to win three straight games. Similar situation here and, though I am not saying the Stars are going to necessarily take 3 straight again, I certainly do see them responding off that loss. They are 5-1 the last 6 times they've entered a game off a loss. Bounce back time here. 10* DALLAS

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Game #67 Tuesday 10* Top Play Boston Bruins Money Line (+) @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - Just like yesterday's play with the Blues over the Stars, I like to look for situations where I have the better team, in a favorable spot, and I can get them at plus money. This one checks the boxes on all 3 of those factors. Though there may not be a huge difference between these teams there is no argument really that the Bruins are the better team. The odds makers are telling you that. In Game 1 of this series Boston went off the board priced as high as a -150 favorite on home ice. Now, in Game 3, the Blue Jackets get their shot on home ice and they are priced as low as a -115 favorite. As for the favorable spot, Columbus won Game 2 so the Bruins are highly motivated to bounce back here and return the favor by getting a win on enemy ice in Game 3. As for the plus money price, Boston is available at +105 in some books as of early Tuesday morning. Again, this one checks the box on all 3 variables I like to look for when seeking value in betting. Since mid-March the Bruins are 6-2 when coming off a loss. Also, Boston is 13-6 on the season when playing with two days of rest between games and also 12-3 in Tuesday games. The Blue Jackets have been strong this April but the prior two Aprils lost 14 of 19 (DOWN $9,300 at a dime per game). Road teams were strong in the first round playoff action in the NHL and it has continued in the 2nd round with the road teams going 6-3 so far in the first 9 games. Look for that trend to continue here. 10* BOSTON

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Game #61 Monday 10* Top Play St Louis Blues Money Line (+) @ Dallas Stars @ 8:05 ET - I like to look for situations where I have the better team, in a favorable spot, and I can get them at plus money. This one checks the boxes on all 3 of those factors. Though there may not be a huge difference between these teams there is no argument really that the Blues are the better team. The odds makers are telling you that. In Game 1 of this series St Louis went off the board priced as high as a -160 favorite on home ice. Now, in Game 3, the Stars get their shot on home ice and they are priced as low as a -115 favorite. As for the favorable spot, Dallas won Game 2 so the Blues are highly motivated to bounce back here and return the favor by getting a win on enemy ice in Game 3. As for the plus money price, St Louis is available at +105 in some books as of early Monday morning. Again, this one checks the box on all 3 variables I like to look for when seeking value in betting. Since mid-March the Blues are 5-1 when coming off a loss. Also, St Louis is 18-9 on the season when off a game in which the Blues allowed 4 or more goals. The Stars have lost 42 of 70 (DOWN $23,200 at a dime per game) when Dallas is off game which they won by a margin of 2 or more goals. Road teams were strong in the first round playoff action in the NHL and it has continued in the 2nd round with the road teams going 5-3 so far in the first 8 games. Look for that trend to continue here. 10* ST LOUIS

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Sunday 10* Top Play Colorado Avalanche Money Line (+) @ San Jose Sharks @ 7:35 ET - In general, rest is a good thing. However, when it is too much rest it can lead to rust and that was the case with the Avalanche in Game 1 of this series. Colorado was up 2-1 and had a chance to really take over the game with a Sharks double minor penalty leading to a 4 minute power play. When the Avs failed to score on that the entire complexion of the game changed as San Jose really raised their level of play while Colorado, still a little rusty from the layoff, failed to do so. As a result, the Sharks scored the final 4 goals of the game and the history of struggles for the Avalanche in games played at San Jose continued. With full consideration to all of the above, the fact is that it was no fluke that Colorado won 4 straight games against a great Calgary team in the first round. While San Jose was impressive in managing a huge comeback in their first round series with the Golden Knights, the fact is that Vegas was not nearly the team this season that they were last season. The point being that I was much more impressed with the Avs series win over a Flames team that finished the regular season with the best record in the West. The Avalanche really elevated their level of play after dropping Game 1 of their opening round series with Calgary and they'll do the same thing here against San Jose. Grab the solid underdog money line value here. 10* COLORADO 

Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #41 Saturday 10* Top Play Dallas Stars Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 3:05 ET - The Stars limited the Blues to just 20 shots on goal in Game 1 but lost a tight game 3-2. Look for Dallas to bounce back strong here. Keep in mind, the Stars had won 6 of their 7 prior games against the Blues and that includes each of their 2 prior visits to St Louis. Overall, the road team had taken 3 of the last 4 games between these teams before that Game 1 home ice win for the Blues. In the last 5 meetings between these games, St Louis has scored a total of only 7 non-power play goals. Conversely, the Stars have scored a total of 12 non-power play goals in the last 5 games between these hockey clubs. Despite the Game 1 result, I still feel that Dallas has the advantage in 5 on 5 hockey and I still prefer having the veteran Ben Bishop in goal on my side over the rookie Jordan Binnington for the Blues. St Louis has lost 12 of 20 when they enter a game having stayed under the total in 3 straight games. The Stars have won 7 of 10 games when in a road game with a posted total of 5 or less goals. Look for another tight low-scoring game here with the road team again having the edge in shots on goal but this time it properly translates to a road dog win. 10* DALLAS

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 Friday 10* Top Play Colorado Avalanche Money Line (+) @ San Jose Sharks @ 10:05 ET - The Avalanche have a lot of speed and their top line of Rantanen, MacKinnon, and Landeskog is going to give the Sharks trouble. This is particularly true with the Sharks coming off their emotional and physically grueling hard-fought series win over the Golden Knights. Keep in mind, Vegas has become a big rival for San Jose and I would not be surprised to see the Sharks a little flat or listless here after working so hard to get past the Knights. That Game 7 win featured San Jose coming all the way back from a 3-0 third period deficit and also featured overtime. That said, I like the underdog Avalanche in Game 1 as the Sharks are likely to still be "spent" from their first round series. Additionally, Pavelski (San Jose captain) is unlikely to play tonight while Colorado could have both Brassard and Girard available for this one. The Sharks are at home, have held the upper hand in recent meetings between these teams, and yet are priced very low in Game 1. Do you think the odds makers do NOT know what they're doing? Of course they know! Don't be fooled by the low line here as the play is to go contrarian and take the small road dog and that is precisely what I am doing in this one. 10* COLORADO

Total of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Game #3 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Bruins vs Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - The over is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings between these teams. Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky played very well in the first round series versus the Lightning but he does have a sub-par playoff history. Additionally, he could be rusty here after the long layoff between games because Columbus swept Tampa Bay in the first round. The Blue Jackets haven't played in over a week while the Bruins just wrapped up their series with the Maple Leafs on Tuesday. I look for Boston to be on the attack early and often in this one as they try to catch Columbus and their rust factor early in the game. Keep in mind Bobrovsky has won just 3 of his 11 career decisions against the Bruins and has an ugly 3.90 GAA against them. The good news for Columbus fans tonight is, even though the Jackets are likely to struggle to stop the Bruins I do see the Blue Jackets scoring well in this one. The moves they made late in the season prior to the trade deadline have strengthened this team. Columbus has been red hot and has won 11 of their last 12 games thanks to production on offense that has seen the Blue Jackets score an average of 4.5 goals per game in these dozen games. More of the same expected here and this total is a bargain at 5.5 goals. Once the Jackets shake the rust off their speed is going to give the Bruins some trouble but look for Boston to get the early jump in this game with some early goals. By the 3rd period I expect this to be a 3-3 game which locks in our play as a win. The Bruins have scored 4 or more goals in 4 of their last 6 games. The over is 12-4 (including 5-0 this season) when Columbus enters a game with 3 or more days of rest between games. 10* OVER the total in Boston

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #23 Wednesday 10* Top Play Carolina Hurricanes Money Line (+) @ Washington Capitals @ 7:35 ET - As long-time followers know, I am a contrarian. In this series the home team has won all 6 games. So who do I have in Game 7? The road team of course! But it is certainly not without good reason. The Hurricanes, arguably (but many hockey experts would agree), have outplayed the Capitals in this series. Carolina has been physical and has seen their star players step up as this series has gone on. It is so hard to repeat as champions in the NHL and that is the uphill battle that Washington is in as they're simply trying to get out of the first round and I feel they won't make it. Very few series in playoff history go 7 games and see the home team win all 7 games. Amazingly this one has gone 6 with home ice prevailing every time. That streak ends tonight. The Hurricanes have stolen the momentum in this series by winning 3 of the last 4 games. The Canes also have won 21 of 32 games this season when off a game which they won by a margin of 2 or more goals. Overall, the Capitals have won just 10 of their last 19 games. Included in that stretch was winning just 3 of their last 6 home games in the regular season. The Hurricanes have outshot Washington 192 to 153 in this series and that includes outshooting them in 2 of the 3 games played in DC. More of the same tonight but this time it translates to a victory for the road team. 10* CAROLINA

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #9 Tuesday 10* Top Play Toronto Maple Leafs Money Line (+) @ Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - Why would this year be any different? The Bruins have had the Maple Leafs number in recent playoff meetings but this Toronto team is stronger than those while Boston is actually a step down from those teams. Additionally, the home team went 5-2 in last spring's post-season series but this season these teams enter Game 7 with the road team having won 3 straight games in this series and also 5 of the last 7 meetings overall! Home ice has not been a positive of late and I like the value with the Leafs as a sizable dog here. The Bruins are just 1-4 when tied in a playoff series. The Maple Leafs are 21-10 this season after allowing 4 or more goals. 10* TORONTO

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Game #90 Monday 10* Top Play Carolina Hurricanes Money Line (-) vs Washington Capitals @ 7:05 ET - This is one series where home ice has actually mattered. The home team has won all 5 games and I don't expect that streak to end tonight. Carolina is off an embarrassing 6-0 loss at Washington in Saturday's Game 5 and they're ready to respond here. The Hurricanes are 9-1 this season in home games with posted total of 5.5 goals. Also, the Capitals have lost 5 of their last 9 road games. The Canes have won 18 of their last 24 home games. Included in that stretch for Carolina is 4 straight wins on home ice by a combined score of 17-4. Look for a big response here after the embarrassing Game 5 loss. Note that the Hurricanes did actually outshoot the Caps in that game but were done in by Washington going 3 for 4 on the power play. The Canes have outshot the Capitals by an average margin of 5.6 shots on goal per game in this series. The special teams problems for the Hurricanes Saturday are unlikely to be repeated here as they have held opponents to just 2 for 15 on the power play in their last 6 home games. Look for the home team to make it 6 in a row in this series. There are some injury issues for each side but one could argue the TJ Oshie injury for the Capitals is the biggest one. 10* CAROLINA

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #83 Sunday 10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line (+) @ Vegas Golden Knights @ 7 ET - Great line value here as the Sharks are back in business with the 5-2 win in Game 5. With just one upset win (here on the road in Vegas), the Sharks can send this series to a Game 7 where San Jose would also have the benefit of home ice. That said, there is  a lot of pressure on Marc Andre Fleury and the Golden Knights to bounce back and close this series on home ice. Vegas certainly doesn't want to even think about having to play Game 7 on the road at San Jose but that is what will happen should they fall short today. The point being the pressure is not just on the team facing elimination here. The Golden Knights also know (and feel) what it as stake here. San Jose did drop the two games in this series played at Vegas but they wrapped up the regular season 10-5 in their last 15 road games. The Golden Knights, after the loss in Game 5, have now lost 9 of their last 13 games. Also, goalie Martin Jones got his confidence back with his performance Thursday and the Sharks also have some added confidence after handing Fleury his second sub-par performance in the 5 games in this series. Look for 3rd one here and grab the huge value available with this big dog. 10* SAN JOSE

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #75 Saturday 10* Top Play Winnipeg Jets Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 7:05 ET - A home team has won only one game out of the 5 games so far in this series and that was the most recent one which featured an amazing comeback from the Blues. Down 2-0 from the first period on St Louis managed to scored 3 third period goals (including one with just 15 seconds left) to steal Game 5. Look for the Jets to respond huge in Game 6. Winnipeg is very confident playing at St Louis and they really got to Blues rookie goal Binnington in Game 3 action here. Winnipeg has won 6 of the last 10 meetings and the only 4 wins for St Louis each have come by a single goal margin. As for the Jets, their 6 wins have come by an average victory margin of 3 goals per victory which of course shows a huge difference in terms of which team has shown the ability to dominate for longer stretches in meetings between these teams! St Louis has only 3 goals in the past 3 games that have come in 5 on 5 hockey. The Jets 10 goals the last 3 games have only included 1 goal that came on the power play. The point is that, without the man advantage, the Jets have been the much more dangerous team in terms of goal-scoring ability and I look for that to key a road win to send this series back north of the border for a massive Game 7. Grab the road dog at a great price! 10* WINNIPEG

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #63 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:05 ET - Game 4 of this series went over the total but the 3 prior games all stayed under the total. From that standpoint many will be looking to the under in this Game 5 match-up but, in typical contrarian fashion, I like the over here. The power play for both teams is a key here. The Maple Leafs are coming to life now with the man advantage as they are 3 for 6 in the past two games. The Bruins power play has been a beast throughout this series as they have scored on 5 of 11 opportunities. Each of the last two games have seen 3 power play goals scored so we're seeing the scoring pick up. I also like the fact that there is so much scoring talent for both these clubs and that was evident in Game 4 when the Bruins got some guys going that needed to get on the scoring sheet but, at the same time, the Maple Leafs answered on more than one occasion. First time Toronto game back from down 2-0 to tie it up. Then again, when it looked like they were dead down 5-2, the Leafs rallied to make it a 5-4 game. Look for another wild one in Game 5 and I like the fact that plus money odds are current available on the over 6 in this one. 10* OVER the total in Boston

