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Total of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Montreal Canadiens vs Ottawa Senators @ 7:35 ET - Interesting line move here tells you where the smart money is on this one. The total on this game opened up at 5.5 goals and it remains at 5.5 goals as of gameday morning. However, the under was priced very steeply but there has been a move toward the over even though the Canadiens are in the midst of a 1-9-1 stretch on totals. You read that right...just 1 over in their last 11 games. So for the move to be toward the over (much lower price on the under now this morning), you know something is "up" in terms of smart money. I like the fact that Ottawa is desperate here as they've lost 6 straight games and production on offense (lack thereof) has been to blame. Now, after 3 days off between games and a chance for plenty of introspection, the Sens come up with huge effort tonight! They took two days off after their loss to the Islanders Saturday and then had a great practice yesterday with plenty of energy. Ottawa is ready to go here but they're also unlikely to stop the Canadiens from another big effort in the offensive zone. Keep in mind, the Sens allowed an average of 3.8 goals per game in their 8 games prior to allowing just 2 goals against the Isles. The Habs have scored an average of 4.2 goals per game in their last 6 games versus Ottawa. Only ONE of those SIX games stayed under the total. The Canadiens are 7-4 to the over in their games against teams with a losing record this season. Ottawa is 5-1 to the over in road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals this season. More of the same here. 10* OVER the total in Montreal

Rickenbach NHL Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Philadelphia Flyers vs San Jose Sharks @ 7:05 ET - The Sharks top goalie, Martin Jones, is doubtful for this game. That is a key because San Jose's #2 goalie, Aaron Dell, has just an .892 save percentage in road games this season and he's only at .887 in games in non-conference action this season. While the Sharks may struggle to keep the puck out of their own net, one thing is for certain, opportunities will be there for the San Jose offense. The Flyers have gone over the total in 5 straight games! All 5 of those games have been losses with an average final score of 4.8 to 3.4 in those contests. Philadelphia just can't get over the hump and continue to lose tight games. This one has the makings of a 4-3 or 5-4 type game and the San Jose goalie situation is what provides the added value and raises this one to top play level. Also, the Sharks are playing with home loss revenge from a 5-3 loss to the Flyers early last month. When San Jose is avenging a home loss they've had just 18 unders in 53 games. Philly is 6-2 to the over when off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. 10* OVER the total in Philadelphia

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New Jersey Devils vs Florida Panthers @ 7:05 ET - The Panthers have had trouble scoring goals recently but they haven't stopped working hard and I expect that to pay off here. Florida has averaged an incredible 44.3 shots on goal in their last 3 games but they're off of a frustrating 4-1 home loss to Chicago Saturday. The fired up Panthers will respond here and put a ton of pressure on the Devils in their own end. However, I also look for New Jersey to match Florida goal for goal in this one. The Devils are averaging 3.3 goals per game this season and have won 5 of their last 8 games heading into this match-up. The Panthers are 7-3 to the over after allowing 4 goals or more in their prior game. Also, Florida is 9-3 to the over when playing with revenge this season. The Panthers, when off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more, have gone 27-16 to the over the last 3 seasons combined. Also, when off of a game where they were held to 1 goal or less, Florida is 20-13 to the over the past 3 seasons combined. 10* OVER the total in New Jersey

Total Dominator - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play Friday OVER the total in Carolina Hurricanes vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:35 ET - With Carolina dead last in attendance in the NHL and the Maple Leafs off of back to back losses where they were held to just one goal in each game, I look for Toronto to come in flying all over the ice in this one. With little home ice edge, the Hurricanes could be in trouble with the Leafs pushing the tempo right from the drop of the opening puck in this one. However, it is inconsistent goaltending that has me backing the over here rather than the Maple Leafs on the money line. Toronto has allowed an average of 3 goals per game on the season and so too have the Hurricanes. Also, the road team has averaged 4.3 goals per game in the last 3 meetings between these clubs. The Maple Leafs are seeking to avenge a 6-3 home loss to Carolina earlier this season that saw the teams combine for 72 shots on goal. The Hurricanes are off of a 6-1 loss but previously the Canes had scored 3 goals or more in 7 straight games! The Leafs, prior to their 2-1 loss at Florida, had averaged scoring 4 goals per game in their 5 prior road games. The over is 5-2 this season when Toronto is playing with home loss revenge. The over is 6-3 in Hurricanes games against teams with a winning record this season. 10* OVER the total in Carolina

Total Dominator - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play OVER the total in Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:05 ET - The Panthers had 52 shots on goal at Anaheim Sunday but lost 3-2. Florida, of course, will be fired up for this one and putting plenty of pucks on net! The Maple Leafs were off of a big 6-0 shutout win of rival Montreal and then came out flat against the Coyotes and lost 4-1 Monday. You can bet that Toronto's high-powered offense will be ready to bounce back HUGE in this one. As a result, I am expecting quite the barn burner between these two divisional foes Wednesday evening with plenty of scoring chances both ways. The Maple Leafs had scored 4 goals or more in 5 of their last 7 games before the dismal effort versus Arizona and I look for a bounce back here. Florida's offense has been incredible at home all season long as they've averaged 4.3 goals per game on home ice this season. The over is 8-1 in Panthers home games. The over is 6-2 when Toronto is off of a non-conference game. 10* OVER the total in Florida

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Philadelphia Flyers vs Vancouver Canucks @ 7:05 ET - Both teams are down a couple of defensemen here. Also, both teams have had 2 days off between games. That means plenty of fresh legs on the ice for this one and the Flyers are fired up after a 5-4 home loss to Calgary on Saturday. The Flyers have given up at least 3 goals in 3 straight games. Philadelphia has scored at least 3 goals in 4 of their last 5 home games. You can see why I am expecting this one gets to at least 3-3 based on those stats. Also, taking a look at Vancouver, the Canucks have given up at least 3 goals in 6 of their last 7 games. Also, Vancouver has allowed 4 goals or more in 4 of its last 5. The Canucks have scored at least 3 goals in 6 of their 9 games away from home this season. Look for the Flyers to improve to 4-1 to the over on Tuesdays and 4-1 to the over in games where they enter off of 2 days of rest. Only 9 of the last 27 meetings between these clubs has stayed under the total. Non-conference match-ups like this do tend to be played with more open ice due to less defensive intensity. We'll take advantage of that here and grab the favorable line value on the over (available at a solid plus money return as of early morning) for this one. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Philadelphia

Total Dominator Top Play - Rickenbach NHL Monday 10* OVER 6 goals in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Arizona Coyotes @ 7:05 ET - The Maple Leafs are off of a huge 6-0 win over rival Montreal. As a result, I don't expect much defensive intensity from Toronto here. However, the Leafs certainly have plenty of offensive firepower and skill (especially with Auston Matthews back too). With that said, they're going to get their fair share of goals against Antti Raanta and the Coyotes here. Raanta has struggled for much of this season and only has an .895 save percentage on the road. The Leafs big win over the Canadiens marked the 5th time in their last 8 games that Toronto has scored 4 goals or more! The Coyotes have finally kicked their offensive production up a notch too. Arizona has scored 8 goals in their last 2 games and they're catching the Maple Leafs at the right time to stay hot. The over is 9-4 in Arizona's non-conference games this season and also 6-3 long-term in road games with a posted total of 6 goals or more. That said, while this total may seem a little high, it should prove (as usual) to be otherwise! The big number is justified and Toronto is 5-2 to the over this season after a win by a multiple-goal margin and also the Maple Leafs are 6-3 to the over in home games with a posted total of 6 goals or more! 10* OVER 6 goals in Toronto

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Friday 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (+) @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - The Rangers are off of a bad loss at Chicago as the Blackhawks exploded in the 3rd period in a 6-3 win as New York imploded and goalie Henrik Lundqvist got pulled. Rest assured, he and the Rangers will be fired up tonight. Prior to that loss to the Hawks, the Rangers had won 6 straight games and they scored at least 4 goals in 5 of those 6 victories. Also, the Blueshirts detest Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella as his time in the Rangers organization was tumultuous to say the least. The Rangers beat the Blue Jackets 5 to 3 in New York earlier this month but they lost at Columbus last month and they are looking for payback here. Even though the Blue Jackets have been getting great goaltending, they are struggling to score goals as their offense has been almost non-existent of late. Columbus has scored just ONE goal in regulation in their past four games. Also, the Blue Jackets have not scored on the power play in their last six games - a futility streak that has reached 0 of 15. The Rangers will pepper the Columbus netminder with shots on goal in this one and the result will be a breakthrough of scoring as New York's offense is simply too hot. Couple that with the struggles the Blue Jackets have had on offense and you can see why I am forecasting the road upset here. Also, the Rangers have won 6 of 8 this season and 37 of 59 the last 3 seasons when they are off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. The Blue Jackets low-scoring ways is bound to catch up with them. In fact, Columbus has an all-time record of 59-94 (DOWN $31,900!) when they enter a game off of 3 or more consecutive unders. 10* NEW YORK RANGERS

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach Thursday NHL 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Winnipeg Jets vs Philadelphia Flyers @ 8:05 ET - The Flyers have been shutout in back to back games but both of those match-ups were versus the Wild and Minnesota actually has now recorded 3 straight shutouts in their last 3 games. They're simply getting phenomenal goaltending right now in Minny. As for the Flyers tonight, I fully expect a huge bounce back after the frustration of back to back shutouts. In their 50 YEARS of history, Philadelphia has never been shutout in 3 straight games. The Flyers faced the Jets twice last year and Connor Hellebuyck was in goal for one of those two match-ups. The result for Winnipeg was a 5-2 loss and again I look for Philadelphia to come up big against he and the Jets here. However, the issue for the Flyers tonight will be keeping the puck out of their own net. Philly has given up 3.2 goals per game in their last 6 road games. The Jets come into this match-up having won 6 of their last 8 games and the fact that Winnipeg has averaged 4 goals per game during this stretch certainly has had a lot to do with the hot run! When Philly is on a streak of 3 or more consecutive unders they are 9-5 to the over! In the Jets last 71 non-conference games only 27 (or 38%) have stayed under the total. 10* OVER the total in Winnipeg

Total Dominator - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Detroit Red Wings vs Calgary Flames @ 7:35 ET - Detroit is happy about the return of left winger Justin Abdelkader and these teams met less than two weeks ago and the result was 9 goals scored. Considering Calgary netminder Mike Smith didn't travel with the team to Detroit, and left the game versus St Louis Monday in the first period with an injury, his status for tonight is certainly in doubt. His backup is Eddie Lack and the #2 goalie has allowed 7 goals on 49 shots this season. In other words, look for the Red Wings to score plenty tonight but I don't see Detroit shutting down the Flames. Calgary has been hot with wins in 5 of their last 6 games and, in their last 4 games they have averaged scoring 5.3 goals per game! The Red Wings are off of a low-scoring loss but previously had scored at least 3 goals in 5 of their last 6 games. Calgary is 4-0 to the over in their last 4 games. Also, the Flames are 35-21 to the over when they are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. The Red Wings are 6-3 to the over in non-conference games this season. More of the same here. 10* OVER the total in Detroit 

TV Top Play - Rickenbach Tuesday NHL 10* OVER 5.5 goals (+) in Nashville Predators vs Washington Capitals @ 8:05 ET - When a team is rolling like the Predators (4 straight wins) despite allowing 3 goals or more in the majority of the games during the winning streak, there is a tendency to "let up" in your own zone. That's because as a hockey club, you're winning so you feel nothing is really wrong but the fact is that all the victories are masking the fact that the defense and goal-tending is not exactly razor sharp! In fact, Nashville has allowed 3 goals or more in 5 of their last 6 games. They've had one good game in their own zone but in the other 5 they have allowed an average of 4 goals per game. The strength of the Predators in their home games has been their offensive production as they're averaging 3.8 goals per game at home this season. Now they host a Capitals club that is allowing 3.6 goals per game on the road this season. You can see why I am expecting a high-scoring barn-burner type game here and there is added value here because this is a non-conference match-up (generally less defensive intensity). Additionally, the Preds are off of a huge win over the defending Stanley Cup Champ Penguins. Add it all up and you have great value here with the over. The Caps have allowed just 1 goal in each of their last two games but those matches were at home and Washington has been a different hockey club on the road this season. The over is 7-3 in Capitals road games this season and only 21 of their last 61 non-conference games have stayed under the total. The Predators, when playing with 2 day of rest between games, have seen only 17 of 45 games stay under the total. Fresh legs and plenty of open ice in this one! 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Nashville