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #52 Thursday 10* Top Play Carolina Hurricanes Money Line (-) vs Washington Capitals @ 7:05 ET - It is so hard to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions. Now of course I know Washington is a long way off from that as this is only the first round of this post-season but that is noteworthy for a couple reasons. The strong hunger that you saw from Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals last spring is simply not there this spring. After finally reaching the ultimate prize you certainly want to do it again but it is just the same. This is especially true when you lost your head coach to a division rival. The Islanders now have coach Barry Trotz and he just led them to a sweep of the Penguins and the Isles, of course, are loaded with players very hungry to taste post-season success. So the key point being, the Capitals are not the same team they once were and the Hurricanes are ready to even this series up. Keep in mind the only game Washington outshot the Canes was Game 2 but that was by a very slim margin and the Capitals managed to get an OT win. In the other two games the Caps have been outshot 74 to 36. You read that right, the Hurricanes had more than DOUBLE the amount of shots that Washington had in those 2 games. The point is that the Capitals are fortunate to even be up in this series. After Thursday's game, they won't! Look for the home team to improve to 6-1 in the last 7 meetings between these teams. 10* CAROLINA

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #45 Wednesday 10* Top Play Boston Bruins Money Line (+) @ Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:05 ET - The Maple Leafs got the best of the Bruins in Game 3 in a very tight battle. However, entering that game Boston had taken 5 of the last 7 meetings. It has been awhile since Toronto has won 2 straight in this rivalry match-up and it is not something that happens frequently. I look for the Bruins to get back on track with a determined effort on the road as they know falling into a 3-1 series hole would be very tough to come back from. Keep in mind, the Maple Leafs have not been a great team on home ice. Toronto actually was better this season on the road than at home. Prior to the win in Game 3, the Leafs had lost 5 of their last 7 games on home ice. The Bruins, prior to their loss in Game 3, had won 5 of their last 7 games on enemy ice. Long-term, when trailing in a playoff series the Bruins are 26-18 while the Maple Leafs, when leading in a playoff series, are a poor 8-16. When Boston enters a game against Toronto playing with revenge from losing to the Leafs in their prior meeting, the Bruins have won 5 of the last 6 times. I look for that trend to continue here as the Bruins top line is bound and determined to have a huge game after, for the most part, being held in check so far in this series. 10* BOSTON

Contrarian Crusher Total - Rickenbach NHL Game #39 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Pittsburgh Penguins vs New York Islanders @ 7:35 ET - Time is running out on the Penguins and, facts are facts, the Islanders tough defensive-minded play has completely smothered and frustrated Pittsburgh. That said, desperate times bring desperate measures and I fully expect the Pens to be very aggressive Tuesday even at the expense of allowing odd man rushes going the other way. Pittsburgh has scored just 1 goal in each of the last two games. Their best chance at winning game was the first one when they scored 3 goals but lost in OT at New York. The point is, the Penguins know their best chance is to force the pace here. They need a better pace, they need open ice, and down 3-0 in this series they're absolutely willing to take a lot of risk to turn the tables on this series. The Islanders have scored an average of 3.4 goals per game their last 8 games. The Penguins are not the offensive juggernauts they once were but they still averaged 3.3 goals per game this season and they'll respond after being held to just 1 goal on home ice in Game 3. It is win or hit the golf course time for the Pens and the desperation of the situation is going to lead to a high-scoring game tonight as the Penguins pull out all the stops in this one and throw everything but the kitchen sink at the Islanders in the offensive zone! I will gladly take advantage of the total being 5.5 plus being available at solid plus money. 10* OVER the total in Pittsburgh

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #30 Monday 10* Top Play Toronto Maple Leafs Money Line (-) vs Boston Bruins @ 7 ET - I am well aware of the possible suspension of Nazem Kadri for this game and that it would have some impact on the Maple Leafs. However, Game 2 was very physical and the Bruins actually ended up taking the worst of it and have a couple guys banged up for this game. Also, the Maple Leafs have won 7 of the last 9 meetings with the Bruins in Toronto. I fully expect a strong Leafs response here as Boston surprised them early on with their physical response in Game 2. Though the Maple Leafs ultimately fell short it had a lot to do with digging themselves into an early large deficit. I don't expect that to happen again here and I expect Toronto to carry momentum from having weathered the storm as the game went on. The Leafs will be ready to respond here on home ice and are still feeling confident courtesy of getting one win down in Boston. Keep in mind, the Bruins won each of the first two games on home ice in last spring's playoff series with Toronto. However, after that, Boston never again was able to win two straight. Coming off a win in Game 2, look for that trend to continue here as the Bruins fall short in Game 3. Boston is very focused on playing a physical game and they have a strong top line too. But I like the skating ability of the Leafs and expect them to again use that to their advantage here like they did in the Game 1 victory. Long-term Boston has lost 101 of 175 road games with a posted total of 6 or more goals. The Maple Leafs have won 19 of 29 games this season when off a game in which they allowed 4 or more goals. 10* TORONTO

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #63 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Nashville Predators vs Dallas Stars @ 6:05 ET - I have a tremendous amount of respect for each of these goalies and am also well aware of the fact that both of these teams are known as defensive-minded hockey clubs. However, there were 61 shots on goal in their game on Wednesday. Also, there were 86 shots on goal in their final regular season match-up. That game totaled 8 goals. I also like the fact that the Predators lost Game 1 as I feel they're now going to be even more aggressive in Game 2 and they don't want to let the defensive-minded Stars dictate the flow of Game 2. Dallas has averaged 3 goals per game in their last 6 games against the Preds. That said, I also expect the Predators to match the Stars goal for goal in this one and even just getting to a 2-2 game means we can't lose this play as we would do no worse than a push. Stars April games are 8-3-1 to the over their last 12. Also, the last 7 times they've played a road game with a total of 5 or less goals only 1 of the 7 has resulted in an under! The Predators respond here and get more high-quality scoring chances in Game 2 but I see this game going to the wire as the Stars continue their strong play and I feel we're looking at a 4-3 type game here. 10* OVER the total in Nashville

Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Islanders vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:35 ET - Had the Islanders lost Game One we might see Game Two play out much differently. However, New York managed to prevail in overtime and that means the Penguins are going to be very hungry to continue to force their style of game. Keep in mind, in Game One, the Pens had over 40 shots on goal. That is a very strong showing against an Islanders team that prefers to play low-scoring games. With Pittsburgh looking to even up this series, look for an even stronger push in Game Two and that means a good pace again for an over. The Penguins Matt Murray will give up his fair share again here between the pipes but I look for Pittsburgh to also be relentless in the offensive zone. The Islanders also were quite aggressive and looked like the faster team at many times throughout Wednesday's game and having already had success against Murray their confidence level is very high. The Isles continue to have success with quick outlet passes and creating great looks for their scorers on odd man rushes. 3 of the last 5 meetings between these teams have totaled 7 or more goals and we need just 6 to give us a winning ticket here. The over is a long-term 32-20 in Islanders home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. In Pittsburgh's last 12 first round playoff games only 3 of the 12 (25%) have resulted in an under. 10* OVER the total in New York Islanders

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #11 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7 ET - Playoff hockey tends to lead to lower scoring games but, while this total may look too big at 6, don't let the number scare you. I am going contrarian and going with the over here but it is not without plenty of good reason. First off, this is a playoff rematch and last spring's series went the full 7 games with only 2 of those games finishing with less than 6 goals. Long-term, including this season's 4 games, only 3 of the last 12 games between these teams has finished with a total less than 6 goals. Both teams penalty killers allow 20% conversion rate on opponents power plays. Plus the Maple Leafs are converting 21% of their power plays this season while the Bruins are converting a lethal 26% of their power play opportunities. These teams have very strong top lines and, of course, the top lines get plenty of time on the ice come playoff time. The weakness for the Maple Leafs would be in the defensive zone and that is why they allowed more than 300 more shots on goal this season than the Bruins. So I look for Boston to score plenty here but I expect the high-powered Maple Leafs to answer them goal for goal and each team gets to 3 goals here which then would guarantee we're holding a wining ticket. The Maple Leafs have allowed at least 3 goals in 6 of their last 7 games. The Bruins have allowed at least 3 goals in 6 of their last 8 games. Toronto is 18-9-1 to the over in divisional games this season. The Bruins are 4-2 to the over this season when playing with 3 or more days of rest between games. Fresh legs here and plenty of offensive firepower for both teams and they're also each healthier than they've been in some time! 10* OVER the total in Boston

Situational Shocker - Rickenbach NHL Game #6 Wednesday 10* Top Play Winnipeg Jets Money Line (-) vs St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - The Blues finished the season as the hottest team in the NHL over the last 3 months. The Jets finished the season with some struggles. However, all that has done for us here is lead to some great line value. Keep in mind, Winnipeg is laying just -115 here on home ice and a lot of has to do with the current betting market appeal of these two teams. This is great line value on a Jets team whose blue line is suddenly healthy again. They just got Dustin Byfuglien back at the end of March and now Josh Morrisey is back for tonight's game after being out for an extended stretch. Additionally I like the playoff experience that the Jets have as they are still ultra hungry from being knocked out of the playoffs by Vegas last year as Winnipeg truly was (and still is) considered a viable Cup contender. I know the Blues are hot and have a hot goalie but playoff time can be a different animal entirely and St Louis goalie Jordan Binnington is getting his first taste of that. The Blues lost 12 of 21 road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals this season. The Jets have won 42 of 65 home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals the past three seasons. Also, Winnipeg has won 28 of 42 April games long-term and the Jets have won 15 of 19 April games the past 2+ seasons. I am grabbing the hungry and undervalued home team at a great price here. 10* WINNIPEG

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #35 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Ottawa Senators vs Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - This is a contrarian play after last night's Blue Jackets game very nearly ended 2-1. The Rangers scored a late goal to force overtime and then Columbus prevailed 3-2 in the shootout. The fact is that the Blue Jackets did generate 41 shots on goal last night but New York got great goaltending. Now, off that clinching win, don't be surprised if there is a bit of a letdown here for Columbus and plus they'll either be starting Korpisalo (hasn't started in two weeks) or Bobrovsky (2nd night of a back to back). Neither situation is ideal. As for the Senators, their defense and goaltending has been inconsistent at best and we should see plenty of goals in their season finale. Ottawa is off a 5-2 loss but had scored 4 or more goals in 6 of their prior 10. The Senators have allowed 5 or more goals in 5 of their last 9 games! The over is 13-7 in Blue Jackets April games. The Senators have had just 18 unders in their last 48 home games with a posted total of 6 or more goals. In other words, this total is a big one with good reason. Don't be fooled here. Go contrarian. 10* OVER the total in Ottawa

Total of the Year - Rickenbach NHL Game #25 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - Each of the last 4 meetings between these teams have gone over the total. Those games have averaged a total of 9 goals per game! The Blue Jackets enter this game with a chance to clinch a post-season berth with a win. Columbus will be very aggressive in this game as they're coming off a 6-2 loss to Boston Tuesday. That Blue Jackets defeat was preceded by a 5-game winning streak that saw Columbus score an average of 4.8 goals per game! The Rangers enter this game having allowed 4 or more goals in 7 of their last 11 games. New York is off back to back losses but, prior to that, the Rangers had won a pair of games as part of a 3-game stretch where they scored at least 3 goals in each game. With this being their final home game, and with the announcement that team president Glen Sather is stepping down (will be in an advisory role in future) the Rangers are going to go all out here. I expect them to get to 3 goals but, as you can see by the 2 to 1 odds on the Blue Jackets, the road team fully expected to prevail here. As a result, at a minimum, I expect a 4-3 game here. The reality is, as noted above, the last 4 meetings have averaged 9 goals per game and getting to that total would not surprise me here. The Blue Jackets made a bunch of moves before the trade line and now all their new acquisitions are starting to "click" and that is why we've seen the uptick in production on offense. The over is 12-3-1 in the 16 meetings between these teams with the Rangers as a host. Columbus is 13-6-1 to the over in April games. The Rangers are 15-8-2 to the over after a loss by a margin of 2 or more goals in their prior game. 10* OVER the total in New York Rangers

Situational Shocker - Rickenbach NHL Game #10 Thursday 10* Top Play Florida Panthers Money Line (+) vs New York Islanders @ 7:05 ET - This is one of those contrarian situations that leads to superb line value. We are getting Florida at home and not having to lay any juice and it is because the Islanders are the team that "needs to win" while the Panthers will soon be on the golf course rather than battling in playoff hockey. The point is that this often leads to false market perception and this is another case of that. The team that "needs to win" often is pressing a little bit harder while the other team is playing loose and relaxed and often becomes truly a "dangerous dog" as a result. That is precisely the case we have here with the Panthers. Note that Florida has won 3 straight games and the victories have included wins over two of the top teams in the East - the Bruins and Capitals! Overall, the Panthers continue to be tough on home ice as they have won 4 of their last 5 games as a host. The Islanders come into this game off a loss and they have lost 8 of their last 14 road games. I am aware that Roberto Luongo is expected to start in goal in Saturday's season finale and that Samuel Montembeault is expected to get the start tonight. However, prior to recent struggles in his last 2 starts (and one very short outing), Montembeault went 6 straight starts without ever allowing more than 3 goals. The Panthers have beaten the Islanders 3 straight times. Florida also is one of the best power play teams in the league while the Isles are one of the worst. The Panthers are 5-1 the last 6 times they've been off a win by a multiple goal margin and they stay hot here. 10* FLORIDA

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #75 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Blackhawks vs St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - With the Blackhawks relegated to the role of spoiler, you know they'd love to help prevent the Blues from winning the Central Division title. These divisional rivals certainly have some history. For Chicago to get the upset of St Louis they know they need to turn to their offensive production. That's because the Blackhawks have reverted to their long-term struggles in their own zone. Chicago has allowed an average of 3.7 goals per game in their last 3 games. The strength of this team is their production up front and the Blackhawks have scored 10 goals in their last 3 games. Their most recent match-up with the Blues was way back in November and was a rare low-scoring game between these rivals. How rare? The over was 9-2-1 in the 12 meetings prior to that 1-0 Chicago win. The over is 10-3-1 in the Blackhawks last 14 games against teams with a winning record. St Louis is off B2B unders but, prior to that, only 1 of their 7 previous games had resulted in an under. The Blackhawks will fight hard to play the role of spoiler here and the Blues do have a home game on deck for tomorrow. That said, I expect the home dog to get their fair share of goals here but the Blackhawks won't be able to stop a St Louis team that has scored an average of 4 goals per game in its last 9 games. 10* OVER the total in Chicago

Puck Line #1 Top Game - Rickenbach NHL Game #66 Tuesday Dallas Stars Puck Line -1.5 goals +145 vs Philadelphia Flyers @ 8:35 ET - The Stars are highly motivated here. The Flyers could care less. Dallas is still trying to secure a playoff spot and if the Stars were a division rival of Philly or, at the very least, an Eastern Conference foe, the Flyers might care. However, sitting in the Western Conference, Philadelphia could care or less about this game. Their season ended with a late slump that left them on the outside looking in and the losses are now piling up. The Flyers have lost 7 of their last 10 games. Of course this is why the Stars are nearly 2 to 1 favorites on the money line in this game. There is no value in that play. Where there is value is on the puck line. Instead of laying 2 to 1 odds on Dallas just to win, which I certainly would never do, you can lay 1.5 goals on the Stars on the puck line and get nearly a +150 return! Now that is value especially when you consider that when the Flyers have lost recently it is generally an ugly loss. 10 of Philly's last 12 losses have come by a margin of at least two goals! Dallas is off a loss to the Canucks but that was on the road. The Stars two prior wins came by just a single goal but those were also on the road. Now back at home I look for a blowout win and prior to the aforementioned 3 games, note that Dallas had seen EACH of their last 5 wins come by two or more goals and, in fact, the average margin of the 5 victories was THREE goals! Two months ago these teams met in Philly and Dallas lost despite a 38 to 22 edge in shots on goal. On Tuesday night, the Stars get payback in a home rout. 10* DALLAS -1.5 goals +145

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #45 Monday 10* Top Play Colorado Avalanche Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - Yes I am aware of the Mikko Rantanen injury and the fact that he is still out. However, the Avalanche have won 3 of the 4 games since he's been out. Overall, Colorado has won 6 of its last 7 games. This is a contrarian play of course because everyone will back the playoff-bound Blues on home ice over the playoff-hopeful Avalanche. However, the Avs will prove to be the hungrier team. Yes this game still matters to St Louis but they've at least clinched a playoff berth. As for the Avs they are still in a fierce battle to clinch the final spot. There is some history between these teams and playoff hopes but that only goes so far once the puck drops on the game. The fact is that the Blues are playing their 3rd game in 4 nights while the Avalanche come in well rested as they have had each of the last two days off! Colorado has allowed only 1.6 goals per game their last 7 games! The Blues have given up 2.6 goals per game their last 7 games. Both numbers are solid but you can see why I like the huge road dog value with the Avs here. The Avalanche got a big win in April last season but the Blues have taken all 3 meetings this season. That said, the scheduling situation here and playoff implications here make this one ripe for road dog payback! 10* COLORADO

Total of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Game #1 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers @ 1:05 ET - The Panthers aren't going to the playoffs. The Bruins playoff position is set. With the current situation ongoing for both clubs, it is not surprising that they've been continually involved in high-scoring games. The fact is that defensive intensity takes a step back when you reach the point that each of these teams are at this late in the season. The over is a perfect 4-0 in Boston's last 4 games and 6-1-1 in the Bruins last 8 games. As for Florida, the over is a perfect 6-0 their last 6 games and 17-4-1 in the Panthers last 22 games. In the last 6 meetings between these teams in Boston NONE of the 6 have stayed under the total as there have been 3 overs and 3 pushes. Combined perfect trends here of 13-0 in favor of the over and, with this total at a 6.5, there will be no push in this one! Look for 7 or more as the Panthers have scored an average of 4 goals per game their last 11 games and the Bruins have averaged scoring 5.4 goals per game their last 5 games. A 5-4 type game here would not be a surprise. 10* OVER the total in Boston

Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #71 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Detroit Red Wings vs New Jersey Devils @ 7:35 ET - I like to look for late-season match-ups between teams that are NOT going to the post-season and that are NOT division rivals. Usually games like this tend to lack in defensive intensity and the result is often a high-scoring barn-burner with end-to-end action! The Red Wings are playing well as they have won 5 of their last 6 games and Detroit has averaged 3 goals per game in their last 7 games. The Devils have not been scoring as well but they do enter this game off back to back wins on home ice. Also, prior to being shutout in their most recent road game, New Jersey had scored an average of 4.3 goals per game in their 3 prior road games. The over is on a 3-0 run in match-ups between these teams when Detroit is the host. Also, the Red Wings are 3-1 to the over this season when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 or more games. The over is a long-term 15-6 (including 5-1 this season) when the Devils enter a game with rest of 3 or more days between games. Also, in road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals, New Jersey is 5-1 to the over this season. Look for a wild Friday night at Joe Louis Arena as the over improves to 8-3 in Devils Friday games this season! 10* OVER the total in Detroit

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play OVER the total in Ottawa Senators vs Florida Panthers @ 7:35 ET - The Senators have won 4 of their last 6 games and they've scored 4 or more goals in 4 of their last 5 games. The Panthers are off an embarrassing 6-1 loss at Montreal. However, prior to that defeat, Florida had scored 4 or more goals in 6 of their last 9 games. In fact, the Panthers averaged 4 goals per game during that 9-game stretch. The last 6 meetings between the Sens and the Panthers have averaged 7.5 goals per game. Yes this total today is a big one at 6.5 but both teams are playing very loose hockey as they are simply wrapping up the season before hitting the golf courses - no playoffs for either one of these teams! The over is 5-0 in Florida's last 5 games and the Panthers are 9-2 to the over their last 11 games. Also, the Senators are 15-8 to the over in divisional games this season. Ottawa is 3-0 to the over this season after a shutout win. After a win by two or more goals this season, the Sens are 11-6 to the over. Florida is 8-3 to the over this season when playing with home loss revenge. The Panthers are 22-11 to the over after allowing 4 or more goals in their prior game. Also, when entering a game on a losing streak of 3 or more games, Florida is 8-3 to the over this season. 10* OVER the total in Ottawa

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers @ 7:35 ET - The Bruins led the Lightning 4-2 going to the 3rd period Monday and then lost 5-4 because they took their foot off the gas and tried to simply sit back and protect the lead. They won't make that mistake against the Rangers. In other words, look for a full-on offensive onslaught all the way through this game. As for New York, they jumped out 2-0 at Pittsburgh in the first period Monday but then their shots on goal totals from the 2nd and 3rd period combined BARELY topped their total from the first period alone. In other words, look for the Rangers to also be highly motivated to keep the pressure on in the offensive zone all game long. New York certainly has plenty of confidence here as they've scored 3 or more goals in 4 of their last 5 meetings with the Bruins and have won each of the last two meetings at Boston. The Bruins enter this game having allowed 8 goals in their last two games. The Rangers enter this game having lost 6 of their last 7 games overall and defense/goaltending has been a big issue as New York allowed an average of 4.2 goals per game in the 6 defeats. The over is 6-3 in the last 9 meetings between these clubs. The Bruins have scored an average of 4.3 goals per game in their last 7 games. Many will be looking under here since the Rangers haven't been scoring well but I like their confidence factor with their recent success against Boston and the fact that the Bruins could be in for a letdown defensively after that huge showdown with the Lightning on Monday. 10* OVER the total in Boston

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #33 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Ottawa Senators vs Buffalo Sabres @ 7:35 ET - The last 4 match-ups between these divisional foes all totaled at least 6 goals and they averaged 7.5 goals per game. These are the type of late season match-ups I look for in terms of finding "overs" as both teams will play loose and relaxed as they've been eliminated from post-season contention. Neither team looking to play spoiler and neither team battling for a playoff spot. This type of set up (and based on the recent results for these teams too) generally lends itself to a higher-scoring game. The Sabres are off a low-scoring loss at New Jersey but they entered that game with the over having gone 9-4-1 in their 14 prior games. Buffalo has allowed a ridiculous 4.6 goals per game in its last 8 road games. Prior to the under against the Devils, the Sabres were on a 5-1-1 run to the over in road games. The Senators have scored 4 or more goals in 3 of their last 4 games. However, Ottawa also has allowed an average of 5 goals per game their last 3 games. You can see why it wouldn't be shocking to see a 5-4 type game break out tonight in Ottawa. The Sens last 44 home games with a posted total of 6 or more goals have resulted in only 16 unders. The Sabres last 28 road games with a posted total of 6 or more goals have resulted in only 8 unders. The over is 9-5 in Buffalo's last 14 games against teams with a losing record. Also, the Sabres are 8-4 to the over this season when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 or more games. 10* OVER the total in Ottawa

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #17 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Tampa Bay Lightning vs Boston Bruins @ 7:35 ET - Most will look at this game and expect a tight defensive-minded battle between division rivals. However, Tampa Bay's playoff position is set and the Bruins have now clinched a playoff spot and their position is very close to being set as well. With these teams also likely on a collision course to eventually meeting the NHL's "second season" I feel strongly that this game will play out with a lot more offense than many are expecting. There will be more open ice and scoring opportunities as neither team wants to show how their going to attempt to bottle the other one up in the playoffs should they meet. In terms of support for this play, the over is 4-0-1 in the Bruins last 5 road games. The over is 6-1 in the Bolts last 7 games. The Lightning are 27-15-1 to the over after playing 3 or more consecutive road games. Boston is 27-19-1 to the over when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 or more games. 10* OVER the total in Tampa Bay

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #3 Sunday 10* Top Play Arizona Coyotes Money Line (+) @ New York Islanders @ 3:05 ET - The Coyotes and Islanders both play this game with plenty of playoff implications. However, I like the fact that Arizona lost in the shootout yesterday in another non-conference game while New York is off a win in a divisional game against the Flyers. In terms of the set-up here, it is a nice one in which to back the Coyotes off a tight loss and fade the Islanders off a key win. Note that the Islanders entered yesterday's game having scored an average of 1.4 goals per game their last 7 games. Also, yesterday's game against the Flyers was one of the most poorly officiated games of the season with all the call going the Islanders way. They won't have that same benefit today and the officiating certainly impacted the outcome yesterday. Arizona enters this game on a 4-game losing streak and they are 3-1 this season when they enter a match-up on a losing streak of 4 or more games. The Islanders had lost 9 of their last 16 games prior to yesterday's win over the Flyers. The Isles are on a putrid 1 for 36 run on the power play in their last 15 games! The Coyotes power play hasn't been great but at least it has been substantially better than that as Arizona has notched 3 power play goals in its last 5 games. Prior to this rare tough 4-games stretch, the Coyotes had won 13 of 17 games and this is great line value here on the sizable road dog. The Islanders have lost 27 of their last 43 games played in the month of March. 10* ARIZONA

Early Total Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Washington Capitals vs Minnesota Wild @ 7:05 ET - The Capitals have scored an average of 4.1 goals per game their last dozen games. The Wild have had some trouble in the goal-scoring department of late but a visit to Washington should provide the perfect remedy. The Caps have allowed 5 or more goals in 3 of their last 5 games. The over is 4-1 in the Capitals last 5 games. Washington is 18-6-2 to the over this season when they are off a game in which they allowed 4 or more goals. The Wild are 13-8-1 to the over this season when they are off a divisional game. Minnesota has allowed 3 or more goals in 7 of its last 9 games. The Wild have scored 3 or more goals in 11 of their last 14 road games. Of course if both teams get to 3 goals here we've got ourselves nothing less than a 4-3 final since there are no ties in hockey. In other words, look for this to one fly over the total! Minnesota has been scoring better away from home ice and only 3 of their last 8 road games against Eastern Conference foes have resulted in an under. Look for at least 7 goals in this one. 10* OVER the total in Washington