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach Monday NHL 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Carolina Hurricanes vs Dallas Stars @ 7:05 ET - Stars goalie Ben Bishop has not played as well on the road as he has at home with his season. Away from Dallas, Bishop has lost 4 of his 6 starts and 4 of those 6 games went over the total as he has compiled an .888 save percentage on the road this season. Carolina is off of a 4-3 loss versus Chicago on Saturday. That marked the 4th time in 7 home games that the Hurricanes have allowed 4 or more goals. The Canes have scored at least 3 goals in 5 of their last 6 games while Dallas has scored 3 goals or more in 8 of their last 12 games. During this stretch the Stars have averaged scoring 3.3 goals per game. The over is 5-3 in Dallas' road games this season. The over is 7-3 this season when the Hurricanes are playing with revenge. After losing 4-3 at Dallas last month, look for the Canes to push hard in this one but they're not going to keep the Stars from scoring right along with them. Dallas has averaged 4 goals per game in their last 3 meetings with the Hurricanes. 10* OVER the total in Carolina

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Sunday 10* Edmonton Oilers Money Line (+) @ Washington Capitals @ 7:05 ET - I know this is a back to back for the Oilers but this is the final game of their 4-game road trip. Edmonton was 2-0 on the trip prior to yesterday's loss to the Rangers in New York. The Oilers are hungry to make sure this is a winning road trip and I fully expect them to bounce back tonight. Keep in mind, Edmonton is seeking revenge for a home loss to Washington two weeks ago that saw them blow a 2-goal lead and lose 5-2. They are catching the Capitals at the perfect time to exact revenge too. That's because Washington is off of a monumental win Friday. Not only is Pittsburgh a divisional rival and the 2-time defending Stanley Cup champs, the Penguins also have been a major nemesis of the Caps and knocked them out of the post-season in that epic 7-game series last spring. Suffice to say, that was a VERY satisfying win for the Capitals over the Pens on Friday and I fully expect Washington will be flat here while the revenge-seeking Oilers come into this game VERY hungry! That difference in emotions will reflect on the scoreboard as well and that is why this big dog is also getting my top play rating here. Washington is 0-3 this season when off of a win by a margin of 2 goals or more. Look for the Oilers to win for the 6th time (in 9 games) this season when facing a team with a winning record. 10* EDMONTON

Daytime Dominator Top Play - Rickenbach Friday NHL 10* Colorado Avalanche Money Line (+) vs Ottawa Senators @ 2:05 ET - This game is being played in Stockholm, Sweden which is why it is an early start time for Friday. So far this season the Avalanche have over-achieved and the Senators have under-achieved. While that is likely to change over the course of the season I don't expect it to change just yet. The huge Ottawa-Colorado-Nashville 3-way trade that just took place adds some extra intrigue to this match-up as Matt Duchene is now with the Senators. He had wanted out of Colorado since Christmas so, suffice to say, it was a long time coming! The key here is that this is huge motivation for the Avs. The Avalanche now get a chance against a former teammate that essentially told them 'you guys aren't good enough for me to play with'. That is going to bring out the best in Colorado here. As for the Senators, not only is Erik Karlsson still playing at less than 100% (had ankle surgery in the off-season), it also is going to take some time to adjust to Duchene now being an integral part of this hockey club. While the Sens are still trying to 'work out the kinks' look for the hungry and highly motivated Avalanche to exact some revenge in Game 1 of this 2-game Global Series set at the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm. Ottawa is off of a 5-4 loss and they've now lost 6 of their past 9 games. When off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more the Senators have lost 5 of 7 this season. The Sens have lost 7 of 11 Friday games while the Avs have won 11 of 17 (+$9,500) Friday games. Colorado has also won 5 of 7 (+$5,100) non-conference games this season. The Avalanche are off of a loss to the Islanders but had previously won 3 straight games and 4 of their last 5. They have a couple injuries but, as noted above, the Sens are not without a couple issues too! 10* COLORADO

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach Thursday NHL 10* St Louis Blues Puck Line -1.5 goals (+) vs Arizona Coyotes @ 8:05 ET - Not only have the Coyotes lost 15 of 17 games this season, 9 of the last 13 defeats have come by 2 goals or more! That means we're getting excellent line value here with the Blues offering a solid plus money return at -1.5 goals. St Louis has been one of the best teams in the NHL this season and they are off of a non-conference game and have another non-conference game on deck. In other words, Arizona will have their full attention and that is bad news for the Coyotes as they have lost all 12 meetings with the Blues the last 4 seasons. 11 of those 12 wins have come by 2 goals or more including each of the last 9 games! That means the odds heavily favor the Blues dominating the Coyotes again tonight. 7 of the last 9 St Louis victories - in what has been a fantastic start to this season - have come by 2 goals or more. 10* ST LOUIS on the puck line -1.5 goals

NBCSN Dominator Wednesday - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Rangers vs Boston Bruins @ 8:05 ET - The Rangers confidence is surging thanks to a 4-game winning streak. Their defense and netminding though continues to leave a lot to be desired as they have 3.4 goals per game this season. New York has allowed 3 goals or more in 8 of their 11 home games this season. The Bruins also know all about struggles between the pipes at Tuukka Rask has an .892 save percentage on the road this season and he is likely to get the call again here as Anton Khudobin is dealing with a lower body injury. Rask has just 38 saves on 45 shots in his last 2 starts versus the Rangers. The Bruins have been scoring well though and have scored 3 goals or more in 3 of their 4 road games this season. The over is 3-0 in Boston's road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals and the Bruins have 5 power play goals in their 4 road games this season and the Rangers have 5 power play goals in their last 2 home games! Even with the Rangers winning streak, New York has still lost 9 of 16 games this season and the over is 4-1 in Bruins games against teams with a losing record this season. Boston has lost 7 of their 13 games this season and the Rangers are 4-1 to the over in their games against teams with a losing record this season. 10* OVER the total in the New York Rangers game

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach Tuesday NHL 10* Top Play New Jersey Devils Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 7:05 ET - The Devils are off of a loss (a shootout defeat at Calgary) but now are back home and also will have Cory Schneider back between the pipes for this one. The Devils have won 7 of the 9 starts he has made this season. Also, in his 4 non-conference starts, Schneider has a fantastic .942 save percentage. The Blues Jake Allen has won just 2 of his 5 road starts and has "only" a .901 save percentage away from. I am well aware of the fact that St Louis has won the last 7 meetings with the Devils but the key is this New Jersey club is off to a red hot start this season with a potent offense. Confidence is sky-high for the Devils right now and they just lost back to back games for the first time this season though they were happy to at least get a point against the Flames. In other words, don't look for New Jersey's run to reach three straight here. The Devils have been playing too well this season to drop 3 straight in this spot especially when you consider the Blues could be without leading goal-scorer Vladimir Tarasenko. Even if Tarasenko plays he won't be close to 100%. St Louis has a great overall record this season but they have lost 3 of their last 5 road games and have averaged scoring just 2.2 goals per game in those 5 games. That is certainly significant here as New Jersey has only been held below 3 goals 3 times in 13 games! In fact, the Devils have scored 4 goals or more in 8 of their 13 games this season! 10* NEW JERSEY

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Monday 10* OVER the total in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Vegas Golden Knights @ 7:05 ET - Big total here but it is absolutely justified. Vegas has proven themselves to be one of the hardest working teams in the league and this is particularly true in the offensive zone. That is why the Golden Knights have scored an average of 4 goals per game in their last 11 games! The issue for Vegas is they have 3 goalies who are injured. The fact that Marc Andre-Fleury, Macolm Subban, and Oscar Dansk are all out means that goalie #4 (Maxime Lagace) is now getting the work between the pipes. He has struggled and has an ugly .856 save percentage. Now Lagace faces a dangerous Maple Leafs offense that is averaging 4 goals per game in their home games this season. Toronto's issue, like Vegas, has been in the crease as Frederik Andersen has been shaky at times. In fact Andersen has an .865 save percentage at home this season and the Leafs are 5-1-1 to the over in games played at the Air Canada Centre! The Maple Leafs offense is hot and they are 4-1 to the over this season when off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. Vegas is 4-1 to the over this season when facing a team with a winning record. 10* OVER the total in Toronto

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach Saturday NHL 10* Top Play Columbus Blue Jackets Money Line (+) @ Tampa Bay Lightning @ 7:05 ET - The Blue Jackets have revenge from a SHUTOUT home loss to the Bolts two weeks ago. Keep in mind, Columbus head coach John Tortorella used to coach in Tampa Bay and there is history here. He wants this game and the Jackets are coming in seeking revenge. Columbus has won each of its last two trips to Tampa and the Lightning have lost each of their last two home games and they scored just a single goal in each game. The Blue Jackets have won 5 of their last 6 road games and they've scored an average of 4 goals per game in those victories! It's payback time here and I am happy to grab the road dog price. 10* COLUMBUS

Top Play Shocker - Rickenbach Thursday NHL 10* Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - The Flyers are dealing with some injuries to the defense but they truly played a rock solid game at Chicago last night and yet have nothing to show for it but a shutout loss. As a result of that we are getting insane line value here with Philly as a big dog and seeking revenge for getting swept by St Louis last season. The Blues are the only team left in the league without a home loss but they also enter this game on an overall 4-game winning streak. St Louis has yet to win 5 straight games this season and, after the big win over a strong Kings team Sunday, the Blues are going to get caught feeling a little too good about themselves here. The Flyers will prove to be the hungrier team and goalie Michal Neuvirth has a stellar .941 save percentage in his two non-conference starts this season. The Flyers have been better on BOTH the power play and the penalty kill in comparison with the Blues early this season. Also, Philadelphia is known for rising for upset wins. The Flyers are already 3-0 this season against teams with a winning record and Philly is a perfect 2-0 this season when they are off of a game where they were shutout. The Flyers have been shut out three times now this season but have averaged 4.1 goals per game in their other 10 games. They truly were swarming the net last night at Chicago but Corey Crawford was fantastic between the pipes for the Blackhawks. The Flyers get some "return on their investment" tonight and catch the Blues lethargic after two days off. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Total Dominator - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Wild vs Winnipeg Jets @ 8:05 ET - Minnesota is off of a 2-1 win versus the Stanley Cup Champs. Winnipeg is also off of a big win (7-1) over those same Penguins. With each team off of a win where they allowed just 1 goal against the team that has been the best in the NHL the past two seasons, don't be surprised if we see a flurry of goals tonight. Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck gave up 3 goals to the Wild in their first meeting earlier this season. This is nothing new as last season he had a 4.01 GAA in his 4 games (3 starts) versus Minnesota. The over is now 5-1 in the last 6 meetings between these teams and, though Devan Dubnyk is off of a strong start versus the Pens, he previously had allowed 4 goals or more in 4 of his first 6 starts this season. That included Dubnyk allowing 4 goals versus the Jets in their first meeting of the season. So far this season Dubnyk has yet to put together back to back strong starts and I'll gladly challenge him to do that here against a Jets team that has won 5 of their last 8 games and averaged scoring 4.4 goals per game in the 5 wins. The problem for Winnipeg is their own goaltending concern as Hellebuyck's struggles versus the Wild are consistent. The over is 7-3 in Jets games this season and the over was 6-1-1 in Minnesota's games before their low-scoring win over the Pens. The over is 4-1 when Winnipeg is off of a non-conference game this season. For the Wild, only 27 of their last 71 divisional games have resulted in an under. Big total here but it is absolutely justified. 10* OVER the total in Minnesota

Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach Monday NHL 10* Top Play Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line (-) @ Florida Panthers @ 7:35 ET - The Lightning and the Panthers are each off of a loss but there is a big difference between these two clubs! Tampa Bay is a team on a mission this season after they were derailed by injury issues last season. The Bolts had won 8 of their last 9 games prior to losing Saturday versus Anaheim. Now the Lightning visit division rival Florida and they did lose their last game here (early this season before the Bolts 8-1 run). Now it is time for some payback and the Panthers have lost 5 of their last 7 games. Tampa had allowed 2 goals or less in 6 of its last 7 games before allowing 4 to the Ducks Saturday. Florida, on the other hand, has allowed at least 3 goals in 8 of their 10 games this season. In fact, the Panthers allowed 4 goals or more in 6 of their first 8 games this season. In terms of how these two teams play in their own zone and the quality of goalie play these clubs get between the pipes, they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. With that said, I'll gladly grab the value here as the Bolts are available at a small money line price here due to being on the road for this one. It's certainly not much of a road trip and Monday it is payback time! 10* TAMPA BAY