Early Total Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #29 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Florida Panthers vs Arizona Coyotes @ 7:05 ET - The other meeting this season, in Arizona, went over the total. The last time these teams met in Florida the game also went over the total. The Coyotes have allowed 3.7 goals per game in their last 9 road games. The Panthers are 12-4-1 to the over their last 17 games. Florida has scored an average of 4.5 goals per game their last 8 home games. The over is 6-1-1 in the Panthers last 8 home games. Florida has allowed 3 or more goals in 10 of their last 13 games. The over is 18-9 this season in Panthers games against teams with a losing record. Florida has been hot on the power play but the Panthers have also been struggling on the penalty kill. Of course that is the ideal special teams combo for high-scoring games and another one is expected here. 10* OVER the total in Florida

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #24 Thursday 10* Top Play Washington Capitals Money Line (+) vs Tampa Bay Lightning @ 7:35 ET - The Lightning already clinched home ice for the entire post-season. The Capitals will prove to be the much hungrier team here. Certainly Tampa Bay is not going to lay down in this game but the fact is that Washington is still in a dog fight for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division while the Bolts wrapped up the Presidents Trophy for this season by knocking of the Coyotes 4 to 1 on Monday. The Caps also are seeking revenge for their loss at Tampa Bay last week. Even though this is a back to back spot for Washington they'll be ready as they have had this game circled after losing 6-3 down in Tampa. That game was closer than the final score would indicate as the Lightning got two empty-net goals. Also, the Capitals went with Phoenix Copley between the pipes last night so that Braden Holtby would be ready to go tonight. The dog had won 6 of the last 9 meetings between these teams prior to the favored Bolts getting the win in the most recent match-up. The Capitals are 25-6 including a superb 9-3 this season when they enter a game having played each of their 3 prior games on the road. 10* WASHINGTON

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Game #15 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Wild vs Colorado Avalanche @ 8:05 ET - The Avs are off a rare shutout win. Prior to that, the Avalanche had allowed 3 or more goals in 4 of their previous 5 games. Also, Colorado is 9-3 to the over (including 3-1 this season) when off a game in which they shut out their opponent. The Avs are also 7-2 to the over in Tuesday games this season and 6-3 to the over this season when they are off 3 or more consecutive home games. Now the Avalanche are at Minnesota tonight. There have only been two unders in the last 6 meetings between these teams. Also, those 6 games have all totaled at least 5 goals and the average has been 7 goals per game. Tonight's total is a 5.5 and the Wild are 10-6 to the over in their last 16 games against teams with a losing record. The Avalanche are 5 for 17 on the power play in their last 5 road games. The Wild are 4 for 10 on the power play in their last 3 home games. Minnesota has allowed an average of 4 goals per game in their last 5 games. I see no reason that each team won't get to 3 goals in this one given all of the above factors. 10* OVER the total in Minnesota

Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #73 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Blackhawks vs Vancouver Canucks @ 8:35 ET - The Canucks have trended under but the Blackhawks have trended over in a huge way and I expect Chicago to dictate the pace and flow of this game on home ice. The Blackhawks are 24-3-1 to the over their last 28 games. Vancouver does enter this game having recorded an under in 3 straight games but that is a situation that has seen them go 6-2 to the over the last 8 times. In other words, the odds strongly favor that under streak coming to an end as this one flies over the total. The Blackhawks are 13-0 to the over in their last 13 games against teams with a losing record! Also, Chicago is 7-1 to the over this season when on a winning streak of 3 or more games. The Blackhawks are 22-7-1 to the over this season in a home game with a posted total of 6 or more goals. 10* OVER the total in Chicago

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #65 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Pittsburgh Penguins vs Philadelphia Flyers @ 7:35 ET - The over is 11-3-1 in the Flyers last 15 games. The Penguins have been trending under of late but it hasn't been a result of a lack of offense. Prior to their 5-1 home loss to St Louis yesterday, Pittsburgh had scored an average of 4 goals per game in their 9 previous games. The over is 15-9 this season when the Pens are off a non-conference game. I don't expect the Flyers to be able to stop the Penguins here but, at the same time, Philly has been scoring very well also. Philadelphia's problem has been inconsistent play in their own zone and then getting some shaky goaltending as well. The Flyers have allowed an average of 4.2 goals per game in their last 5 games. The Penguins have averaged scoring 4.8 goals per game in their last 4 games against Philly. This total is big but it is fully justified given all of the above and I look for scoring early, often, and throughout this game between these division in-state rivals. Should be plenty of power play opportunities as well as these teams don't like each other and there is some bad blood that often leads to some extra penalties! 10* OVER the total in Pittsburgh

Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #37 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Los Angeles Kings vs Florida Panthers @ 4:05 ET - The Panthers have averaged 4 goals per game their last 14 games. Their most recent game resulted in an under but, prior to that, the over went 10-2-1 in Florida's 13 prior games. Even though the Kings are known for low-scoring games, I am expecting a wild one in Los Angeles Saturday afternoon. That's because LA is looking for payback from a 6-1 loss at Florida earlier this season. The Kings have gotten a little healthier lately and eventually the goal-scoring will see an uptick for LA. With the Panthers coming into this one overconfident, this looks like the perfect spot to see the Kings do some damage in the offensive zone. However, Los Angeles won't be able to slow down the red hot production of the Panthers forwards. Florida is 17-8 to the over this season when off a game in which they scored 4 or more goals. LA is 14-8 to the over this season after being held to 1 goal or less in their prior game. Also, the Kings are on a long-term 34-17 run to the over (including 13-5 this season) in Saturday games. More of the same expected here. 10* OVER the total in Los Angeles

Contrarian Crusher – Rickenbach NHL Game #26 Friday 10* Top Play Dallas Stars Money Line (+) vs Vegas Golden Knights @ 8:05 ET - Too much value to pass up on here with this home dog. Yes it is true that Dallas is in a back to back spot but the Stars are battling for a playoff spot just like the Golden Knights are. That said, Dallas is tough to beat because they just don't allow many goals at all. The Stars have allowed a TOTAL of only FOUR goals in their last SIX games! Goalie Bishop was in between the pipes yesterday and Dallas has won each of his last 5 starts. Goalie Khudobin lost his most recent start despite playing well and each of his 3 prior starts were winners. As you can see, the Stars have been getting solid goaltending. As for the Golden Knights, they have been getting solid goaltending most of the time too but certainly not as consistently as Dallas has. Vegas is actually off a 6-3 loss that marked the 3rd time in their last 8 games that they've allowed 5 or more goals. People are grabbing the Golden Knights here due to their scheduling edge but, keep in mind, the Stars also have revenge on their side in this game. Dallas has been the better team in their own zone of late and the Stars are making a playoff push and are starting to believe! That makes for a dangerous home dog. 10* DALLAS

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Game #4 Thursday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) vs Washington Capitals @ 7:05 ET - Double revenge spot for the Flyers as they've lost each game by a 5-3 count this season even though Philadelphia has outshot Washington by a combined count of 70 to 60 in the two games this season. The Flyers are still very much alive in the playoff race and have won 6 of their last 8 games. Even though the Capitals have also been hot, they are off a loss at Pittsburgh and are just 13-13 in their last 26 games. Look for the Caps to drop to 9-9 this season when off a game which they lost by a margin of 2 or more goals. The fact is that Washington is overvalued here as a road favorite here against a hungry division rival home dog! Other than the loss to the Capitals last week, the Flyers have won 8 of last 12 against teams with a winning record. They've been playing their best hockey of the season as they continue to make a push for the post-season. With Carolina and Columbus matched up tomorrow, the Flyers know they can pick up two points here plus see one of those two teams they are chasing fail to do so tomorrow on Friday. That means Philly can continue to gain ground with a win here and I look for them to do just that as the Flyers improve to 12-4 in their last 16 games on home ice. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #66 Wednesday 10* Top Play Toronto Maple Leafs Puck Line -1.5 goals +120 vs Chicago Blackhawks @ 7:05 ET - Perfect set up here as the Blackhawks are off a huge 7-1 win while the Maple Leafs are off a 6-2 loss. Toronto is 16-4 this season when off a game in which they allowed 4 or more goals. Chicago is playing this game with home loss revenge but that is a situation that has seen them lose 15 of 19 games this season. Also, the Blackhawks have lost 21 of 31 games against teams with a losing record this season. The Maple Leafs have won 47 of their last 74 home games with a posted total of 6 or more goals. Per the above, a Toronto bounce back here is quite likely. Of course the money line is huge here but that is where the puck line comes into play as a valuable asset. By taking the Maple Leafs at -1.5 goals we actually get a plus money return on Toronto here and any Leafs win is likely to come by 2 or more goals. The reason I say that is because the Maple Leafs last 40 wins have featured 32 (80%) by a victory margin of 2 or more goals. As for the Blackhawks losses, 5 of Chicago's 6 losses since the All Star break have come by a margin of defeat of 2 or more goals. Situation points toward a Toronto win here and the odds (as you can see immediately above) fully favor the win to come by at least two goals. 10* TORONTO Puck Line -1.5 goals +120

Early Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #51 Tuesday 10* Top Play Boston Bruins Money Line (-) @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - Each of these teams are coming off a loss. However, while that is newsworthy for the Bruins, it truly is nothing new for the Blue Jackets. The fact is that Columbus is playing with playoff pressure and they continue to, more often than not, wilt under that pressure. The Blue Jackets have now lost 4 of their past 6 games and they've scored an average of only 1.3 goals per game those 6 contests! As for Boston, prior to their 4-2 loss at Pittsburgh, they had won 15 of their past 17 games! High-powered Boston had averaged scoring 3.8 goals per game in their last 13 wins. While the Bruins were off yesterday, the Blue Jackets were at New York getting shutout by the Islanders. That said, Boston has the rest edge here and Columbus has lost 8 of 12 this season when playing the 2nd game of a back to back. The Bruins have won 25 of 37 Tuesday games including 9 of 11 this season. Columbus took 2 out of 3 meetings last season and it is time for a little payback here! 10* BOSTON

Early Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #37 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning @ 7:05 ET - The Maple Leafs are off back to back unders but they had previously gone over the total in 6 straight games. Toronto has averaged scoring 4.3 goals per game their last 8 games. The Lightning have been trending under of late but the Bolts are a very high-powered team. Tampa Bay has averaged 3.9 goals per game on the season. The over is 14-6-1 in Maple Leafs divisional games this season. In March games, the Maple Leafs are 20-12 to the over. The Bolts are converting 28.8% of their power plays this season. The Maple Leafs are converting 26% of their power plays in home games this season. Look for this one to fly over the total. 10* OVER the total in Toronto

TV Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #29 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Pittsburgh Penguins vs Boston Bruins @ 7:35 ET - Both teams in a back to back spot here. The Bruins hosted the Senators and the Penguins were at Columbus yesterday. Boston has won 13 of their last 14 games and has averaged 3.8 goals per game in those 13 victories. Pittsburgh's last 13 games, prior to yesterday's low-scoring loss, saw the Penguins average scoring 3.6 goals per game. The over is 9-1 in the last 10 meetings between these teams and that includes each of the last 5 meetings in Boston going over the total. Look for another one here as there is a lot of firepower on both of these hockey clubs and with both off low-scoring "grinders" yesterday I expect a barn-burner today to result. Look for this long-term series trend of high-scoring games between the Pens and Bruins to continue here. 10* OVER the total in Pittsburgh

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Game #13 Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ New York Islanders @ 7:05 ET - This line looks a little "off" and you know what that usually means. The fact is the Islanders are a very small favorite here considering they are on home ice. This is no mistake though. The game is priced this way because the odds maker sees the same thing I do here. The Flyers are very much alive in the playoff race but off a bad home loss to the Capitals. Philly needs to respond here and surely should. The Flyers had won 17 of 23 games prior to that loss. The Islanders won their most recent home game but previously lost 3 of their last 4 home games! They were held to just a single goal in all 3 of those losses! The Flyers have won 7 of their last 9 road games! The road team is also a perfect 2-0 in the match-ups between these teams this season and the games were decided by a combined score of 10 to 2. Look for the road dominance to continue here. The Islanders have home loss revenge here but have lost 10 of 17 in that situation this season. The Flyers have won 11 of their last 12 games when off a game in which they allowed 3 or more goals. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #75 Friday 10* Top Play Winnipeg Jets Money Line (+) @ Carolina Hurricanes @ 7:35 ET - The Jets have won 17 of 32 road games this season. The Hurricanes have won 18 of 32 home games this season. The point is that, of course, home ice gets factored into these lines but oftentimes that home ice factor is overvalued and I firmly believe that is the case here. Yes these teams are nearly equal on points on the season in the standings (Winnipeg slightly more) but while the Jets are battling for the top spot in their division, Carolina is playing with a lot of pressure on their shoulders. That's because the Hurricanes may not even make the playoffs. So with the Canes playing with playoff pressure and also having lost 4 of last 5 meetings with the Jets, I won't hesitate to back the sizable road dog in this match-up. In home games with posted total of 6 or more goals, Carolina actually has a losing record this season. Also, the Hurricanes have lost 27 of their past 47 games when playing with two days of rest between games. The Canes have lost 4 of 5 this season when they enter a game on an O/U streak of 3 or more overs. Winnipeg has won 25 of 39 when they enter a game with 2 days of rest between games. Also, after a loss by a margin of 2 or more goals, the Jets have won 11 of 17 this season. Look for the Jets to bounce back after a 5-2 loss to the best team (Lightning) in the NHL. 10* WINNIPEG

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #51 Thursday 10* OVER the total in Pittsburgh Penguins vs Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - This game has huge implications in the post-season race. That said, it makes sense that this game could be played with playoff intensity. However, when it come to these two teams, that doesn't necessarily translate to tight, defensive-minded hockey. Both these hockey clubs win plenty of games with top-notch firepower. Also, the Blue Jackets are particularly stacked now after the big acquisitions they made prior to the trade deadline. The over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these teams. Even though the Pens have averaged scoring 4 goals per game in their last two games each game did stay under the total. Not only has Pittsburgh been scoring well, the two games were preceded by a stretch that saw the Penguins go 6-1 to the over. The Blue Jackets have not scored well in recent games but, prior to a 2-1 win at New Jersey, Columbus had allowed an average of 4.3 goals per game and gone 3-1 to the over in their last 4 games. The Blue Jackets are playing this game with home loss revenge. That is a situation that has seen them go 27-15 to the over in recent seasons. Columbus lost on home ice to the Penguins a little over a week ago. That was part of a 7-game stretch that saw the Pens allow an average of 3.9 goals per game. You can see that neither team is likely to shut down the other in what should be another high-scoring divisional battle. Though this is "playoff pressure" time, the Penguins are 22-12 to the over in March games! Look for another one here. 10* OVER the total in Pittsburgh

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #42 Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) vs Washington Capitals @ 7:35 ET - Home ice has been important in meetings between these divisional foes. The home teams has won 7 of the past 9 meetings. Even though the Capitals enter this game having won 4 straight games, they had previously lost 12 of 19. The Flyers, long-term, have certainly been the hotter team. Philadelphia enters this match-up having won 16 of their last 21 games. Even though Voracek is expected to miss this game tonight and Patrick also might not be back just yet for the Flyers tonight, they are off a huge 4-1 win over the Islanders Sunday that was played (essentially) without both of them. Voracek missed the entire game and Patrick got hit within the first few minutes of the game. Philly did get good news on both players and I would not be surprised to see Patrick back on the ice tonight. As for Voracek he is likely out until Thursday at least. But the point is the Flyers continued to play very well even without these guys Sunday. The Capitals enter this game off back to back road wins. Since the calendar turned the page to 2019 however, Washington has never managed 3 straight road wins. In fact, prior to these back to back road wins, the Caps had lost 7 of their past 12 road contests. The Flyers have won 10 of their last 13 games on home ice and one of those 3 losses was to league-leading Tampa Bay. Great value here with the home dog. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #23 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Bruins vs Carolina Hurricanes @ 7:05 ET - This total opened up at a 6 but has dropped to a 5.5 in some books (and I expect others to follow) as of early morning Tuesday. I do understand the move as this is a key battle with plenty of impact on the playoff picture. Also, the Bruins have been trending under in recent weeks. However, the fact is that both of these teams have plenty of firepower up front. Also, the Hurricanes enter this game having gone over the total in 3 straight games and 4 of their last 5. The Canes have scored an average of 4.4 goals per game in their last 5 games. The Bruins are off a 1-0 shutout win and have won 10 of their last 11 games. Prior to registering the the tightest of low-scoring wins, Boston had scored an average of 3.8 goals per game in their 10 prior games. You can see why it would not be a surprise to see one of these teams score 4 goals tonight and yet we're dealing with a total of only 5.5 on this game. Also, note that the last 6 times these teams have matched up 5 of the meetings have gone over the total. This is a contrarian play for sure as the markets are taking this game the other way but I feel the odds makers had this one correct with their initial number (6) posted as this total on this one. 10* OVER the total in Boston

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #19 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Calgary Flames vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 9:05 ET - The Flames last 6 games have featured ZERO overs as none of the 6 totaled more than 6 goals and, in fact, the games averaged only 4 goals apiece. That is why this play (an OVER for me) is a contrarian play and, as always, it is not without good reasoning. The fact is the Flames had won 7 in a row before their home loss to Minnesota on Saturday. Note that Calgary is 5-1 to the over the last 6 times they have entered a game off a loss. The Flames finally got burned by trying to beat teams in a low-scoring battle. That said, just like after their other recent losses, Calgary responds with offense early and often in this one. The Flames are loaded with skill and talent and will take advantage of a Maple Leafs team that had allowed 3 or more goals in 9 of their last 12 games before their 5-2 win over the Sabres Saturday. Toronto is 5-0 to the over their last 5 games and I expect each team to get to at least 3 goals here which, if that occurs, guarantees no less than a 4-3 final and a winning ticket with this play. The Maple Leafs have scored 4 or more goals in 9 of their last 14 games. Also, the Leafs have scored 5 or more goals in 4 of their last 5. Toronto is 13-6 to the over when off a divisional game this season. The Flames are 20-6-3 to the over in their 29 home games this season that had a posted total of 6 or more goals. Look for a barn-burner in this one with plenty of end to end action leading to lots of goals. 10* OVER the total in Calgary

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #11 Sunday 10* Top Play Winnipeg Jets Money Line (+) @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - Great value spot here with the Jets. The Blue Jackets are in a back to back spot. Columbus got blasted 4-0 on home ice yesterday. The Jackets are feeling the playoff pressure as they've lost 5 of their last 9 games. Columbus also has lost 7 of 11 this season when playing the 2nd game of a back to back. Winnipeg has won 8 of 9 games on Sundays this season and has the added edge here as they were off yesterday while Columbus was in action. The Jets have won 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a winning record. The Blue Jackets have lost 6 of last 11 games against teams with a winning record. Winnipeg still has a legitimate shot at being the #1 seed in the West this season. Conversely, Columbus may not even make the playoffs. I am aware that the Jets have struggled some of late but they are still the superior team in comparison with the Blue Jackets and the situational edges for Winnipeg are big here. Columbus has lost 4 of its last 6 on home ice. The Jets are 25-10 in Sunday games last 3 seasons combined so their ability to get it done (8-1 this season) on Sundays is not a fluke. Grab the value with the road dog here. 10* WINNIPEG

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #72 Saturday 10* Top Play Toronto Maple Leafs Puck Line -1.5 goals (+105) vs Buffalo Sabres @ 7:05 ET - Perfect set up here. The Sabres are off a huge upset win (in overtime) over the Penguins last night. The Maple Leafs were resting (physically) last night but getting fired up (emotionally) as they got blasted 6-1 by the Islanders at New York on Thursday. With Buffalo set up for a letdown and Toronto set up for a blowout home win, that is why the Leafs are a very big favorite here on the money line. Though I would never lay a huge money line price, we can still capture the value of this situation by grabbing Toronto on the puck line. Yes the Maple Leafs must now win the game by two goals but, given the situation, this absolutely should be a home blowout. The Sabres will likely start Carter Hutton tonight between the pipes since Linus Ullmark got the start last night. In Hutton's last two starts Buffalo surrendered 5 goals in each game. Both those were on the road and the Sabres have now lost 5 straight road games and only one of the 5 defeats came by a single goal. Overall, Buffalo's last 7 goals have seen 6 come by a margin of 2 or more goals. The Sabres are on a 5-19 run in road games with a posted total of 6 or more goals. Toronto is 15-4 this season after allowing 4 or more goals in their prior game. Each of the Maple Leafs last 5 wins have come by a margin of 2 or more goals. Look for this one to do just that as well! 10* TORONTO Puck Line -1.5 goals

Rickenbach NHL Game #49 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Buffalo Sabres vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - The Penguins are off a big 5-2 win at Columbus. The over is now 5-1 in their last 6 games. The Sabres are off a 5-2 loss at Philadelphia. The over is now a perfect 3-0 in their last 3 games. Buffalo is going to struggle to slow down a powerful Pittsburgh team as the Sabres have allowed 4 or more goals in 5 of their past 7 games! As strong as the Pens are in the offensive zone they are dealing with a cluster of injuries to their blue line. Couple that with the fact that the Penguins strength is also truly not between the pipes and you have a nice "recipe" here for an over. The over is 14-6-1 in Buffalo's last 21 games. The Sabres are 4 for 12 on the power play in their last 3 games. Pittsburgh is 5 for 14 on the power play in their last 6 games. The Penguins also have allowed their opponents to convert 5 of 11 power play opportunities in their last 3 games. The Pens are a long-term 71-42 to the over after scoring 4 or more goals in their prior game. Also, this season Pittsburgh has gone 13-7 to the over when off a win in which the victory margin was 2 or more goals. Look for these trends to continue here. 10* OVER the total in Buffalo

Shocker of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #33 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Islanders vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:05 ET - I am well aware of the fact that head coach Barry Trotz has done a great job with the Islanders and that they are more of a defensive-minded team under his leadership. However, getting a 5.5 with a total involving the Maple Leafs in a superb situation is simply too good to pass up. The Maple Leafs are in a back to back spot and that means Garrett Sparks is likely to get the start between the pipes. He hasn't started a game in over two weeks and will be rusty here plus that start was a 4-1 loss for him. Also, Toronto is without a pair of defensemen, Jake Gardiner and Travis Dermott, for this one. The Maple Leafs aren't known for defense as it is and you can see why that is likely to be a key weakness tonight. What Toronto is known for is scoring goals and they enter this game having scored 5 or more goals in 3 straight games and 4 or more goals in 8 of their last 11 games. They'll get their fair share tonight but won't be able to stop the Islanders for the aforementioned reasons. The Isles will be ready to bounce back after a 3-1 home loss to Calgary. The Islanders entered that game having scored an average of 3.4 goals per game in their 5 prior games. The Isles have averaged 3.7 goals per game in their last 3 games versus the Maple Leafs. It was a shutout home loss for the Leafs versus the Islanders earlier this season but they previously averaged scoring 4.7 goals per game in their 3 prior meetings. The over is a perfect 3-0 the last 3 times these teams have met in New York. The over is 3-0 in Toronto's last 3 games overall. 10* OVER the total in NY Islanders

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #25 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Edmonton Oilers @ 7:05 ET - The Oilers will get a big scoring boost tonight with Connor McDavid returning to the ice with fresh legs following his suspension. The Maple Leafs enter this game having scored 4 or more goals in 7 of their last 11 games. Toronto has scored 5 or more goals in each of their past two games. The Leafs have allowed 3 or more goals in 8 of their last 10 games. Edmonton has allowed 3 or more goals in 13 of their last 15 games. Can we get each team to 3 goals here? You bet and that guarantees us of the game finishing with at least 7 goals. Keep in mind, the Maple Leafs are off a high-scoring win over Buffalo and Toronto is 12-6 to the over this season when off a divisional game. For Edmonton, this will be the 20th road game with a posted total of 6 or more goals this season and only 6 thus far have resulted in an under. Also, the Oilers are 19-10-1 to the over in games against teams with a winning record this season. Look for all the above trends to continue with a high-scoring barn-burner at the Scotiabank Centre tonight. 10* OVER the total in Toronto

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 Tuesday 10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line (+) @ Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - This is a contrarian play as many will be looking to the Bruins on home ice. However, the Sharks have been red hot just like Boston has. Additionally, San Jose just suffered a tough (and controversial) 6-5 home loss to the Bruins last week and now it is payback time. The Sharks have actually lost 6 straight to Boston but, keep in mind, San Jose has outshot the Bruins 75 to 40 in their last two meetings. Finally, on Tuesday night in Boston, the Sharks will get what they deserve in the form of a well-earned meeting. While it is true that the Bruins have a rest edge here, it is also true that Boston just returned from a trip out west and oftentimes that first game after returning back east can be the toughest. As for San Jose, they were off yesterday so that helps and also they've been in the eastern time zone for each of their past 3 games (at Pittsburgh, Columbus, and Detroit). The Sharks are 2-1 so far on this road trip and this is the finale. Extra motivation here for San Jose to finally knock off the Bruins and to also make it a winning road trip. Boston also has the #1 team in the league, and a division rival, on deck as they host the Lightning on Thursday. From a situational standpoint (as well as value standpoint), this is a superb spot for the Sharks! 10* SAN JOSE

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #71 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Tampa Bay Lightning vs Los Angeles Kings @ 7:35 ET - This is a contrarian play as the Kings have struggled to score goals all season long. However, my take on this game is that with having the worst record in the NHL Western Conference, Los Angeles has little to play this season EXCEPT in a game like this. On Monday night on the NBCSN game (on TV) they take a shot at the #1 team in the league. This is the type of game where an underestimated opponent steps up their game to its highest level possible. Do I expect the Kings to win this game as a result? No. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if they lose the game by 2 or more goals. That's why I am not playing the money line or puck line in this game. Where I feel we have great value is with the over. That's because the Kings are going to surprise and score some goals here but, of course, I expect the Lightning to continue their tremendous onslaught in the offensive zone. The Bolts have won 8 straight games and have scored an average of 4.6 goals per game in those 8 games. The Kings have lost 7 straight games and have allowed 4.3 goals per game in those 7 games. The over is 3-0 in the last 3 meetings between these teams and those games have averaged 7.3 goals per game. Look for at least 7 here as well. Tampa is 16-10 to the over this season in games against teams with a losing record. The Kings are 18-9 to the over in non-conference games this season. Los Angeles is 10-3 to the over in their last 13 games. More of the same here. 10* OVER the total in Tampa Bay