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach Saturday NHL 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (+) @ Montreal Canadiens @ 7:05 ET - As long-time followers know, I like to fade struggling teams that are favorites. The Canadiens have won just 2 of their 10 games this season. While it is true that the Rangers have also struggled early this season it is also true that New York is not the team laying -150 here! Also, the Rangers continue to have the Habs number. The Rangers knocked Montreal out of the playoffs last April so the Canadiens had revenge against the Rangers when they faced them in New York three weeks ago. The result was still a 2-0 loss for Montreal! The Rangers have now won 4 straight games against the Habs and goalie Ondrej Pavelec sparked the team in their win versus Arizona Thursday. The Rangers have now won 2 of their last 3 games while the Canadiens have lost 8 of their last 9 games. Montreal has been held to 2 goals or less in 7 of their last 9 games. The Rangers have scored 3.4 goals per game in their last 5 games! Also, New York has won 31 of 42 (+22,000) road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. The Rangers again will thrive in that situation here as the Canadiens continue to feel the immense pressure of the home fans. An upcoming 4-game road trip for the Habs may be what gets them on track. Right now they're in a "pressure cooker" in hockey-mad Montreal! 10* NEW YORK RANGERS

Earliest Cash Top Play - Rickenbach Friday NHL 10* Colorado Avalanche Money Line (+) @ Vegas Golden Knights @ 6:05 ET - The Golden Knights have certainly been the biggest surprise of the NHL on this young season and, while credit is definitely due, they've also had their fair share of "puck luck" too. Also, when a team is hot they get settled into a routine and they like keeping things at the "status quo" and riding out the hot streak in that way. In this case, this game starts at 3 PM local time on a Friday. It is a unique early game for the Golden Knights on a weekday and I don't expect that to do any favors for Vegas here. As for Colorado, they are hungry for a road win in what is their only road game in a span of two weeks. Though the Avalanche have lost their last two road games, they did start the season with 2 wins in a 3-game road trip. Now they take advantage of facing a goalie, Oscar Dansk, making just the 2nd start of his NHL career. The Golden Knights have been outshot by 28 shots on goal in their last 3 games and have been fortunate that they won all 3 of those games. The Avalanche have won 11 of 16 (+$10,500) Friday games and the price is right to grab them again here. 10* COLORADO

Annihilation Top Play - Rickenbach Thursday NHL 10* Vancouver Canucks Money Line (+) vs Washington Capitals @ 10:05 ET - The Canucks have won 3 straight games and now are back home after winning 4 of 5 on their road trip. This was a huge confidence boost for Vancouver and they're now looking to make up for a poor homestand that opened their season. The Canucks won their season opener versus Edmonton but then lost 3 straight games on home ice and, carrying the momentum of a hugely successful road trip, Vancouver is ready to carry the success to their home barn! Those 4 road wins for the Canucks came by a combined score of 12 to 3 so there is nothing flukey about the recent winning of Vancouver. Their getting solid goaltending and now hosting a Capitals team that has lost 5 of their last 7 games. Also, every time this season that Washington has followed a win with a loss they've then lost their next game too. Look for this pattern to continue here as the Capitals suffer their 3rd two game losing streak already in this young season. The Caps have been held to 2 goals or less in 4 of their last 6 games. Washington has been off since Sunday but sometimes rest can lead to rust and, sure enough, the Capitals have lost 10 of 17 (-$9,500) when they enter a game off of 3 or more days of rest. After this game, Vancouver has 3 days of rest before their next home game and so they're going to "leave it all on the ice" in this one. Conversely, Alex Ovechkin and company have a big game against Connor McDavid and company in Edmonton coming up on Saturday and the Caps have swept the Canucks each of the last two seasons. Will Washington be fully focused here? That is certainly questionable for the Capitals but there is no doubt the home team is going to be ready here and I love the home dog price as they go for 4 in a row! I'll take it! 10* VANCOUVER

Total of the Month - Rickenbach Wednesday NHL 10* Top Play OVER the total in Columbus Blue Jackets vs Buffalo Sabres @ 8:05 ET - The Blue Jackets are shuffling their forward lines for this one. Interesting move by head coach John Tortorella considering that Columbus scored 4 goals in their loss to the Kings on Saturday plus scored a power play goal to end a drought with those. However, the fact that the Jackets are still emphasizing the forwards in this match-up tells you all you need to know. Columbus has scored 4 goals or more in 3 of their last 4 games but they've allowed 3.5 goals per game in their last 4 games. The real problem for Columbus has been some inconsistent goal-tending. The Blue Jackets however are getting plenty of pucks at the net with averaging 39.2 shots on goal their last 5 games. They now catch a Sabres team off of a surprising 1-0 win versus Detroit last night. To get a shutout is surprising considering Buffalo's goal-tending had been the worst in the league coming into last night's game. Now, in a back to back situation, it likely means Chad Johnson will be back between the pipes and he's allowed 15 goals in his 4 starts this season. He'll see plenty of shots here too with the Blue Jackets off of a loss and playing very aggressive tonight. Columbus was already averaging nearly 40 shots a game in recent action and now they come into this game rested and in a foul mood after losing to the Kings Saturday. The Sabres had 3 straight overs prior to last night's 1-0 win and they've not had back to back unders yet this season! Columbus is 3-1 to the over this season when off of a game where they scored 3 goals or more. Also, the Blue Jackets are 8-4 to the over the past two seasons when they play a game with 3 or more days of rest between games. 10* OVER the total in Columbus

TV Top Play - Rickenbach Tuesday NHL 10* OVER the total in Buffalo Sabres vs Detroit Red Wings @ 7:35 ET - On Sunday I got burned by the over in Detroit as the total was 5.5 goals and the Red Wings were down 4-1 after 2 periods. Inexplicably not another goal was scored and the Wings did get chewed out by their coach after that game. It was an inexcusable effort on their part and I expect a much better game from them tonight. The result should be some payback for me with an over easy winner here. Buffalo has had the worst goaltending in the league so far this season. The Sabres are off of a win at Boston but it was thanks to 5 goals scored! That's because Buffalo again allowed 4 goals and that marked the 6th time in their last 8 games that they have allowed 4 goals or more. The Red Wings are also having an issue keeping pucks out of their own net as they've given up 4 goals or more in 3 straight games and 3 goals or more in 5 straight games! This explains why Detroit has had just 3 unders in their 9 games this season and Buffalo has had only 2 unders in their 9 games this season! When off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more in their prior game, the Red Wings have had just 14 unders in 48 games! When the Sabres are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more, they have had only 14 unders in 40 games! 10* OVER the total in Buffalo

Top Play Dominator - Rickenbach Monday NHL 10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line (+) @ New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - The Sharks are off of an ugly loss to the Islanders Saturday after a shutout win over the Devils Friday. San Jose then had all day Sunday to think about how they got drilled by the Isles and they're rested and ready to respond on Monday against a Rangers team off of a rare win. Indeed, the Blueshirts victory over the Predators Saturday came on the heels of 7 losses in the Rangers first 8 games to begin this season. I believe we are getting excellent line value here with the Sharks having their #1 goalie, Martin Jones, back between the pipes for this one. San Jose is very hungry for a win as they had won 3 of 4, building some solid momentum, before #2 goalie Aaron Dell had a rough start and the Sharks lost to the Islanders despite outshooting them 31-23. Keep in mind, San Jose has won each of the last 3 starts Martin Jones has made. The Sharks have won 30 of 44 (+$13,600) when off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more! The Rangers have lost 30 of 57 (-$13,400) when off of a win by a margin of 2 goals or more! As you can see, this situation totals $27,000 in net profit in favor of the road dog! 10* SAN JOSE 

Rickenbach Friday NHL 10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line (-) @ New Jersey Devils @ 7:05 ET - Not only are the Devils off of a huge come from behind win at Ottawa last night, they are also expected to be without their #1 goalie Cory Schneider for this one.  In addition to this being a back to back, Schneider has a lower-body injury. Back-up netminder Keith Kincaid is off of a strong start in his first appearance this season. However, he is the #2 guy for a reason and he gave up 4 goals when he faced the Sharks last season. In fact, San Jose won both match-ups with New Jersey last season and dominated to the tune of an 8-2 combined scored. Although New Jersey has won 6 of 7 this season and the Sharks have won just 2 of 5, the Devils have 22 less shots on goal than their opponents while San Jose has outshot the opposition by 15 shots on goal so far this season. Martin Jones saved 47 of 48 shots in the two games versus New Jersey last season and the Sharks, off of a 5-2 home win versus Montreal, have been targeting this 5-game East Coast road swing as an opportunity to jump start their season! Look for them to do just that here as they are catching the Devils at the perfect time to dominate them. New Jersey has lost 21 of 34 when they scored 4 or more goals in their prior game. The Devils also have lost 20 of their last 24 Friday games! The Sharks have won 45 of their last 74 versus the Eastern Conference and dominate again here. 10* SAN JOSE SHARKS

NBC Sports Network Smash - Rickenbach Wednesday NHL 10* Top Play Chicago Blackhawks Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - The Blackhawks (Nick Schmaltz) and the Blues (Alexander Steen) are hoping to get key players back tonight. A decision on Steen is unlikely until after the morning skate while Schmaltz is already listed as probable for tonight's game. Even if Steen does came back he'll be on the top line for the Blues and that's not really where their biggest trouble has been for St Louis. The big issue for the Blues early this season is that they've had ZERO goals in their first 6 games from anyone on the 3rd or 4th line. St Louis, in my opinion, is going to be unable to keep up with the Blackhawks tonight. Chicago has cashed in on 13% of their shot attempts this season and are averaging 4.2 goals per game. St Louis has scored on 9.9% of their shot attempts and they're averaging 3.0 goals per game. Chicago lost the outdoor game at St Louis last season but in "normal indoor match-ups" at Scottrade Center in St Louis, the Blackhawks won both games last season. In fact in their last 3 meetings indoors the Blackhawks have won all 3 games by a combined score of 12 to 7. The Blues are only 14-11 (DOWN $3,000) in home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals while Chicago has won 22 of 37 (60%) of their road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. St Louis goalie Jake Allen has been solid (.917 save %) this season but Blackhawks netminder Corey Crawford has been phenomenal (.960 save %) this season. The Hawks have allowed 1 goal or less in 4 of their 6 games! 10* CHICAGO

Rickenbach NHL Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Ottawa Senators vs Vancouver Canucks @ 7:35 ET - Not only are the Ottawa Senators the only team in the Eastern Conference not to have a regulation loss this season, they are scoring goals like crazy right now plus will be getting back Erik Karlsson tonight. After missing the first 5 games of the season, one of the best players in the NHL returns for the Sens Tuesday. Karlsson will help give a boost to a Senators club that has been red hot and has scored 6 goals in each of their past two games. Though the Canucks haven't put up big numbers in terms of goal-scoring so far this season, they have scored at least 2 goals in all 4 of their games. Only 22 of Vancouver's last 65 non-conference games have resulted in an under. As for the Senators, when they enter a game having played each of their 3 prior games on the road, the over is 15-5! Also, in non-conference match-ups the over is 33-22 in Ottawa's games. Keep in mind, East vs West match-ups tend to have a little less defensive intensity and I expect Karlsson and Company to be ready to put on a big show for the rabid Sens fans in this one! Look for the fired up Canucks (3 straight losses) to match the Senators goal for goal however and that sends this one easily flying over the total. 10* OVER the total in Ottawa

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach Sunday NHL 10* Top Play OVER the total in Vegas Golden Knights vs Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - The Bruins scored 6 goals last night and back-up goalie Anton Khudobin had a great game and allowed only 2 goals. However, now Boston either turns to him again in a back to back spot or goes back to struggling Tuukka Rask who has allowed 10 goals in his 3 starts. Vegas finally saw their strong season-opening run come do an end as Marc-Andre Fleury gave up 6 goals in an ugly home loss to Detroit Friday night. The Golden Knights, however, have scored 8 goals in their last two games and are now hosting a Bruins team that has scored 3 goals or more in 3 of their 4 games. In other words, look for quite the entertaining contest this evening in Vegas as this should be a barn burner! The over is 21-10 when Boston, in the first half of a season, is facing a team with a winning record. 10* OVER the total in Vegas

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Colorado Avalanche vs Anaheim Ducks @ 9:05 ET - Both these teams have a long-term reputation of being involved in lower-scoring games and that's why this is a "contrarian" play. The reason we're getting value with the over here is the fact that Colorado has scored 4 goals or more in 3 of their 4 games and the Avalanche are expected to have back-up goalie Jonathan Bernier between the pipes. The Avs will be saving #1 goalie Semyon Varlamov for the game at Dallas tomorrow. That is noteworthy here because the lone loss the Avs have (4-1 defeat) this season was when Bernier started. He and the Avalanche will be facing an Anaheim team that has been getting much healthier up front and that means the Colorado defense (and Bernier) will be tested early and often in this one. The Ducks have recorded 3 straight unders but, other than a shutout loss to the Flames, Anaheim has averaged 3.3 goals per game in their other 3 games. The Avalanche were held to just 1 goal in their lone loss this season but have averaged 4.7 goals per game in their other 3 games! You can see why I am expecting a lot of goals here tonight, especially with Bernier likely to get the start for Colorado. The Avalanche penalty-killing has struggled this season and that should get the Ducks power play going in this one. That will certainly help this one get over too because Anaheim has yet to score on the power play and yet, other than the shutout loss, they've managed to average 3.3 goals per game in their other 3 games. Avs playing with confidence and scoring well, Ducks forwards are healthier now, Avalanche weak in their own end for this one. It all adds up to a barn-burner in Denver tonight. 10* OVER the total in Colorado

Rickenbach Thursday NHL 10* Top Play Minnesota Wild Money Line (+) @ Chicago Blackhawks @ 8:35 ET - The Wild are 0-2 this season while the Blackhawks are 3-0-1 as they've yet to lose in regulation this season. That said, Chicago opened up in the -150 price range for this one and yet that line has fallen dramatically even though the Hawks will be on home ice tonight. Though that may seem like a head-scratcher, don't be fooled. The sharp money is on the Wild here. Chicago is a veteran team used to playoff success. As a result, there will be some "off nights" during the "ho hum" regular season and this is likely to be one of them. Why? Because the playoffs are so much more important than early regular season games and, that said, Chicago can't help but be peeking ahead at their huge game Saturday. They have a chance at "playoff revenge" against a Nashville team that swept them out of the playoffs in the first round this past spring. The Predators are up next for the Blackhawks and I know that Chicago already has their eyes on that match-up. Conversely, Minnesota is "all in" on tonight's game as the Wild are a damn good team under head coach Bruce Boudreau and yet they are still seeking their first win of the young season. The Wild will prove to be the hungrier team tonight as they are highly motivated and I am aware of the fact that they're rolling 11 forwards and 7 defensemen tonight instead of the traditional 12 and 6 but they'll get the job done. Boudreau is a helluva good coach and the Wild have won 22 of 32 (+$13,000) when facing a team with a winning record in the first half of a season. The Wild have won 3 of their last 4 games at the United Center. 10* MINNESOTA money line

NBC Sports Network Smash - Rickenbach Wednesday NHL 10* Top Play Washington Capitals Money Line (-) vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:35 ET - A lot of key edges for the Capitals in this one. Certainly Washington has revenge on their minds as the Penguins have been a playoff nemesis for the Caps. The Pens again knocked the Capitals out of the post-season last spring. Additionally, the Stanley Cup champion Penguins have the distraction of yesterday's White House visit to deal with. Conversely, the Capitals have been fully focused on hockey and, while the Pens are off of their first win of the season, the Caps are off of their first loss this season. That certainly is adding to the motivation for Washington here as they let a 3-1 lead slip away against Tampa Bay Monday night and then lost 4-3 in overtime! Matt Murray will be between the pipes for Pittsburgh and certainly the Capitals have the goal-tending edge in this match-up. Murray has an ugly 4.43 GAA versus Washington. The Caps will have Braden Holtby between the pipes and he has a solid 2.77 GAA versus the Penguins. The Pens are 19-21 (-$6,800) when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of a season. The Capitals are 29-10 (+$12,500) when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of a season. 10* WASHINGTON on the money line early Wednesday evening.

Rickenbach Tuesday NHL 10* Top Play OVER the total in Dallas Stars vs Detroit Red Wings @ 8:35 ET - The Stars have actually played quite well and have been generating plenty of scoring chances but they don't have anything to show for it. Dallas has registered at least 40 shots on goal in each game but yet they've scored a total of only 3 goals. Look for that to change tonight at home but the issue for the Stars could be their goal-tending in this one. Yes, Ben Bishop is expected back for Dallas tonight but how will he be after taking that puck to the face in the season opener versus Vegas? Keep in mind, if a goalie is just slightly "off" it has huge consequences and the Red Wings come into this game with plenty of confidence since they're already 2-0 on the young season. If the Stars are again forced to go to their back-up goalie, Kari Lehtonen, he is already struggling badly early this season with 6 goals allowed on 32 shots. No matter how you look at, this could be a tough situation for the Stars between the pipes and though the Red Wings are likely to struggle overall this season, they have plenty of confidence here with how their season has begun. That makes for a dangerous dog but Detroit will have to score plenty to keep up with an angry and determined Stars team that won't take their foot off of the gas in this one and that is why I see it flying over the total. 10* OVER the total in Dallas Tuesday evening.

Total of the Week - Rickenbach Monday NHL 10* Top Play OVER the total in Tampa Bay Lightning vs Washington Capitals @ 7:35 ET - Of course Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals are off to a red hot start this season but the value in this game, in my opinion, is with the total. Both teams have gone over the total in each of their games. The Washington offense, behind Ovechkin's insane start to the season (multiple hot tricks), has totaled 11 goals so far but the Lighting offense is not too far behind. Tampa Bay has tallied 9 goals so far this season. The issue for the Bolts is that they're quickly finding out that the goaltending in their post-Ben Bishop era could be quite the challenge. Andrei Vasilevskiy has given up 8 goals already. He also gave up 4 goals in each of his two starts against the Caps last season. However, as strong as Braden Holtby is between the pipes for the Capitals, he did allow 4 goals in his lone road start this season. He now faces a Tampa Bay team that is flying all over the ice early this season and creating great scoring chances. The Bolts are on a mission this season after the disappointment of last year and I foresee them giving a huge effort in this revenge opportunity against a divisional rival tonight. That should mean plenty of goals for the Bolts but their problem is they haven't been able to keep the puck out of their own net and the Capitals are red hot right now. Also, when TB is off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more, their next game resulted in an under only 18 times in 53 games! In other words, the high-scoring trend usually continues and I expect that to be the case again tonight given the way these two teams have been scoring goals! 10* OVER the total in Tampa Bay

Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Saturday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (-) in St Louis Blues vs Dallas Stars @ 8:05 ET - The Stars put up 46 shots on the Golden Knights last night but still fell short as Marc-Andre Fleury had a tremendous game between the pipes for Vegas. Look for Dallas to be even more fired up after losing their home opener and another strong effort with plenty of shots on goal is likely to result on many more finding the back of the net in this one. St Louis is off of a wild 5-4 overtime victory in their season opener at Pittsburgh Wednesday night. The Blues can take advantage of the fact that the Stars may have to start Kari Lehtonen between the pipes as Ben Bishop took a puck to the face and had to exit last night's game. It was all downhill for the Stars after he went out and even if Bishop is back for Dallas tonight he may not be 100% himself after that vicious shot to the mask. The Blues and Stars have quite the spirited rivalry and 3 of the last 4 games have totaled at least 7 goals. Given the situation here I am expecting another wild one. Note that Dallas is 19-11 the past two seasons when they're off of a game where they scored 1 goal or less. The Blues have scored 11 goals in their last 3 games versus the Stars and, after putting up 5 on the defending cup champs on opening night, they roll into this game with plenty of confidence. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in St Louis

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Saturday 10* Top Play Pittsburgh Penguins Money Line (+) @ Nashville Predators @ 8 ET - Though it may seem "crazy" to back the Penguins here because the home team has won every game in this series AND the Predators are 9-1 at home in the post-season, there are a couple of key factors I like about the Pens here. For you history buffs out there note that when the Penguins win the Stanley Cup they've done it on the road. That has been the pattern and I don't see it changing here. The fact is that the Penguins really took the wind out of the Predators sails in Game 5. The Pens didn't just win that game, they absolutely crushed Nashville in the process. Sure the Preds are back home and sure they have have success here but that was an absolutely deflating defeat for the Predators as they immediately gave up back all the momentum they had earned by winning games 3 and 4 by a combined 9-2 score. The point is that, had the Preds lost a tight one in game 5 the reaction might be different. But to get totally clobbered like the Predators just did, is extremely deflating. It's just not the same thing as coming home down 2-0 in the series but knowing you still have 3 potential home games and a long series in front of you. In this case, the Preds now come home down 3-2 and knowing that everything they worked so hard for is gone, completely gone. The Predators got absolutely dominated in Game 5 and the Penguins proved they are certainly hungrier than a lot of people, including myself, gave them credit for. That said, I am forecasting the Pens to become the first team in nearly 20 years to win back to back Stanley Cup titles and, as they've always done before, I am forecasting them to win it on the road. Pittsburgh has been there, done that. The Predators certainly haven't and they showed me all I needed to see in Game 5. The Preds are done. Look for the Predators to drop to 4-7 the last 11 times they're off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. Look for the Penguins to improve to 30-18 this season when off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. 10* PITTSBURGH PENGUINS money line Sunday

NBC Blowout Rout - Rickenbach NHL Thursday 10* Top Play Nashville Predators Money Line (+) @ Pittsburgh Penguins @ 8 ET - The Predators have outshot the Penguins in every single game in this series. The Pens are 0 for 13 on the power play in the last 3 games. The Preds are 4 for 12 on the power play in this series. Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne has proven he's "back" in this series and he's highly motivated to record his first ever win at Pittsburgh. The Predators have looked to have a little more energy than the Penguins and a little extra "step" on them in the last two games and they certainly have all the momentum back in this series. No Stanley Cup champion has repeated in the past twenty years. The point is that it is not easy and the way the Preds have taken back momentum in this series, and knowing that the Penguins can't help but now have some self doubt, I expect the Predators to "steal" Game 5 on the road. All the pressure is truly on the Penguins here and it is tough to play with pressure. Not only the pressure of being the defending Stanley Cup champs but also the pressure of now trying to defense home ice even though they lost the last two games by a combined score of 9 to 2 in Nashville. In my opinion, all things considered, the Penguins are very over-priced here and there is tremendous underdog line value with the Predators. Look for the Preds to improve to a perfect 4-0 in this post-season when tied in a playoff series. 10* NASHVILLE PREDATORS on the money line

NBC Blowout Rout - Rickenbach NHL Monday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals +115 in Nashville Predators vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 8 ET - I know it seems crazy that we're seeing so much scoring in these Finals but there is truly no reason to expect it to stop. Also, after seeing a ridiculous total of only 38 shots on goal in Game 1, we saw an average of 63 shots on goal in the next two games. The pace is likely to continue to "pick up" here in Game 4 as the Predators want to jump right on the Penguins Monday night and retain the momentum they worked so hard to attain by nothing the big Saturday night win. As for the Pens, they are hungry to respond after scoring just 1 goal in Game 3 and the Penguins had averaged nearly 4 goals per game in their 6 prior games so a response can certainly be expected here. On the season, Pittsburgh is 10-5 to the over when off of a game where they were held to 1 goal or less. Also, when leading in a playoff series, the Penguins are a long-term 48-27 to the over. The Predators, in recent seasons, are 6-3 to the over when trailing in a playoff series. The Preds are also 20-10 to the over this season (and 47-26 to the over long-term) when off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. The Predators power play is now 4 for 10 in this series and the Penguins power play is far too strong to keep struggling as it has in the past two games. Another crazy atmosphere in Nashville Monday and plenty of goals for both clubs expected here. I know Pekka Rinne bounced back but these are the defending champs he's facing and he did struggle in Pittsburgh. As for Matt Murray, he's starting to show some vulnerability too as expected. 10* OVER the total in Nashville

Total of the Month - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals +125 in Nashville Predators vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 8 ET - Pekka Rinne has been the weak link in this series for the Predators so far as they've lost the first two games by a combined score of 9-4. While I do expect the Preds to respond today, I also expect the Penguins to come into this one very relaxed and confident by virtue of holding the 2-0 series lead. As a result, they will likely put intense pressure on Rinne in this one as they can be a little more aggressive since they have the 2-0 series lead. The Predators have averaged 3.2 goals per game at home on the season and the Penguins have averaged 3.8 goals per game in their last 5 games. Don't be surprised when this one turns into a barnburner. The last 10 times the Preds have been trailing in a playoff series, only 3 games have stayed under the total. The Pens are 29-17 to the over when they are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more this season. Look for the over to improve to 13-6 in Pittsburgh's Saturday games on the season. 10* OVER 5.5 goals +125 in Nashville Saturday