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #64 Sunday 10* Top Play Minnesota Wild Money Line (-) vs St Louis Blues @ 7:05 ET - This is a situation that strongly favors the Wild. While the red hot Blues were at Boston yesterday Minnesota was at home resting. The Wild are back from a road trip that saw them get back on track and get their confidence going again with a pair of wins. Minnesota also has an edge here in that the Blues used their red hot goalie, Jordan Binnington, yesterday and it was a fierce battle for a 2-1 win in the shootout. St Louis is likely spent after the hard-fought win at Boston and now their choices are to start Binnington in the 2nd game of a back to back or go with Jake Allen whom hasn't started in over a week and has had some struggles this season. Minnesota will take advantage and get payback for a 4-0 home ice shutout to the Blues last Sunday! Keep in mind, prior to that loss, the Wild had won 5 straight games over St Louis by a combined score of 24 to 9. Minnesota had shown they had the Blues number in recent meetings and, after getting embarrassed on home ice last Sunday, it is payback time this Sunday. The Blues are in the midst of a brutal stretch that has seen them play 10 games in 16 days without playing consecutive home games a single time. The point is it has been road road road for St Louis or just one off home games here and there. Tough stretch catches up with them here. The Blues are 2-7 this season in the 2nd game of a back to back. 10* MINNESOTA

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #47 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens @ 7:05 ET - Off 3 straight losses and having scored no more than 2 goals in each defeat, the Maple Leafs are in a foul mood (to say the least) here. That said, the Leafs have averaged scoring 4 goals per game in their last 6 games against Montreal and will take advantage of hosting the Canadiens on Saturday's Hockey Night in Canada. The reason I like the over here rather than Toronto is two-fold. For on thing the Maple Leafs money line is too pricey. I don't like laying big prices. However, for another thing, the Canadiens have scored 3 or more goals in 7 of their last 9 games. In fact, the Habs have averaged 4 goals a game in those 7 games and I look for a real barn-burner at Toronto Saturday. Only 33% (6 of 18) Maple Leafs divisional games this season have resulted in an under. Montreal is 6-3 to the over this season when they are on the road and coming off a game in which they scored 4 or more goals. 10* OVER the total in Toronto

Total of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Game #27 Friday 10* OVER the total in Detroit Red Wings vs Minnesota Wild @ 7:35 ET - The Wild are off a big 4-1 win at New York over the Rangers last night. That got Minnesota back on track after rare back to back shutouts on home ice. Now the Wild will look to take advantage of a Red Wings team that has lost 6 of its past 8 games and allowed an average of 4.33 goals per game in those 6 defeats. While I do fully expect Minnesota to score well here, it should be noted that they have a big home game on deck with a red hot St Louis team. Not only could they be looking ahead to the Blues, the fact this is a back to back also means their intensity on defense may not be at its best. This is especially true considering they are coming off a much needed satisfying win last night. With this total at just 5.5 goals, I love the value we're getting here with the over. Long-term the over is 17-8 when the Red Wings host the Wild. Also, Detroit has scored at least 3 goals in 4 of their last 5 games. Minnesota has scored 4 goals in 3 of their last 4 road games. I foresee this one playing out as a 4-3 type game. Only a third (8 of 24) Wild non-conference games this season have resulted in an under. Also, the Red Wings are 10-4 to the over this season when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 or more games. 10* OVER the total in Detroit

Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New Jersey Devils vs Ottawa Senators @ 7:05 ET - The Devils have scored an average of 4 goals per game in their last 3 games. However, New Jersey is allowing goals like crazy too. The Devils have given up an average of 4.4 goals per game their last 5 games. The over is also a perfect 5-0 in the last 5 meetings between these teams. Incredibly, those games have averaged 8.6 goals per game. The Senators are unlikely to change the pattern here either. Ottawa has allowed an average of 4.8 goals per game their last 5 games. To their credit, the Senators have averaged scoring 4 goals per game their last 7 games but, again, if you can't keep the puck out of your own net it is tough to win. The Senators and Devils are each last place in their respective divisions. I love looking for games like this late in the season where you have two teams that have faded from the post-season race. These tend to be very high-scoring games as defensive intensity is not at its best as a general rule. That said, this particular match-up fits the bill very well and the recent trending between these teams make this a top situation. Look for both hockey clubs to continue to see their goalies struggle here. 10* OVER the total in New Jersey

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Game #73 Wednesday 10* Top Play Boston Bruins Money Line (+) @ Vegas Golden Knights @ 10:05 ET - The magic of the Golden Knights first season is long gone. Vegas is basically a lock to make the playoffs but also has nearly no chance of winning the division. Their playoff positioning is almost locked up and that means it is even more difficult for Vegas to stay motivated. They've also seen Marc Andre-Fleury struggle between the pipes for an extended stretch and that is why Malcolm Subban is off back to back starts. The fact is that this is simply not the same Knights team it was last season and they enter this game having lost 9 of their last 13 games. Though Vegas won their most recent game on home ice, that was preceded by 5 straight HOME losses! Now the Golden Knights have to host one of the best teams in the league. The Bruins already beat the Knights in Boston earlier this season and they come into this game red hot. Boston has won 6 straight games and 8 of their last 9. Also, the Bruins are 7 for 25 on the power play their last 7 games. Boston has killed off 15 of 17 power play opportunities for their opponents in their last 5 games. The Bruins will take advantage of a struggling Golden Knights special teams. Vegas is just 2 for 18 on the power play in their last 8 games. Also, the Golden Knights penalty kill has surrendered 4 power play goals in 14 chances for their opponents in their last 4 home games. Tons of value here with the road dog and the Bruins are highly motivated as the Maple Leafs are right behind them for the #2 spot in the Atlantic Division. 10* BOSTON 

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #50 Tuesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) vs Tampa Bay Lightning @ 7:05 ET - Of course it may seem "tough" to go against the best team in the NHL but, keep in mind, one of the few teams the Bolts have proven to be mere "mortals" in recent seasons is when they are playing the 2nd game of a back to back. The Lightning have won just 19 of 36 when playing the 2nd night of B2B games. A key to the value here is the Flyers are rested and on a home ice and have a big edge in goal. Not only is Philadelphia 12-1-1 their last 14 games, Carter Hart has won 10 of his last 11 starts and continues to play like one of the top goalies in the NHL despite his youth. As for Tampa Bay, they are expected to go with Louis Dominque here since this is a back to back spot. Keep in mind, the Lightning netminder has an unimpressive .896 save percentage on the road this season. The Flyers have allowed 2 or less goals in 6 of Hart's last 9 starts. While this game doesn't mean a whole lot to Tampa, it means everything to Philly. This is a chance for the Flyers, on home ice, to prove they can play with the league's best team. Philadelphia is only 6 points out of a wild card spot and continues to play their best hockey of the season. The Flyers, when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 or more games, have won 22 of 33 including 5 of 7 this season. They are catching the Lightning at the right time and get the upset win tonight. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #41 Monday 10* Top Play Ottawa Senators Money Line (+) @ Chicago Blackhawks @ 8:35 ET - Though both teams have had disappointing seasons each hockey club also has shown some glimmers of hope recently. That said, there is no way that it can be justified that the Blackhawks deserve to be this big of a favorite against anyone in the league. This is especially true when they're facing a Senators team that has been playing quite well for weeks now and is finally starting to see their improved play get rewarded as they've picked up some wins recently too! Ottawa has won 3 of its last 5 games and their goalie Anders Nilsson is 7-4 with a 2.27 GAA and a .935 save % his last 11 games. The Blackhawks had been winning too but they appear to be heading for another downturn now and goaltending continues to be shaky for them. Chicago has lost 2 of its last 3 games and the Hawks were outscored 11-5 in the two defeats. The road team has won 4 of the last 5 meetings between these teams and the Senators are seeking revenge for a 1-goal loss to Chicago in their season opener. Keep in mind that two of Ottawa's 3 recent wins came against Winnipeg. The Jets are a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and I have been impressed with the Senators level of play recently to say the least. Also, the Blackhawks have lost 21 of 31 this season when off a game in which they allowed 4 or more goals. Tremendous line value here with the sizable road dog. 10* OTTAWA

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #33 Sunday 10* Top Play Montreal Canadiens Money Line (+) @ Florida Panthers @ 7:05 ET - With the Canadiens in a back to back and the Panthers playing this game with double revenge from this season's action, many will back Florida at a small money line price on their home ice. Of course that is what has happened and the line is being driven upward. In typical contrarian fashion I am on the other side of this game and grabbing the extra value but it is certainly not without reason. The Panthers have been alternating their goalies of late and that means Roberto Luongo is likely to get the start here. Florida has been outscored 13 to 9 in his last 4 starts. The Panthers were outshot 43-32 by Calgary Thursday but were able to steal the game from the Flames. They won't be so lucky here. The Canadiens were likely to start Antti Niemi here since Carey Price was between the pipes yesterday at Tampa Bay. By the way, Price and the Habs played great in that game (particularly in the first two periods - both scoreless). Had the Canadiens not had a mid-first period goal taken off the board (overturned by questionable offsides call after upstairs review), Montreal appeared poised for a big upset yesterday. They carry some extra hunger into this game now after a tough loss Saturday led to their 3rd straight defeat. Montreal's Niemi has saved 113 of 119 shots in his last 3 starts against the Panthers and has already beaten Florida twice this season. This is a key game for the Habs in the playoff race and they are 9-3 this season when off a game in which they were held to 1 goal or less. Florida has lost 29 of 47 (including 7 of 11 this season) when playing with 2 days of rest between games. The Canadiens have won 6 of their last 8 games against teams with a losing record. 10* MONTREAL

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #15 Saturday 10* Top Play Dallas Stars Money Line (+) @ Carolina Hurricanes @ 8:05 ET - The Stars are off an embarrassing 6-0 shellacking at Tampa Bay on Thursday. While Dallas was off yesterday, the Hurricanes were battling it out with Edmonton last night. Not only is this a quick turnaround for Carolina, they have lost 7 of their 8 Saturday games this season! Dallas also has revenge here as they suffered a 5-1 loss in their most recent game against the Hurricanes and that was also here in Carolina. It is payback time for the Stars. The Canes have lost 14 of 21 this season when off a non-conference game. Also, in games against teams with a winning record, the Hurricanes have lost 63 of their last 106 as they have generally struggled in recent seasons when facing quality competition. Dallas could have Ben Bishop back between the pipes for this one. Also, the Stars are 4-1 the last 5 times they were off a loss by a margin of 3 or more goals. Keep in mind they lost by SIX goals to the powerful Bolts on Thursday night. Dallas entered that game having won 6 of their 8 prior games. Also, the Stars had allowed just 1.8 goals per game in their last 13 games before giving up SIX against the Lightning. This is a powerful spot for a bounce back from the road team and I'll gladly grab the underdog value being offered here. 10* DALLAS

Total Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #75 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Carolina Hurricanes vs Edmonton Oilers @ 7:35 ET - The Oilers are off a low-scoring 3-1 loss at Pittsburgh Tuesday but they certainly didn't lose that game due to lack of effort. Edmonton had 39 shots on goal and head coach Ken Hitchcock has lit a fire under this team and I expect them to continue to be aggressive in the offensive zone tonight. As for the Hurricanes, head coach Rod Brind'Amour certainly has his team playing extremely well. Carolina has won 7 of its last 10 games and the Canes have averaged scoring 4.1 goals per game during this 10 game stretch. In the Hurricanes last 8 home games, 6 of them have totaled at least 6 goals. The Canes have scored an average of 3.9 goals per game in those 8 home games. Carolina will be ready to go again here on home ice but the Oilers are going to present a challenge and I expect the result to be a very high-scoring non-conference match-up here. Keep in mind, prior to the game against the Penguins staying under the total, the over was 9-4 in Edmonton's 13 prior games. The Oilers are 17-8 to the over this season in games against teams with a winning record and also 10-5 to the over this season in road games with a posted total of 6 or more goals. The Hurricanes are 3 for 9 on the power play in their last two games. The Canes have allowed opponents to go 2 for 7 on the power play in their last two home games. More of the same expect here with special teams play helping to push this one over the total. 10* OVER the total in Carolina

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Game #61 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Winnipeg Jets vs Colorado Avalanche @ 8:05 ET - The Jets have scored an average of 6 goals per game in their last 3 games against the Avalanche. As you would expect with stats like that, the over is 3-0 in those 3 meetings. Winnipeg also enters this game having scored an average of 3.8 goals per game in its last 8 games. The Jets are 6-2 to the over in those 8 games and Winnipeg is known for being particularly dangerous on home ice as they are averaging 3.9 goals per game there. The Avalanche are struggling badly and have allowed 4 or more goals in 7 of their last 8 games. Not surprisingly given those numbers, the over is on a 5-2 run in Colorado's last 7 games. In road games with a posted total of 6 or more goals, the Avs are 16-8-1 to the over this season. Winnipeg is 20-9-2 to the over in games against teams with a losing record this season. Also, the Jets are a long-term 20-9 to the over in February games. More of the same expected here. 10* OVER the total in Winnipeg