Game 2 Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Wednesday 10* Top Play Nashville Predators Money Line (+) @ Pittsburgh Penguins @ 8 ET - Even after having a first period goal disallowed that wiped a 1-0 lead off of the board, the Predators showed a lot in their Game 1 loss at Pittsburgh. For one thing Nashville showed resilience in batting back from a 3-goal deficit to tie it at 3. For another thing the Preds did outshoot the Pens by a 26-12 count for the game. The Predators will respond after allowing 5 goals in Game 1 (including the late empty-netter). Nashville has won 14 of 22 when they are off of a loss by a multiple-goal margin and goalie Pekka Rinne will bounce back. He had been 12-4 in the playoffs and seemingly stopping everything in sight before some tough bounces went against him in Game 1. Rinne certainly wasn't on top of his game Monday but he's a strong goalie and will bounce back here. As for Penguins goalie Matt Murray, he wasn't exactly flawless in Game 1 either plus the Penguins have now allowed power play goals on 3 of their opponents last 8 chances. I love the underdog value here as the Preds found some things in Game 1 to build on and certainly the Predators ability to limit Penguins scoring chances was huge. Look for the Preds to even this one up in what should be a fantastic series. Keep in mind the Penguins were only 6-6 in their last 12 games prior to the win Monday. Also, the Predators haven't lost two straight games since early April! 10* NASHVILLE

Total of the Year - Rickenbach NHL Monday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals +125 in Pittsburgh Penguins vs Nashville Predators @ 8 ET - How will these teams react after the layoff that preceded the Stanley Cup Finals getting underway? The Predators have played 9 games this season after a layoff of 3 days or more. The results? Only 2 unders in those 9 games! As for the Penguins, they've played 8 games this season after a layoff of 3 days or more. Pittsburgh has gone 7-1 in those 8 games! Not only are there trends to support this play though. The fact is that the old adage of 'speed kills' applies to both of these teams. They are each so dangerous with their skilled forwards and I expect this to be a highly entertaining series. Of course the Preds loss of Ryan Johansen was a big one but just look at how they've responded! The Predators wrapped up the Western Conference Finals by scoring 6 goals in their series clinching victory over Anaheim. The Predators are 19-10 to the over this season (and 46-26 to the over the past 3 seasons) when they are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. Each of the last 3 games between these teams has gone over the total and if the odds makers were expecting a solid under here, they would have posted a total of 5 goals. Why the 5.5 on this one? It's because the odds makers expect the same thing I do. After the layoff, neither team will be completely crisp in their own end, neither goalie will be as razor sharp as they might usually be, and with all the speed on the ice there will be some excellent scoring chances for both clubs in this one. These teams have combined for an average of nearly 70 shots on goal per game in their last 3 meetings. Look for a wild opener to the Stanley Cup Finals and I am more than happy to take advantage of the big plus money being offered on the over in this one. 10* OVER 5.5 goals +125 in Pittsburgh

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Pittsburgh Penguins vs Ottawa Senators @ 8 ET - The Penguins only scored 1 goal Tuesday but they did register 46 shots on goal! In other words, it certainly wasn't for lack of effort and the key here is that the Senators had allowed 10 goals to the Pens in the prior two games. That included the ugly Game 5 loss in Pittsburgh when the Penguins chased Sens goalie Craig Anderson with 4 goals on their first 14 shots. That said, don't be surprised if another strong effort in terms of shots on goal Thursday leads to quite a few more goals than the 1 goal scored in Game 6. Give Anderson credit for stealing a game for the Senators in Ottawa Tuesday but he's facing a helluva challenge on the road in Game 7. As for Penguins goalie Matt Murray, he has done a great job since coming in for Marc-Andre Fleury. However, we just need 2 goals from each club to guarantee no less than a 3-2 final here. Of course I am expecting 6 goals or more or wouldn't be going with a top play here. But the point is, will we get at least 2 from the Sens? They've scored at least 2 goals in 6 of their last 8 games and that includes 2 of their last 3 when Murray has been between the pipes for the Pens. When tied in a playoff series this spring, Ottawa has gone 4-0 to the over. The over is 10-5 this season in Penguins games when they are off of a game where they were held to 1 goal or less. Look for an offensive explosion here which will surprise many being that this is a Game 7. However, the odds makers won't be surprised. They opened this one up with the over 5 goals at -135 and the price is now as low as -110. I'll gladly fade the market movement and side with the odds makers on this one! 10* OVER the total in Pittsburgh

Game of the Year - Rickenbach NHL Tuesday 10* Top Play Ottawa Senators Money Line (+) vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 8 ET - After getting embarrassed 7-0 on Sunday, look for Ottawa to bounce back strong here. They are happy to return to home ice but did lose here in Game 4 as well so this Senators team has blown a 2-1 series lead and is now facing playoff elimination. Look for this to bring out the best in a Sens team that has been resilient throughout this post-season. The Senators, in the past 7 weeks, have never lost 3 straight games and I don't expect that to change here. Though their power play has struggled since a good stretch early in the post-season, the Senators have been excellent in 5 on 5 hockey, Sunday's result notwithstanding. The Sens, the past 3 seasons combined, are 38-24 (+19,000) when off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more. Look for the Senators to get back to playing the style that delivered so much success for them earlier in this series. They need to clog up the neutral zone and prevent the Penguins from getting so much open ice as they enter the zone. The Senators did hold the Pens to just a single goal in each of the first 3 games in this series. In fact, dating back to the regular season, it was 5 straight games for Ottawa holding Pittsburgh to just a single goal before the Pens hung on for a 3-2 win in Game 4 and then got the blowout win in Game 5. After that ugly loss for the Sens in Game 5, it is payback time tonight for the Senators. 10* OTTAWA on the money line Tuesday evening

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Nashville Predators vs Anaheim Ducks @ 8 ET - Ducks goalie John Gibson, if he plays, is not 100% as he's dealing with a lower body injury. Back-up netminder Jonathan Bernier is simply not at the same level as Gibson if he would end up getting the call here. No matter who is in net for Anaheim here, they are going to face a barrage of shots in this one because Nashville wants revenge for the Game 4 loss here and they certainly want to avoid a trip back to Anaheim for a Game 7. With that said, in a raucous arena on Monday night, you're going to see a little bit more of a "wide open" style played here. The Predators don't want to get cautious and hurt themselves by trying to play it "safe" at home. As for the Ducks, for them to spring the upset here, they know they're going to have to score plenty giving their current uncertain goalie situation. The Ducks have averaged 3.3 goals per game in their 7 road games in this post-season. Similar to how the Predators stepped up without Johansen and Fisher in Game 5 on the road, look for the Ducks to step it up without Rakell and Eaves in Game 6 away from home. The Preds loss on home ice in Game 4 was their first home defeat of the post-season. They're averaging just under 3 goals per game in their last 14 games overall and just under 3 goals per game in their 7 home post-season games. The Ducks will make some adjustments based on how the Predators really clogged up the neutral zone and denied entry for Anaheim as Game 5 went on. The result will be some more "risk-taking" from the Ducks here in a win or go home game. I look for this one to get surprisingly high scoring like the 5-3 game we saw back in game 2. The over is 3-1 in this post-season and 20-13 long-term when Anaheim is trailing in a playoff series. The Preds have a long-term run going of 69-48 to the over when facing a team with a winning record. Both teams are going to push hard for plenty of offensive zone pressure in the first possible elimination game of this series. The Preds want to push hard for early scoring and really get their home crowd behind them but Ducks won't stay grounded here either either. They'll be flying all over the ice and this one should fly over the total as a result. 10* OVER the total in Nashville

Bulldogs Best - Rickenbach Saturday NHL 10* Top Play Nashville Predators Money Line (+) @ Anaheim Ducks @ 7:15 ET - The Predators are off of a loss Thursday and truly did not play all that well. However, they still showed enough resilience to send the game to overtime and lets not forget that the Preds had outshot the Ducks by a combined margin of 119 to 76 in the first three games of this series. Nashville is the better team in this series but now we get line value because they're on the road. I love having the Predators off of a loss at plus money as this is a team that hasn't lost back to back games since early April! Keep in mind, Nashville was 10-3 in the post-season before that Game 4 home loss Thursday and the Predators are fired up to respond here. This is an odd start time Saturday (5:15 local time in Anaheim) and the Ducks have lost 9 of 13 Saturday games this season. The Preds had to rally from a 3-2 series deficit in last year's playoff match-up with the Ducks and they don't want that to be the case in this year's match-up. The Predators will bring a hugely intense Game 5 effort and, keep in mind, last year's 7 games series saw the road team win all but one game! Considering the split so far in this series (each team winning once so far on enemy ice) that means that the road team has won 8 of the last 11 playoff games between these teams. I look for that trend to continue here and will grab the line value with the hungry road dog ready for revenge for what happened on their home ice Thursday. 10* NASHVILLE

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Friday 10* Top Play Pittsburgh Penguins Money Line (-) @ Ottawa Senators @ 8 ET - The Penguins got thoroughly embarrassed in Wednesday's loss and can be expected to respond here and even the series up after that 5-1 defeat. The Pens are 14-6 this season when off of a loss by a multiple goal margin and 22-10 this season when off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. The Senators are only 4-4 this season when leading in a playoff series and only 12-12 when off of a win by a margin of 2 goals or more. Marc-Andre Fleury was awful in goal in Game 3 and whether he is back in net or Matt Murray gets the call, you can look for a response from Pittsburgh between the pipes tonight. The D-men in front of the entire team really pick up the intensity and effort after a game like that. In many respects it's easier to bounce back mentally from a game like that compared to a tight OT loss or one-goal defeat. The Penguins have the better power play and will "carry play" so much in Game 4 that they'll earn a few penalties from the Senators. The Sens are on an 0 for 21 run on the power play. A lot of factors in favor of the Pens here and they are also a little healthier than they were entering Wednesday's game. 10* PITTSBURGH

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Thursday 10* Top Play Nashville Predators Money Line (-) vs Anaheim Ducks @ 8 ET - This series is only 2-1 in favor of the Predators and the two Preds wins have been one goal wins. However, Nashville has proven to be the much better team and the closer results have merely helped to give us some phenomenal line value here. The Predators have actually outshot the Ducks by a combined total of 119 to 76. That's an average of edge of 14.3 shots PER GAME so far in this series. When you are getting extra chances at scoring you're going to eventually break through and this actually has a great shot at being the big "break through" game for the Preds. They outshot the Ducks 40 to 20 on Tuesday and won for the 6th time in 6 home games in this post-season! With this line dropping down into the 130 range this morning we were afforded some phenomenal line value here with the better team playing the better hockey and on home ice! Look for Anaheim to drop to 4-7 in their last 11 Western Conference Finals games. Look for the red hot Preds to improve to 24-11 in their last 35 games against teams with a winning record. 10* NASHVILLE

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Wednesday 10* Top Play Ottawa Senators Money Line (+) vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 8 ET - The Penguins are very banged up right now. I know they have some depth on their blue line and are planning to use some veteran defensemen but it is still going to be tough now that the the Pens are without their top three D-men. As for the Senators, I look for them to get a spark by returning home where they have won 3 straight post-season games. Keep in mind, Ottawa had won 6 of their last 8 overall before the 1-0 loss to Pittsburgh on Monday. The Pens had lost 4 of 6 before coming up with the tight win in Game 2 of this series. The Penguins have been struggling to score goals and I look for them to drop to 1-3 this season when they enter a game on an "under streak" of 3 games or more. The Pens have had 3 straight unders and the normally high-flying Penguins have been held to 2 goals or less in 5 straight games. The Senators had averaged 3 goals per game in their last 8 games before being shutout in Game 2. Even though the Pens are a few games over .500 against teams with a winning record in the season they have netted $0 profit because they are such a public team (and again are over-priced here in my opinion). As for the Senators, they are a fantastic 29-18 and +$19,600 in games against teams with a winning record this season. At home for just the 2nd time since late April, the Senators are really going to be amped here and the fans will be going nuts as the Sens host the defending champs with a chance to get a 2-1 lead knowing they'll still have 2 more home games in this series (if needed). With the Pens very banged up, the Sens take advantage of the situation and I'll gladly grab the hungry home dog here. 10* OTTAWA SENATORS money line

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Sunday 10* Top Play Nashville Predators Money Line (+) @ Anaheim Ducks @ 7:30 ET - Many will look to back the Ducks here as they just can't see them going into an 0-2 hole on their home ice in this series. However, how many people though these Predators would sweep the Blackhawks? The fact is that the Preds are now 9-2 in the post-season and simply rolling! They also outshot Anaheim by a 46-29 count in Game One! The Ducks are only 4-4 in their last 8 games and just aren't playing at the same level that this Nashville team is right now. I love to use the "zig zag theory" to my advantage and this is one of those cases. With the Ducks off of a home loss in Game 1, the betting markets will favor them here and the result is line value for us by being a contrarian. I love being a contrarian when I know I have the better team at a good price. Look for Nashville to add to their impressive 5-2 mark when leading in a playoff series. As for Anaheim, I look for them to drop to 3-6 their last 9 games in conference finals action. Special teams is a key edge for the Predators as their penalty kill has been phenomenal while the Ducks penalty kill has been only mediocre in this post-season and their power plays has fizzled out. Anaheim is 0 for 20 with the man advantage in their last 6 games! 10* NASHVILLE

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Saturday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals +120 in Pittsburgh Penguins vs Ottawa Senators @ 7 ET - The Senators have scored an average of 3.8 goals per game in their last 5 games with the Penguins and certainly there is no reason to doubt the capability of the powerful Pens offense. Pittsburgh has averaged 3.6 goals per game dating back to late March and they've scored 7 goals per game the last two times they've hosted Ottawa. Those two games hosting the Sens each totaled at least 11 goals and of course that is double what this total is as it sits at 5.5 goals. Of course this is playoff hockey and that is a different animal altogether but, at the same time, the Sens have allowed 3.8 goals per game in their last 5 games and the Pens allowed 3.5 goals per game in their 4 games with the Caps prior to the shutout win in Game 7. The over is 8-4 this season in Penguins games played after 2 days of rest. Also, the over is 4-1 this season when Pittsburgh is off of a shutout win. the over is 23-12 on the season in Pens games when they are off of a victory by a margin of 2 goals or more. Don't be surprised when both the teams light the lamp early and often in this one. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Pittsburgh

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Anaheim Ducks vs Nashville Predators @ 9 ET - This total opened up at a 5.5 and the betting markets said to the odds makers "no, you're wrong" and hammered the under. I love fading the markets in a case like this as the value is now clearly on the over with this total dropping to the key number of 5. The total has moved a lot too because there is not even much extra juice on the over at 5 either. What is the key to expecting a lot of goals here? For one thing, in the Ducks most recent trip to the conference finals only 1 of the 7 games stayed under the total! As for the Predators, they have some extra fresh legs here as they were afforded some extra rest. The Preds this season have had only 2 unders in the 8 games they've played with 3 or more days of rest between games. Keep in mind that Anaheim had gone over the total in 4 straight games before their Game 7 win versus Edmonton stayed under the total. Of the last 9 games meetings between these teams in Anaheim, there has been only 1 under! These teams are a little extra "chippy" with each other as they met in last spring's playoffs with the Predators eliminating the Ducks from the post-season. In their 3 meetings in this regular season, the average goals scored per game was 6 and none of the 3 games stayed under the total. There were 7 power play goals scored in those 3 games. Like I said, "chippy"! There was an average of 9 power plays per game in the 3 meetings and I look for plenty of scoring chances early and often in this one as the Predators look to use their fresh legs and speed to get an early jump on the Ducks on the road in this series. 10* OVER the total in Anaheim

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals +130 in Anaheim Ducks vs Edmonton Oilers @ 10 PM ET - Not only have 5 of the 6 games in this series gone over the total, each of the 5 overs totaled 7 goals or more. The fact is we're getting fantastic line value with this over available at big plus money in Game 7. While it is true that we must get to 6 goals to get the win, keep in mind that all the other overs in this series totaled at least 7 goals. The Oilers have averaged nearly 4 goals per game in their last 8 games. The Ducks, prior to the ugly 7-1 loss at Edmonton in Game 6, had scored 3 goals or more in 17 of their last 19 games. As you can see, there is plenty of reason to expect each team to get to at least 3 goals here and that guarantees us of no less than a 4-3 final. The Oilers, when tied in a playoff series, have had just 6 unders the last 17 games. The Ducks, when tied in a playoff series, have had just 9 unders the last 27 games - a 33% under rate. What is perhaps most amazing about the current run of high-scoring games in this series is the fact that there have been only 4 power play goals in the last 4 games and yet there have been 31 goals scored. 5 on 5 this series has featured plenty of offense and the goal-tending, more often than not, has lagged behind. Look for that to continue here on Wednesday. I know it's a Game 7 but there is simply too much goal-scoring potency on both sides and certainly the defense and goal-tending has been lagging behind. That said, neither team can afford to "sit on a lead" like you might typically see in a Game 7 situation. Hence the value here! 10* OVER 5.5 goals +130 in Anaheim

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER 5 goals in New York Rangers vs Ottawa Senators @ 7:30 ET - After the opening game in this series was a 2-1 Senators win, the next 4 games have averaged 7.5 goals per game and none of them have finished with less than 5 goals. That is why there is tremendous line value here with the over at 5 goals. The Rangers have deserved a better fate but it's also their own fault for blowing late leads. However, the fact is that New York has outplayed the Sens for long stretches but they just don't have anything to show for it as their two wins were by solid 4-1 counts but the Rangers have lost all 3 close games. The reason I like the over so much here is that New York has scored at least 4 goals in 4 straight games now! That said, and facing elimination tonight, the Rangers will continue to pile up goals tonight. However, the issue for the Rangers is that they truly can't be trusted to protect leads. Blown leads are a part of any good hockey series in the playoffs but New York has truly shown a penchant for blowing leads to the point it is a major weakness of theirs against this resilient Sens team. I also like the fact that Ottawa can go "all out" tonight knowing they still have a game seven on home ice (if needed). In other words, the Senators are willing to be aggressive tonight and attack more in the offensive zone as they certainly want to bounce back after scoring just 1 goal in each of their two games at New York in this series. The Rangers have had just 3 unders the last 13 times they've been trailing in a playoff series. In other words, they'll turn to their firepower up front to try and force a game 7 here. This is especially true with Henrik Lundqvist having had a few tough stretches already in this series. The Sens forwards have extra confidence up front after stealing Game 5 by a 5-4 count in overtime. 10* OVER 5 goals in New York Rangers

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Monday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals +110 in Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals @ 7:30 ET - The Capitals, off of their 4-2 win Saturday to extend this series, have now outshot the Penguins by a count of 174 to 115 in this series. That's an average advantage of nearly a dozen shots per game for the Caps. I expect Washington to keep pushing on Monday as they are in desperation mode as they look to avoid elimination and send this series back to DC for what would be a colossal Game 7. However, the Penguins certainly have something to say about that and have arguably had the better scoring chances for much of this series. Also, the Pens have averaged scoring 4 goals per game in their last 6 games with the Capitals. The Caps have allowed an average of 3 goals per game in their last 10 games and I just don't see this one not getting to 3-3 at some point. The Capitals are starting to expose Marc-Andre Fleury a bit as they've now managed 9 goals in the last 3 games and, at the same time, the Penguins will be flying all over the ice as they want to finish this series tonight. To close this out, Pittsburgh knows the last thing can do is to get passive. They must remain aggressive and look to create those prime scoring chances. That is something Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin do so well in the biggest of games and this is a big one here! The over is 46-25 long-term when Pittsburgh is leading in a series. Also, in 32 games this season when playing with revenge, only 11 of those Penguins games have resulted in an under. Look for that trend to continue here. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Pittsburgh

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Saturday 10* Top Play Pittsburgh Penguins Money Line (+) @ Washington Capitals @ 7:15 ET - The Capitals will be the popular choice here. After all, the Caps are down 3-1 in the series, the Penguins are without Sidney Crosby, and Washington outshot Pittsburgh by a significant margin the Game 4 loss. However, the key is that the quality shots are going to the Pens and that has been a key difference maker in this series. That is why an elite goalie like the Capitals Braden Holtby has struggled while a goalie known for past post-season disappointments, Marc-Andre Fleury, has flourished. Until the Caps start elevating the puck more with their shots and getting real solid quality chances the struggles will continue. That said, time is running out and I look for the Pens to make the most of this opportunity to close this one out on the road. Keep in mind the Capitals have lost 4 of their last 5 home games dating back to the regular season while the Penguins are on an overall 7-2 run and have averaged scoring nearly 4 goals per game during this hot streak! Both teams have strong records this season when playing with 2 days of rest between games. However, the Capitals are really frustrated and will be clutching the sticks a little too tight tonight while the Penguins can play loose and relaxed and look to close this one out on the road knowing they still would have two more chances after this too! The Pens are on a 7-3 run in 2nd round playoff games. The Caps are on an 6-11 run in 2nd round playoff games. The Pens are a dangerous big dog here and it's no secret that sharp money is what hit the Penguins here as this line originally was at the -200 level for Washington. 10* Top Play PITTSBURGH PENGUINS money line Saturday evening

Early Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Friday 10* Top Play St Louis Blues Money Line (-) vs Nashville Predators @ 8 ET - Pekka Rinne, Preds goalie, has certainly been a difference maker in this series but the fact is that he has only won 13 of 31 road starts this season! The Blues got a key Game 2 win on home ice after dropping Game 1 and now they need another key home win to stay alive in this series and I expect them to get it. With that win in Game 2, St Louis has now won 8 of its last 12 road games. Also, the Blues have won 8 of the last 11 games hosting the Predators. Despite coming up short on the scoreboard in Game 4, St Louis did outshoot the Preds by a 33-25 margin. With this being a "win or pack your golf bags" game for the Blues, there is every reason to believe we'll another strong effort from St Louis here! The Predators have a losing record on the season in road games with a posted total of 5 goals or less. The Blues have won 17 of 26 home games with a posted total of 5 goals or less this season. Also, the past 3 seasons combined, St Louis has won 36 of 54 games when they are playing with 2 days of rest between games! The rest, with the Blues coming back home and needing that time physically and mentally to hit the "recharge button" for this game, definitely helps the trailing team in this playoff series. When down in a series, St Louis has won 5 of 8 the last 3 seasons and they get another big win here on home ice with their backs against the wall. 10* ST LOUIS BLUES 

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach Wednesday NHL 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (+120) in Edmonton Oilers vs Anaheim Ducks @ 10 ET - After Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Ducks, the Oilers have seen 4 of their last 6 games fly over the total and Edmonton has allowed 19 goals in those 4 overs. Their goaltending (at least in my book) is still suspect but certainly they have dangerous weapons with their top lines up front. That has played a key role in Edmonton averaging 3.4 goals per game in their last 5 games and they'll be looking to respond off of the Game 3 loss as they don't wait to let the Ducks steal back home ice which the Oilers had worked so hard to earn by taking both games down in Anaheim. The issue, as usual, for the Oilers is going to be keeping the puck out of their own net and I just don't see that happening here. Anaheim has won 9 of its last 11 games thanks to offensive production that has averaged 3.6 goals per game during that rock solid stretch. Only 1 time in those 11 games were the Ducks held to less than 3 goals. The over is 5-3 in Anaheim's 2nd round playoff games and they have had just 13 unders the last 39 times they've been trailing in a playoff series! The over is 13-7 this season when Edmonton is off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. Also, the over is 11-6 this season when the Oilers are off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more this season. Look for a barnburner tonight in a crucial game in this series that means so much to both clubs. Cam Talbot's divisional games for the Oilers have gone 24-11 to the over this season and John Gibson's divisional games for the Ducks have gone 14-8 to the over this season. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Edmonton

Total Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER 5 goals in Nashville Predators vs St Louis Blues @ 9:30 ET - The Predators don't want to let this opportunity pass them by. They have chance to go up 3-1 in the series and make sure they have the home ice edge with Game 6 set to be played here as well. However, a 2-2 series means the Blues get home ice edge with Game 5 and 7 set to be played in St Louis. With that said, the Predators want to take control early in Game 4 and get the home crowd into it. They can't afford to let the Blues control this game with a defensive-minded effort and trying to use physicality to slow down the Preds. The Predators have scored at least 3 goals in 5 of their last 6 games. The Blues had averaged 3.4 goals per game in their last 10 road games prior to being held to just 1 goal in their loss at Nashville Sunday. The last 7 times when trailing in a playoff series St Louis has not had a single under in any of those 7 games! Also, when off a loss by a multiple goal margin, the Blues have had just 8 unders in 24 such games this season - that's only a 33% rate to the under! In 2nd round playoff games St Louis has had just 2 unders in 10 games and the Predators have had just 1 under in 10 games! Many factors pointing to a game similar to Game One of this series that saw 7 goals scored! 10* OVER 5 goals in Nashville