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Game #41 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Nashville Predators vs Detroit Red Wings @ 8:05 ET - Overall, Nashville is known for playing lower-scoring games and that is helping to keep this total (5.5) shaded a little low which is giving us great value considering the situation. The Predators are hungry off back to back losses and also have revenge from a 4-3 loss at Detroit earlier this season. As a result of those two key variables, the Preds won't take their foot off the gas here and I expect plenty of scoring to take place as a result. Also, being a non-conference game is a difference maker and only 6 of Nashville's 16 non-conference games this season have resulted in an under. The Predators are on a 21-12 run to the over in February games. The Red Wings also enter this game off consecutive losses. That is certainly noteworthy here as Detroit is 10-3 to the over this season when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 or more games. Also, the Red Wings are 11-5-1 to the over when off a loss by a margin of 2 or more goals. I look for Detroit to improve to 5-2 to the over this season in road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. The Red Wings have allowed an average of 4 goals per game in their last 3 games. The Predators have scored 4 or more goals in 4 of their last 8 games and are primed for a huge, relentless game in the offensive zone as they look to bounce back off B2B losses. The Preds have scored an average of 5 goals per game the last 4 times they have entered a game on a losing streak of 2 or more games. Expect more of the same here. 10* OVER the total in Nashville

Game of the Week total - Rickenbach NHL Game #17 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Washington Capitals vs Los Angeles Kings @ 7:05 ET - We are getting great line value with this total posted at a 5.5 in this non-conference match-up. Certainly I fully understand the low total as it is based on the fact that the Kings have been one of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL this season. However, this low number is not giving any credit to the fact that Los Angeles has been trending toward much higher scoring games of late. The over is 6-1 in the Kings last 7 games. LA has allowed an average of 3.6 goals per game in their last 7 games. Los Angeles has scored an average of 4 goals per game in their last 4 games. The Kings are facing a Capitals team that also has been trending over of late. The over is 6-2 in Washington's last 8 games. The Caps have allowed an average of 4.4 goals per game in their last 11 games. In the Capitals last 8 games they were shutout once (by the Bruins in DC) but they scored an average of 4.1 goals per game in the other 7 games! The over is 15-7 this season in Washington's non-conference games. Also, the over is 14-3 this season when the Capitals are off a game in which they allowed 4 or more goals. Los Angeles is 15-8 to the over in non-conference games this season. 10* OVER the total in Washington

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #15 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Rangers vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:05 ET - The Rangers are off an embarrassing ugly home loss to the Hurricanes on Friday. Prior to that game the over was 6-3 in New York's prior 9 games. During that stretch the Rangers had one other home shutout (1-0 versus the Flyers). However, in the other 8 games the Rangers scored an average of 4 goals per game. That lends itself to the expectation of a high-scoring game here as the Maple Leafs are in a back to back spot and continue to get involved in barn-burners. Toronto won 4-3 at Montreal yesterday and the Leafs have scored an average of 4.3 goals in their last 6 games. The over is a perfect 3-0 in the Maple Leafs last 3 games. The over is a long-term 22-13 when Toronto is on a winning streak of 3 or more games. Also, the Maple Leafs are 11-5 to the over this season when off a divisional game. The over is 6-2 this season when New York is off a game in which they were held to 1 goal or less. Also, the Rangers are 11-4 to the over this season when off a loss by a margin of defeat of 2 or more goals. 10* OVER the total in the New York Rangers game

Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #73 Saturday 10* Top Play Dallas Stars Money Line (-) @ Arizona Coyotes @ 4:05 ET - The Stars have beaten the Coyotes 9 straight times! Dallas is expected to have Anton Khudobin between the pipes while Arizona will likely start Darcy Kuemper. Note that Khudobin has a stellar .924 save percentage on the season and has been very strong of late as he is at .925 his last four games. Kuemper, on the other hand, has an .887 save percentage in his last four starts. Also, the Coyotes enter this game on a 5-game losing streak. Conversely, the Stars are off a loss but that ended a 5-game winning streak. In other words, Dallas has been hot and Arizona has been struggling and I see no reason that won't continue here. The Stars have won 8 of 12 Saturday games this season. The Coyotes have lost 7 of their last 9 games against teams with a winning record. Arizona also has lost 35 of 53 when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 or more games. In other words, the Coyotes are known for seeing their slumps turn into lengthy losing stretches. More of the same today as the Stars are 5 for 14 on the power in their last 4 games against the Coyotes while Arizona is 0 for 17 in those 4 match-ups. Special teams, goaltending, situational value, etc. all add up to a road rout here. 10* DALLAS

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #58 Friday 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (+) vs Carolina Hurricanes @ 8:05 ET - Three significant edges for the Rangers in this one. Obviously one is home ice. Another is that Carolina is in a back to back spot while this host here was off last night. Thirdly, and perhaps most important, Henrik Lundqvist over Petr Mrazek is a key edge between the pipes in my opinion. Lundqvist has a solid .910 save percentage on home ice this season. Mrazek enters this start having a poor .874 save percentage in his last 4 starts. Mrazek has allowed 6 goals in his two February starts and he had a poor 3.30 GAA in his January starts. He is 3-6 with a 3.28 GAA in his 9 starts against Atlantic Division teams this season. The Rangers Lundqvist is an incredible 19-3 in his last 22 starts versus the Hurricanes with a very high save percentage and very low goals against average. Suffice to say he is very confident when facing Carolina. I know the Canes have fared okay this season in back to back spots but, particularly off a dramatic 6-5 win last night at Buffalo that required extra time, I look for the Hurricanes to run out of gas tonight at Madison Square Garden. The rested Rangers take this game as they are still fighting to stay alive in the playoff race and they know this game is a critical one. 10* NEW YORK RANGERS 

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #35 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Philadelphia Flyers vs Los Angeles Kings @ 7:05 ET - The Kings have a penchant for being involved in lower scoring games and the Flyers 8-game win streak has made Carter Hart's fine play between the pipes a focal point. That is why the total on this game is only at 5.5 goals and there are key reasons as to why I am expecting at least 6 goals to be scored in this one and I am happy to take advantage of the lower total posted here. First off, rookie phenom goalie Hart is expected to get the night off as Anthony Stolarz is slated to get this start. Stolarz played great in his most recent start but his long-term numbers tell the full story and certainly he is not Carter Hart! He'll be facing a scrappy Kings team that is hell-bent on ending the Flyers winning streak. Los Angeles has had a rough season but is playing much better of late. The over is actually a perfect 5-0 in the Kings last 5 games and LA has scored 4 or more goals in 3 of their last 4 games. The Flyers, though goaltending has been making the headlines, have actually been getting the job done more often than not in the offensive zone as well. In fact, Philadelphia has scored an average of 4.2 goals per game in their 5 home wins during this current 8-game winning streak. Also, the Flyers potted 5 goals at Los Angeles in the first match-up this season. The Kings found the back of the net 4 times in their last visit to Philly. You can see why I expecting at least 6 goals to be scored in this one! These two hockey clubs are playing with a lot of confidence right now and that means no matter which team gets the lead the other one is quite likely to battle right back and tie it. The over is 14-7 this season in non-conference games for Los Angeles and I look for another one here! 10* OVER the total in Philadelphia

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #27 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Rangers vs Boston Bruins @ 8:05 ET - Both teams are expected to use back-up goalies here and I look for plenty of goals in this one. The Bruins are in the second night of a back to back so Jaroslav Halak is expected to get the start. He has lost each of his last 4 decisions and, overall, has not been as impressive in recent starts as he was earlier this season. The Rangers are expected to start Alexandar Georgiev in this one. This is likely for the simple fact of giving him some work and also because Henrik Lundqvist had a sub-par effort in the loss to the Kings Monday. The fact is that Georgiev is no Lundqvist. Yes, I know Georgiev allowed just 1 goal in his most recent start but he only faced 19 shots as he faced a Flyers team that has been red hot and has been very content to play defensive-minded hockey throughout much of their 8-game winning streak. In other words, the Flyers focus has not been on putting pucks on net. They are playing a  more conservative style of late. Today Georgiev will face anything but that in this match-up! The Rangers netminder is facing a Bruins team seeking revenge for a 3-2 home loss about two weeks ago in Boston. When the Bruins are facing a team with a losing record on the season in a game that is past the midway point of the season only 15 of their last 39 have resulted in an under. The Rangers Georgiev is 6-9 this season and has compiled a 3.28 goals-against average and a save percentage that is under the .900 mark. That is even after the strong start versus Philly. The over is 14-8-1 this season when the Rangers are off a game in which they allowed 4 or more goals. 10* OVER the total in New York Rangers

Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Buffalo Sabres vs Minnesota Wild @ 7:05 ET - The Sabres had a ridiculous 1-0 loss at Dallas last week. Other than that, Buffalo has been an "over machine" for many weeks now. The Sabres just can't keep the puck out of the back of their own net no matter who is between the pipes. Exasperating that situation Tuesday is the fact that Carter Hutton is battling an illness. Note that both Hutton and Linus Ullmark have been struggling in their recent starts. Buffalo's offensive production has not slipped up however and they are particularly potent when on home ice. The over is 8-1 in the Sabres last 9 games with the lone exception being the game against the Stars. Other than that one, Buffalo has allowed an average of 5 goals per game in their last 7 games. The Sabres, other than in that game, have scored an average of 3.5 goals per game in their last 8 games. Also, Buffalo has scored an average of 4 goals per game in their last 4 home games. Minnesota isn't necessarily known for getting involved in high-scoring games but they are fired up off a 4-3 home loss to Chicago Saturday and I foresee them really pushing hard tonight. They Wild will take advantage of continued struggles for Sabres netminders but Buffalo will score their fair share as well as they are at home and looking to shake off back to back losses. Similar to the Sabres, the Wild ran into a defensive-minded buzzsaw in their most recent road game and they were held to 1 goal. However, Minnesota previously scored an average of 13 goals in their 3 prior road games and, of course, none of those resulted in an under. This one won't either! The over is 10-5 this season when the Wild are off a divisional game. Also, the over is 15-4 (including 4-1 this season) when the Sabres enter a game with 3 or more days of rest between games. 10* OVER the total in Buffalo

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #63 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Anaheim Ducks @ 7:05 ET - The Maple Leafs are off a hard-fought 3-2 win over the Penguins on Saturday. That sets this non-conference match-up very well to play out with a lot more offense. Simply put, it is hard to give strong defensive efforts in back to back games when a team is off a win over one of the league's best. The Leafs are likely to suffer a bit of a letdown on defense here. However, Toronto should have no trouble lighting the lamp early and often in this one. Of course that is why the Maple Leafs are a very pricey money line favorite in this one. Where the value lies with this one is the total and, specifically, the over. Anaheim enters this game having given up an average of 7 goals in their last two games! Ironically, the Ducks did allow 7 goals in their most recent game at Toronto as well. However, I do look for Anaheim to have some success finding the back of the net in this one. Frederik Andersen is expected to get the start for the Maple Leafs and he has allowed at least 3 goals in each of his last 3 starts overall. Also, in his last 4 home starts, Andersen has allowed at least 3 goals in all 4 starts. This total is a 6 and the Maple Leafs are a -250 favorite. So, unless the odds makers are dead wrong, Toronto will prevail in this game and considering Andersen's recent performances and the likelihood that the Ducks get 3 goals here, you can see why I am expecting no less than a 4-3 final score here! This is contrarian to the recent "under trending" of these teams but, from a situational standpoint, a barn-burner with plenty of end to end action is on tap in this non-conference match-up Monday night. 10* OVER the total in Toronto

Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #57 Sunday 10* Top Play Calgary Flames Money Line (-) @ Carolina Hurricanes @ 2:05 ET - I like to take good teams off a loss and Calgary is one of the best teams in the league this season and coming off a tight last minute loss at Washington on Friday. They can't wait to get back on the ice and atone for that loss. Keep in mind, the Flames were on a 10-2 run prior to that loss to the defending Stanley Cup Champion Capitals. As for the Hurricanes, they are off a big win over the defending Western Conference Champion Golden Knights. That win over Vegas was the 2nd straight for the Canes. However, prior to this 2-game run, Carolina had lost 3 of their 4 prior games and allowed an average of 4.8 goals per game in doing so! The Hurricanes have won just 25 of their 51 games this season and the Flames are 7-0 their last 7 games against teams with a losing record. Also, Calgary is a fantastic 13-2 this season when off a game in which they allowed 4 or more goals. Carolina has lost 16 of their last 24 February games and I expect another fade to begin here with this game. Keep in mind, the Hurricanes are also an ugly 6-13 this season when off a non-conference game. We get a short price to lay on a great team coming off a loss here. We get that short price because they are on the road. Grabbing a roadie in a spot like this is a great value and I am going with a top play here. 10* CALGARY

Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #47 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Wild vs Chicago Blackhawks @ 8:05 ET - The Wild are off a frustrating 3-1 loss at Dallas last night but the Blackhawks penchant for high-scoring games should provide the perfect elixir for Minnesota to get their game back on track in the offensive zone tonight. Going home will also help the Wild. Chicago has been an "over machine" for an extended stretch as the Blackhawks are on an 8-1 run to the over in their last 9 games. Chicago has scored at least 3 goals in all 9 of those games. Of course the Wild are a sizable favorite for a good reason. In other words, if they win (as they are fully expected to) they likely will have to score more than 3 goals. You can see precisely why I expect this game to get to at least 4-3 and that means a solid winner here with this total at a flat 6 goals. Minnesota had scored 4.5 goals per game in their two games prior to losing to the Stars last night. The Wild get back on track here but Chicago continues to find the back of the net as well. The over is 9-5 this season when Minnesota is off a divisional game. The past two years in February games, the Wild went 16-8 to the over. The Blackhawks are 10-4 to the over this season when off a game in which they scored 4 or more goals. 10* OVER the total in Minnesota