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Monday 10* Top Play Washington Capitals Money Line (+) @ Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:30 ET - Even though the Capitals lost each of the first two games of this series on home ice I look for them to bounce back on enemy ice. The Caps did outshoot the Penguins by a combined 71 to 45 in the first two games but they lost a tight one in Game One and then goalie Braden Holtby had an awful performance in Game Two and got yanked. I expect Holtby to bounce back strong here as is he one of the game's best and he'll get back on track. The fact the Capitals have a big edge in shots on goal also shows the scoring chances are coming and Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has certainly been known for some playoff meltdowns of his own. Don't be surprised if he is the one struggling in Game 3 just like Holtby did in Game 2. Despite the loss in Game 2, Washington has won 22 of 34 this season when playing with revenge. Also, the past 3 seasons combined, the Capitals have won 30 of 47 when playing with home loss revenge. When off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more, the Caps have won 27 of 41 the past 3 seasons combined. We rode the Ducks to victory last night and they were in the same situation the Capitals are here (lost both games on home ice) and Anaheim won big 6 to 3. I look for the Caps to respond in a similar fashion here. 10* WASHINGTON

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Sunday 10* Top Play Anaheim Ducks Money Line (+) @ Edmonton Oilers @ 7 ET - The Ducks are a little banged up but one can't ignore the domination of the Oilers in the first two games of the series. The situation here on underdog Anaheim is strengthened by the fact that the Ducks are down 0-2 in this series despite outshooting Edmonton 76 to 55, winning the faceoff battles, and also leading in puck possession. The key categories the Ducks are leading in would have you believing they're up 2-0 in the series or at least no worse than tied up at a game apiece. Yet Anaheim is an 0-2 hole and on the road and that leaves no doubt about the fact that they're going to bring an intense effort here. Even with the Oilers "fortunate" start to this series, they are still 44-75 their last 119 games against teams with a winning record. Even with Friday's loss, the Ducks are still 10-5 this season when playing with home loss revenge. Also, Anaheim is 13-6 this season (and 37-22 the last 3 seasons) when they are off of a game where they scored 1 goal or less. The Ducks also are 32-15 in Sunday games in recent seasons while Edmonton is 13-19. The road team that has dominated but is down 0-2 in this series, gets back into it with a big win here. 10* ANAHEIM

Total of the Month - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Washington Capitals vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 8:05 ET - Thursday's game one was a 3-2 game with over 7 minutes to go in the game. Considering the firepower of these two teams (and the fact that an empty netter is always a possibility in a situation like that in the final minute or so), it was a bit surprising to see that one end up staying under the total. Look for Game 2 to make up for it. In the first game neither team scored in the first period but then there were 3 goals in the 2nd and 2 goals in the 3rd and I expect that momentum to carry right into Game 2. One thing is for certain, Washington is going to come out aggressive and will be again peppering Marc-Andre Fleury with shots in this one. Even with a total of "only" 5 goals scored in Game 1, these teams have averaged nearly 9 goals per game in their last 4 meetings. The under in Game 1 was just the 4th under in Fleury's 14 starts against a divisional foe this season! The over is 8-4 this season when the Capitals are playing with home loss revenge. The over is 3-1 this season (and 44-23 long-term) in Penguins playoff games when they hold the lead in the series. With the Pens trying to go up 2-0 on enemy ice, you know Alexander Ovechkin and company are going to come out strong in this one. It sets this one up nicely to be a back and forth barnburner because the Caps will look to get early goals and turn the tables on the Pens but Pittsburgh has averaged 4 goals per game in their last 12 games and certainly won't go away without a fight in Game 2. Barnburner indeed! 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Washington Saturday night

Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Saturday 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (-) @ Ottawa Senators @ 3 ET - The Rangers lost a tight one in Game One and I look for the "road warriors" to bounce back in Game Two. No team had more road wins than the Rangers in the regular season and they'll make a few line changes and tweak a few things to get back on track Saturday afternoon. It was a 2-1 loss for the Rangers Thursday night as a fortuitous bounce for the Senators with 4 minutes to go in the game was the difference. Certainly Ottawa deserves credit for their great effort in Game One but the Rangers will be more aggressive in Game Two. Look for the Rangers to limit the Sens scoring chances Saturday as they know the 40+ shots they allowed on Henrik Lundqvist can't happen again in this one. The Rangers, when off of a game where they were held to 1 goal or less, have gone 36-14 the last 3 seasons - including a fantastic 12-2 this season! When trailing in a playoff series the Rangers are 7-3 the last 3 seasons. When playing with revenge, the Rangers are 25-13 this season! In a home game with a posted total of 5 goals or less the Sens are only 18-26 and the Rangers won 27 of 41 (66%) road games this season! 10* Top Play NEW YORK RANGERS money line Saturday afternoon

Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Thursday 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (-) @ Ottawa Senators @ 7 ET - The Rangers got past a very strong Canadiens team in the first round and they did it by winning 3 straight games after being down in a 2-1 hole in the series. I am impressed. I am not so impressed with the Senators series victory over the Bruins as Boston was banged up and also simply not a consistent team this season. The Bruins had a lot of holes. The Rangers don't! Also, the Rangers have thrived on the road all season. New York's 27 road wins in the regular season easily topped the league. Also, the Rangers took 2 of 3 at Montreal in their opening round series win. As for the Senators series with the Bruins, the road team won 5 of the 6 games. The Rangers lost their most recent trip to Ottawa 3 weeks ago but the Rangers playoff position was set at that point. Also, the Rangers have won 25 of 37 this season when playing with revenge. The Senators have lost 4 of 5 this season when playing with 3 or more days of rest between games. 10* NEW YORK RANGERS

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Sunday 10* Top Play Toronto Maple Leafs Money Line (+) vs Washington Capitals @ 7:05 ET - The Maple Leafs certainly have proven worthy to be worthy competition for the Capitals and I feel strongly that they aren't done yet. While their 2-1 lead in the series is gone, this has been a tight battle all the way in this series with 4 of the 5 games decided in overtime. That said, way too much value is being given to Toronto here considering they are on home ice and no team has won 3 straight in this series yet and I expect that will not occur in this one as these two teams have proven to be too closely matched. The Leafs had scored 4 goals in 3 straight games before the 2-1 loss in Game 5. To put that in proper perspective, consider that the Caps have scored more than 3 goals just once in this entire series. Indeed Toronto has proven they are up to the challenge and certainly they are well coached. The Capitals have lost 11 of 16 road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals this season. Also, the last 3 seasons combined, Washington is 4-8 when they're leading in a playoff series. Toronto has a long-term mark of 18-8 when trailing in a playoff series and the Maple Leafs had outshot the Caps in 3 straight games (including both games in Toronto) before being outshot in Friday's loss. Bounce back time here for the Leafs as they avoid elimination and force a Game 7 for Tuesday. 10* TORONTO

Primetime Punisher - Rickenbach NHL Saturday 10* Top Play Montreal Canadiens Money Line (-) @ New York Rangers @ 8:05 ET - The Rangers tried but were unsuccessful in asking the league to move this game to Montreal! All kidding aside, the Rangers are simply a better team on the road than at home. It doesn't make a lot of sense and yet it is a fact. That said, the fact you can get Montreal at a fair price here (instead of laying a big price at home) is a true value in this spot as the Habs look to avoid elimination. Clearly, the Canadiens were outplayed as Game 5 went on and they deserved to lose that one in OT which they did. However, that doesn't mean that Montreal is finished and it doesn't mean that Montreal can't make adjustments and force a Game 7 back to at the Bell Centre. Note that the Canadiens have won 11 of 17 games this season when playing with home loss revenge. Also, prior to New York's home win in Game 4 of this series, the Rangers had lost 9 of their last 11 home games! New York still has not scored a power play goal in this series and the Canadiens have 3 power play markers in the last 3 games. The Rangers have only outshot the Habs once in the first five games of this series. In the Canadiens two wins they outshot NYR by a combined 28 shots. The Habs are well aware of this and will be ultra aggressive tonight and not look like the same team that got out-skated as that game went on Thursday night. I look for a huge bounce back effort on the road in this one Saturday night. 10* MONTREAL

Game of the Month - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play Boston Bruins Money Line (-) @ Ottawa Senators @ 7:35 ET - The road team has won 3 of the 4 games so far in this series. After winning game one at Ottawa, the Bruins have lost 3 straight and I look for them to bounce back big here and avoid elimination. Boston has won 5 of 7 this season when on a losing streak of 3 games or more. Ottawa has lost 6 of 10 this season when they are off of a shutout win. Also, in a home game with a posted total of 5 goals or less, the Senators have lost 25 of 42 the last 3 seasons combined. Every single game in this series has been decided by a single goal and give credit to Erik Karlsson for being the difference maker for the Sens so far. The Bruins have had enough and I look for them to make some adjustments here for Game 5 that will prove to be the difference maker against Karlsson and company. Also, Karlsson has averaged nearly 29 minutes of ice team in these last 3 games and there has been only one day of rest between games ever since the Game 1 win. For a team relying so heavily on one player, fatigue could be a key factor here and I know the Bruins are going to do their best to make life miserable for Karlsson in this one. 10* BOSTON

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Thursday 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (+) @ Montreal Canadiens @ 7:05 ET - The Rangers won 2/3 of their road games this season. So now, one of the best teams in the league this entire season continues to be very undervalued on the road even though they already split the first two games of this series in Montreal. Had the Rangers lost Game 4 in New York the situation would be different but, after losing Game 3 on home ice, NYR showed a lot of resiliency in bouncing back and will carry that momentum north of the border tonight. Keep in mind, playing for the Habs in hockey-mad Montreal is like playing in a pressure cooker and the Canadiens, prior to the Game 4 win, had lost 10 of their last 16 home games. Keep in mind that tough stretch included all the late season match-ups when the pressure was on. Honestly sometimes it's almost easier being on the road when the pressure is that intense and, indeed, scrutiny is huge in Montreal. Facing the road warrior Rangers just intensifies the entire situation and that means all the pressure is on the Canadiens in this one. I'll gladly take the more relaxed team that has played so well on the road this season and will grab this solid underdog price. 10* NEW YORK RANGERS

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Wednesday 10* Top Play Minnesota Wild Money Line (-) @ St Louis Blues @ 9:35 ET - The Wild are down 3-0 in this series and, just like the Blue Jackets last night, I expect them to avoid getting swept out of the post-season. Minnesota has outshot the Blues by a margin of 38 shots on goal in this series. Even though Jake Allen has been fantastic between the pipes for St Louis (just 1 goal allowed each game), it is not as if Minnesota's Devan Dubnyk has not played well. In fact, he has allowed just 2 goals in each game. The shots on goal edge shows you that the Wild have actually outplayed the Blues for lengthy stretches throughout this series. The fact that they are down 3-0 certainly has been a shocker but with one win they know they get a chance to head back home for Game 5 and so Minnesota is certainly not hanging their heads here. Look for a big performance from the Wild here as they finally get a few more past Allen tonight. Even with winning Games 2 and 3 after taking the opener, St Louis is still just 3-6 in recent seasons when leading in a playoff series. Also, the Wild have gone from being a 2 to 1 favorite on home ice in Game 2 to basically a pick'em price in Game 4. That is what you call value and I'll take it because this is one angry, determined, and talented road dog taking the ice in St Louis tonight. 10* MINNESOTA WILD

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Columbus Blue Jackets vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:35 ET - Of course the Blue Jackets are in desperation mode here as they down 3-0 in the series. The problem with backing Columbus in this spot is that their work in their own zone simply can't be trusted. The Blue Jackets definitely are talented up front and they also score particularly well at home (3.2 goals per game this season) but they've allowed 3.7 goals per game in their last 9 games. The Pens are rolling with confidence right now and they have no pressure since they are up 3-0 and would still be in good shape even with a loss Tuesday. That said, Pittsburgh won't be afraid to really test the Jackets here and that is why I would not be surprised to see the Pens force an uptempo game here and look to continue to take it to Columbus with their skilled forwards up front. That sets this one up nicely to truly be a barnburner. When playing with home loss revenge this season the Blue Jackets have had just 6 unders in 16 games. When on a losing streak of 3 games or more Columbus has had just 15 unders in 40 games. In their last 19 April games, the Jackets have had just 6 unders. The Penguins, when hot, have a tendency to stay hot and the over is 27-13 this season when the Pens are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. Also, Penguins games against divisional foes are 21-11 to the over this season. There is a reason most playoff game totals have been set at 5 goals but this one is again 5.5 goals. Look for a barnburner here. 10* OVER the total in Columbus