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #11 Friday 10* Top Play Nashville Predators Money Line (-) @ Florida Panthers @ 7:05 ET - Before the All-Star break these teams met in Nashville on the 19th of January and the Panthers got the win despite the Predators holding the edge in shots on goal. The Preds also lost their most recent trip to Florida as well. That makes this a double revenge spot for Nashville and I am happy to lay the small money line to have the better team in a game in which they are highly motivated. The Predators have played better on the road over the past month as they're 6-3 their last 9 games away from home. The Panthers won their final 3 games before the break but that was immediately preceded by a 7-game losing streak. Of course home shading is always priced into the line but Florida is only 7-7 their last 14 home games and I expect Nashville's strong road play to continue here. Additionally, the Predators are 7-3 this season when playing with home loss revenge. Nashville is also a long-term 24-10 (including 10-5 this season) when they are on the road in a game with a posted total of 6 or more goals. The Panthers have lost 10 of 15 non-conference games this season and Florida has lost 3 of 4 this season when playing with 3 or more days of rest between games. 10* NASHVILLE

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Game #2 Wednesday 10* Top Play Pittsburgh Penguins Money Line (+) vs Tampa Bay Lightning @ 8:05 ET - We continue with the same system that has worked so well immediately after the All Star break. The key is taking the team that has already played and going against a team that has not and, therefore, still has plenty of rust to work off. In this case, the system is even sweeter because the Penguins got absolutely rolled in their first game after the break on Monday. The Pens got embarrassed in a listless performance versus the Devils. Not only did they work off their rust, they also worked up some anger and emotion for a bounce back performance tonight after that embarrassing home loss. Pittsburgh will be hosting the Lightning for the second time this season. The first time the Bolts got the win. However, not only does that mean this is a home loss revenge situation, it also is worth pointing out that prior to that TB win over the Pens, the home team had won EACH of the last FIVE meetings! The home ice dominance in this series resumes Wednesday as the Penguins take advantage of a Lightning team that hasn't played since the 19th - a span of over 10 days! Tampa Bay is 15-19 (-$10,000) in January games since 2017. The Penguins are 39-19 after a loss by a multiple goal margin in their prior game. The Pens are also 25-14 when playing a game with home loss revenge! 10* PITTSBURGH

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Game #79 Tuesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ New York Rangers @ 7:35 ET - Normally a back to back situation for one team automatically favors the other team. The key word in that statement is normally! Tuesday features one of the exceptions. The reason is that players have a lot of rust to work off when they first come back from the All Star break. The Flyers, in that regard, actually have an edge in this match-up since they were in action last night. Philadelphia got the 3-1 win at home versus the Jets. Not only is Philly now 4-0 their last 4 games, they've also defeated the hated rival Rangers 5 straight times! The Flyers will be ready for this game and will be the more polished team with their passes and overall puck-handling skills while the Rangers certainly could be a little sloppy especially early on in this game. The Flyers James van Riemsdyk has been skating on a line with Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny and this line combination has been a part of Philly's big improvement in recent weeks. The Rangers have lost 8 of 12 this season when playing with home loss revenge. Also, New York has lost 10 of 14 divisional games this season. The Rangers are playing their first game in 10 days. The Flyers take advantage. 10* PHILADELPHIA

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Game #72 Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) vs Winnipeg Jets @ 7:05 ET - Dogs tend to be a profitable play right after the All Star break. This is because teams are a little rusty after the lay-off and that means it is a little more of "anything can happen" which raises the risk that laying any extra juice in these first games after the break is certainly a risky proposition. The Flyers make for a great home dog to back here for multiple reasons. One is that Philly has won 3 straight games entering the All Star break. Additionally the home team has won each of the last 6 meetings between these teams. Overall Philadelphia has won 7 of its last 10 meetings with the Jets. As for Winnipeg, they enter this game having lost 3 of their last 4 road games. With a perceived tougher game on deck at Boston tomorrow night for the Jets, they get caught looking right past a Flyers team that is a dangerous home dog in this spot. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #31 Wednesday 10* Top Play Washington Capitals Money Line (+) @ Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:35 ET - When you lose a game 7-6 in OT because you blew a late 2-goal lead including allowing the tying goal in, literally, the final second of the game you are going to be fired up. That is the case with the Capitals here as that is how they lost last night's game against the Sharks. The defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Caps, have now lost 6 straight games! This is their worst losing streak in the past 5 years! However, I am expecting a big bounce back effort here for Washington on the final day of NHL action prior to the All Star break. This is a phenomenal value spot for the Capitals. Though the Caps have won only 3 of their last 9 games, the Maple Leafs also have won just 3 of their last 10 games. Also, home ice is always factored in the hockey money lines but this is where the value really comes in here. Toronto has been a much better team on the road compared to at home this season. Also, the Capitals have been a better road team than home team thus far this season. The point is that we're getting big dog value here with Washington when you consider that the Leafs are basically a .500 team at home this season while the Capitals are 4 games over .500 on the road this season! The Caps did lose at home against the Leafs in October and the Capitals have won 63 of their last 96 when playing with revenge. Toronto has lost 6 of its last 7 home games. More of the same here. 10* WASHINGTON

Game of the Week total - Rickenbach NHL Game #27 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Calgary Flames vs Carolina Hurricanes @ 9:05 ET - Carolina has played 10 games since the calendar turned the page to 2019 and only 2 of the 10 have resulted in an under. Not only are the Hurricanes 7-2-1 to the over in their last 10 games, the Flames also come into this game on a hot "over" streak! Calgary is 10-1 to the over in their last 11 games. The Hurricanes have done a great job of generating shots on goal this season. The Flames have been red hot on the power play and certainly are going to be ultra aggressive all game long here in a match-up that is their final one before the All Star break. The Flames recent stretch of 11 games is not featuring match-ups just "sneaking" over the total either. Those 11 games dating back to December 31st have averaged 8.2 goals per game! Likewise, the Hurricanes 10 games this month are averaging 7.4 goals per game! Yes this total is a lofty one at 6.5 but it is absolutely justified as it is hard to foresee either team being held below 3 goals in this one. In fact, the Canes have scored at least 4 goals in 7 of their last 10 games. The Flames have scored at least 4 goals in 9 of their last 11 games and have not been held below 3 goals in ANY of those 11 games. Non-conference match-ups also have a tendency to be higher scoring and I look for a wild one at the Saddledome tonight in Alberta. 10* OVER the total in Calgary 

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #14 Monday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Kings Money Line (+) vs St Louis Blues @ 4:05 ET - While the Blues are off a win plus have another game on deck at Anaheim Wednesday, this is the final game for the Kings until after the All Star break. Not only that, Los Angeles is off an embarrassing loss at Colorado Saturday that saw them get pummeled in a 7-1 loss. That is certainly noteworthy here as the Kings are 8-2 this season the last 10 times they have entered a game off a loss by a margin of 3 or more goals. Look for a huge bounce back effort from an LA team that is very hungry to erase the bitter taste of that ugly loss to the Avalanche. The Kings know they won't have another chance to get another W until February 2nd! In other words, Los Angeles is sure to "leave it all on the ice" in this one particularly since this game is at home. The Blues have lost their last two road games by a combined score of 7 to 3. St Louis is 3-7 this season in road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. The Kings are 11-3 the last 14 times they've been off a game in which they allowed 4 or more goals. Big bounce back here for the home dog. 10* LOS ANGELES KINGS

Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #3 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Islanders vs Anaheim Ducks @ 3:05 ET - I am well aware of the fact that both these hockey clubs have been trending under of late but that has led to situational value here with this total posted at just 5.5 goals. The Ducks are off back to back wins and have scored 3 goals in each victory but are in a back to back here. That means a rusty Chad Johnson is likely to get the start between the pipes. Johnson hasn't started since mid-December and in his last 4 appearances (2 starts) he has a poor .875 save percentage. As for the Islanders, they are off a huge emotional win at Washington in head coach Barry Trotz first visit back to DC since leading the Capitals to the Stanley Cup in June. While I expect the Isles to enjoy success against a rusty Johnson, I also expect the Islanders to be a little sluggish and less intense on defense after their huge effort against the Caps. As a result, the Ducks (surging with confidence after back to back wins) should get some very high-quality scoring chances in this one. Anaheim is 26-13 to the over in Sunday games (including 7-3 to the over this season). New York is on a 15-7 run to the over in Sunday games plus 7-3 to the over when they are off a shutout win. 10* OVER the total in the New York Islanders game

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Game #69 Saturday NHL 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ Montreal Canadiens @ 7:05 ET - If you ever want to see what it looks like when a team truly "leaves it all on the ice" you should see that Saturday night with the Flyers at Montreal. Due to Philadelphia's bye week being scheduled just prior to the All Star break this is the Flyers final game until January 28th! Philly also has had two days off coming into this one and is looking to make it 3 straight wins prior to their extended break. The Canadiens also have been playing well and are on an even longer winning streak. However, Montreal's scheduling situation is a tough one as they were at Columbus last night. The Habs get a big 4-1 upset win at Columbus last night and have now been outshot by a combined 131-76 margin in their last 3 games. That makes this the ideal spot to fade Montreal. Even though the Canadiens have gotten strong goaltending of late from both Niemi and Price, Flyers rookie Carter Hart has been playing great between the pipes and the rested Flyers hold a huge scheduling edge here. Additionally, Philadelphia has won each of their last 4 meetings with the Habs. Prior to yesterday's win, the Canadiens were 0-3 this season when they entered a game on a winning streak of 3 or more games. On their longest winning streak of the season but in a tough scheduling situation tonight, Montreal falls short in this one to a very hungry and aggressive Flyers team. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #39 Thursday 10* Top Play Winnipeg Jets Money Line (+) @ Nashville Predators @ 8:05 ET - This is phenomenal line value on one of the best teams in the NHL. Yes, the Jets did knock the Predators out of the post-season last May but the Preds already got revenge for that with a shutout win in Nashville in October. In fact, that game truly sets this up as a revenge game for Winnipeg. The Jets remember all too well that shutout loss at Nashville early this season and are hungry for revenge. Also, while both these teams are off key wins against strong opponents, note that the Predators played nearly the perfect game versus the Capitals while the Jets know they were very fortunate to beat the Golden Knights Tuesday as they were outshot 44-27 in that game. As a result, Winnipeg knows they must play much better here, they must make up for the shutout loss at Nashville earlier this season, and they need to protect their lead at the top of the division. The fact the Jets catch the Predators off a win over the Stanley Cup Champion Caps is simply an added bonus to the value in this spot. Keep in mind too that the Preds, prior to that win, had lost 11 of their 16 previous games. As for Winnipeg, they've been one of the hottest teams in the league the past month and a half. The Jets have won 17 of their last 23 games. It is not often you get a high quality team like this at a +140 range underdog price and I'll gladly grab the Jets in this superb spot. 10* WINNIPEG

Early Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Game #9 Tuesday 10* Top Play Anaheim Ducks Money Line (-) @ Detroit Red Wings @ 7:35 ET - The Ducks have lost 10 straight games (6 in regulation and 4 post-regulation). That said, most won't be backing Anaheim in a spot like this. But, ladies and gentlemen, why do you think the odds makers made this game a pick'em on the money line even though the Red Wings have a couple wins in their last five games and are on home ice? Of course it is because they will not be surprised, just like I won't, when the Ducks snap their skid and win this game. For one thing Detroit has been mired in nearly just as awful of a stretch as Anaheim has. However, with Red Wings off huge upset win at Minnesota and Anaheim off a tough OT loss at Winnipeg, you know will be hungrier here. That said, hunger certainly matters in a rather "even match-up" like this. The Ducks want it more and will be harder on the puck, stronger on the forecheck and backcheck, and overall be much more "dialed in" then the Red Wings in this one. Detroit does have revenge here but they've actually lost 20 of 30 this season when playing with revenge. The Ducks have won 36 of 58 when off a game in which they allowed 4 or more goals. 10* ANAHEIM

Rickenbach NHL Game #81 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Bruins vs Montreal Canadiens @ 7:35 ET - I am well aware of the fact that both of these teams have been getting strong goal-tending and that this is an "original 6 rivalry" which helps increase the likelihood of solid defensive play. However, we've got a very low total to work with here and the Bruins have been looking much stronger since they got healthier again. The fact is that there is a lot of firepower on Boston and that is going to force Montreal to play "catch up" in this game and take some chances in their own zone and in the neutral zone to create more opportunities in the Bruins zone. The last two games that the Canadiens have played that had a total of 5.5 goals each stayed under the total. However, of the 10 prior Montreal games with a posted total of 5.5 goals, the over went 8-2. The Bruins enter this game having won 12 of their last 17 games and they've scored 3 or more goals in 12 of those 17 games. The Canadiens have won 5 of their past 7 road games. Though the Habs lost their most recent road game 4-1 they previously scored an average of 4 goals per game in their 5 prior road games. Also, the road team in the Montreal/Boston series has scored at least 3 goals in each of the last 3 meetings. That said, look for the Canadiens to "get theirs" tonight but the Bruins scoring depth means they will not be denied either and we see at least a 4-3 game here based on my projections. 10* OVER the total in Boston