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Monday 10* Top Play Chicago Blackhawks Money Line (-) @ Nashville Predators @ 9:35 ET - The Blackhawks didn't just lose on Saturday, they got thoroughly embarrassed in a 5-0 home shutout and got booed off the ice in their own barn. Needless to say, a response can be expected after a game like that and there is also a key angle that supports my expectation that Chicago will come out flying all over the ice tonight. Of course the playoffs are a new season but, in the regular season, the Blackhawks were a PERFECT 7-0 when they entered a game off of back to back losses where they were held to 2 goals or less in both games. In this case, after losing their first two games of the post-season in shutout fashion, that angle is certainly in effect here. Additionally, though it didn't pan out Saturday, the Blackhawks have gone 7-2 the L3 seasons combined when they enter a playoff game trailing in the series. Give the Predators credit for how they've played in the first two games but they undoubtedly are going to face a different level of play from the Blackhawks Monday and we're getting line value here since Chicago is on the road. Keep in mind, the road team has won 6 of the last 9 games between these teams. Also, even with Saturday's win, Nashville has still lost 4 of 5 this season when off of a shutout win. Additionally, when off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more, the Preds have lost 19 of 29 this season (and 51 of 80 the L3 seasons combined). Look for the proud Hawks to respond HUGE on Monday night. 10* CHICAGO

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Sunday 10* Top Play Minnesota Wild Money Line (-) @ St Louis Blues @ 3:05 ET - The Wild really let out some frustration at the end of Game 2 and they're fired up heading into St Louis for this Sunday afternoon match-up. Yes the Blues are up 2-0 in this series and now on home ice but there is a reason this game is priced the way it is. I just don't see the Wild going down 3 games to 0 in this series and I feel the "venting" they did in Game 2 will serve them well here. Minnesota is fired up and they have outshot the Blues 76 to 48 so far in this series. Even with the win in Game 2 Friday, St Louis is still an ugly 2-6 in recent seasons when they are leading in a playoff series. When the Wild enter a game on a losing streak of 2 games and they were held to 1 goal or less in at least of the games, they've gone 3-1 this season and the 3 wins came by a combined scored of 16 to 6. Look for some road revenge in this one as Minny drops the Blues to 2-7 when St Louis is leading in a playoff series. 10* MINNESOTA

Puck Line Punisher - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play Chicago Blackhawks Puck Line -1.5 goals +180 vs Nashville Predators @ 8:05 ET Saturday - I know it may seem a little "scary" to lay the 1.5 goals with the Blackhawks here, this is a huge plus money return being offered and Chicago needs to bounce back at home after dropping game one of this series. The Hawks simply can't afford to go down 0-2 to the Preds and they are fired up about responding here. Should we expect them to respond? You bet! They went 7-1 the past 2 seasons when they were trailing in a playoff series. 4 of Nashville's last 6 losses have come by a margin of 2 goals or more. 13 of the Blackhawks last 17 wins have been decided by a margin of 2 goals or more. As you can see from those stats, if you're expecting Chicago to win here, there are strong odds that point toward the win coming by at least two goals. The Blackhawks are so fired up after last year's first round exit versus St Louis that I am certain they are going to respond in a huge way here against the Predators. By the way, 5 of the Hawks last 7 wins have come by a margin of at least 2 goals.  Also, the Preds went 0-4 this season when off of a shutout win. When on the road after a shutout win, the Predators lost the 2 games by a combined score of 10 to 3 with one loss by 3 goals and the other defeat by 4 goals. I look for a another blowout loss here. 10* CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS puck line -1.5 goals

Rickenbach NHL Friday 10* Top Play Montreal Canadiens Money Line (-) vs New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - The Habs jumped on the Rangers early on Wednesday but despite a huge edge in shots on goal early it was New York that got the early lead and then managed to hang onto it the rest of the way. Give the Rangers credit for getting the job done but expect the Canadiens to come out even stronger tonight and also get more traffic in front of Henrik Lundqvist as there were rebound opportunities for Montreal but they need guys there to punch them in. The Canadiens have won 13 of 17 when off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more this season. The Habs had won 6 of 8 before that home shutout and the Rangers, prior to winning 2 straight, had lost 7 of their 9 prior games. This a good price to have on the home team coming off of shutout in Game 1 and that has me elevating this play to my highest rating. 10* Top Play MONTREAL on the money line early Friday evening

PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Pittsburgh Penguins vs Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:35 ET - When you think of playoff hockey you think of tighter, lower scoring games and strong goaltending. While that is all very true, it is also a generalization that is not without exceptions. In this case, and especially with Evgeni Malkin expected back for the Pens, I expect plenty of offense here. The Blue Jackets allowed an average of 3.5 goals per game in their final 6 games of the season. The Penguins allowed an average of 3.7 goals per game in their final 7 games of the season. Neither team is known for particularly stellar defense or goaltending but both teams certainly are very dangerous in terms of offensive firepower. The Pens averaged 3.8 goals per game at home this season and the Blue Jackets averaged 2.9 goals per game on the road. In first round playoff action only 3 of 10 Columbus games have stayed under the total. Also, they're 11-4 to the over in April games the past 3 seasons combined. Pittsburgh is 7-3 to the over this season when playing with two days of rest between games and the Penguins are happy to be back home and have gone 5-1 to the over this season when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games on the road. The over is 17-9 in Pens home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals this season and I look for a little quicker "pace" to this game than many are expecting as there certainly is no "feeling out" process here as these two divisional foes know each other very well. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Pittsburgh early Wednesday evening

Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Philadelphia Flyers vs Carolina Hurricanes @ 7:05 ET - The Flyers are off of a 4-2 win versus Columbus that went over the total yesterday. The Hurricanes lost 5-4 to the Blues yesterday in a game that very easily flew over the total. I expect more of the same on Sunday. Neither team has any "playoff pressure" here as those hopes have faded long ago. Now, in the season finale, look for plenty of offense to be on display. The Hurricanes are expected to have Eddie Lack between the pipes and he has an ugly .861 save percentage and has allowed 3.5 goals per game in his 6 divisional starts this season. The Flyers will have Anthony Stolarz between the pipes and the over is 2-1 in his 3 starts this season. His most recent start was a 4-3 loss to the Rangers. In 12 Sunday games this season the Flyers have stayed under in only 4 games. That's a rate of just 33% to the under. The Hurricanes have allowed 3.8 goals per game in their last 5 games. Also, the over is a perfect 4-0 this season in match-ups between these clubs and the games have averaged 7 goals per game. Going further back, the last 6 times that Philly has hosted the Canes there has only been 1 under! Look for a loosely played affair in this season finale with plenty of open ice and plenty of goal scoring opportunities for both of these clubs. 10* OVER the total in Philadelphia

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Saturday 10* Top Play Winnipeg Jets Money Line (-) vs Nashville Predators @ 7:05 ET - Even though the Jets aren't going to the playoffs they've certainly been playing like a playoff team and I know they want to carry that momentum right into the off-season. That said, Winnipeg is very hungry for a win here in their final game of the season and, winners of 6 straight and 9 of their last 11, the Jets are unlikely to be denied here. The Predators are off of a big road win at Dallas but previously lost 4 of their last 5 and truly the Preds have already been looking ahead to the playoffs. Also, the home team has won all 3 meetings between these clubs this season. I look for more of the same on Saturday evening. The Predators had averaged just 1.8 goals per game in their last 5 road games before the explosion against the Stars. The Jets, incredibly, have scored 4 goals or more in 5 straight games and 12 of their last 19. The Predators have lost 18 of 27 this season when off of a divisional game. Also, the last 3 seasons combined, Nashville has lost 50 of 79 games when they are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. Winnipeg has won 18 of 28 divisional games this season and the Jets have won 4 of 5 home games with a posted total of 6 goals or more this season. This total is high for a reason. The Jets continue their red hot goal-scoring run. 10* WINNIPEG

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Friday 10* Top Play Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line (+) @ Montreal Canadiens @ 7:35 ET - The Bolts kept their slim post-season hopes alive with a big win at Toronto last night and, until their eliminated, you can bet that the Lightning aren't going to stop going hard. Tampa Bay again is in a must-win situation here and they are likely visiting the right team at the right time to notch another crucial pair of points in the standings. The Bolts re in Montreal where the Canadiens are already crowned as the Atlantic Division champs and truly have nothing to play for here. Certainly the Habs are trying to say "playoff-ready" and play a better game than they did in the 2-1 loss at Buffalo Wednesday evening. But the fact is that it is virtually impossible for the Canadiens to match the intensity that a desperate Tampa Bay team will bring to the ice Friday night. Further hindering the Habs chances here is the fact that their defense is very banged up. That said, the only reason Montreal is favored here is because they are on home ice but the intensity and motivational edges clearly lie with the road dog in this one. The Lightning have won 6 of their last 7 road games and I look for another W tonight to keep the Bolts playoff hopes alive. 10* TAMPA BAY on the money line early Friday evening

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (+) in Washington Capitals vs New York Rangers @ 8:05 ET - Even though these two teams are divisional foes, they are both relatively locked into playoff position already. The Capitals are virtually assured of earning the Presidents Trophy for most points in the league and the Rangers are locked into the #7 seed and will face Montreal in the 1st round. Couple that with the fact that these teams could potentially meet in the post-season after the 1st round and you have the makings of a game tonight that is likely to feature very little defensive intensity. Couple that with the goal-scoring prowess each of these teams have and you have the makings of a solid over. I'll gladly invest, particularly with the over 5.5 being available at a plus money return. The Capitals have won 8 of their last 9 games and scored an average of 4 goals per game during this stretch. The Rangers are on a goal-scoring barrage that has seen them score 3 goals or more in 10 of their last 13 games. Look for more of the same tonight. Braden Holtby is expected to be between the pipes for the Capitals tonight and, prior to his most recent start against New York being a strong one, he had allowed at least 3 goals in 4 of his last 5 games against the Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist will get this start for the Rangers and he has been struggling since returning from a hip injury. Overall, he's allowed an average of 4 goals per game in his last 4 starts. The Rangers enter this game having gone over the total in 4 straight games and the Capitals under yesterday was just their 4th in their last 15 games! After playing 3 or more road games in a row, the over has gone 5-2 this season in Caps games. As for the Rangers, the over has gone 10-5 when playing with 2 days of rest plus they are 17-6 to the over in divisional games. In 33 games against teams with a winning record, NYR has stayed under the total just 8 times! 10* OVER the total in Washington Wednesday evening

NHL TV Blowout Rout - Rickenbach NHL Sunday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ New York Rangers @ 7:35 ET - Though their playoff chances are slim, the Flyers haven't stopped fighting. With their 3-0 shutout of New Jersey yesterday, Philly has won 4 straight games. They now visit New York where the Rangers have lost 8 straight games. Even though the Rangers are off of an OT loss to the Penguins they had to score 2 goals in the 3rd period Friday just to get to OT as they rallied from a 2-goal deficit. The fact is that the Rangers just aren't playing very well right now while Philly continues to push hard and has won their last 4 games by a combined scored of 18-7. With Flyers winning 4 straight overall and the Rangers losing 8 straight at home, we're testing a combined 12-0 run here. Also, Rangers have lost 16 of 26 when off of a divisional game this season and Flyers have won 16 of 25 when off of a divisional game. The Flyers will rally around the Neuvirth goalie situation and Mason could be back tonight but Stolarz was fantastic between the pipes yesterday. The road team has taken 6 of the last 7 meetings between these clubs and we are certainly getting extra line value here with the road dog. 10* PHILADELPHIA FLYERS money line Sunday

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Saturday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (+) in Nashville Predators vs Minnesota Wild @ 2:05 ET - The Predators are likely to have Pekka Rinne between the pipes and only 3 of his 21 (14%!) divisional starts this season have resulted in an under! The Preds are off of back to back disappointing results as, after winning 4 straight games and 7 of their last 8, they've lost 2 in a row and only scored 1 goal in each of the 2 defeats. This season, when off of a game where they've scored 1 goal or less, Nashville has gone 9-4 (69%) to the over! The Predators home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals have gone 12-7 to the over this season. Minnesota is likely to have Devan Dubnyk back between the pipes Saturday and he's been struggling. He has an unsightly .864 save percentage in his last 4 starts. The Wild have scored 9 goals in their last two games and they are off of a 5-1 win versus Ottawa Thursday. This season, when off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more, Minnesota has gone 17-7 to the over. 3 of the 4 meetings between these clubs this season have totaled 6 goals or more and there is no reason to expect anything different on Saturday. That said, grab the favorable plus money odds here with this total. 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (+) in Nashville Saturday

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Islanders vs New Jersey Devils @ 7:35 ET - The Islanders just got drilled out Philly last night and need to respond immediately. They'll certainly be looking to do just that tonight but the Isles goaltending is a concern and that's why the play here is the over. The Islanders, dating back to a 6-4 win over the Devils 6 weeks ago, have allowed an average of 4.5 goals per game in their last 6 home games. New Jersey is off of a 4-3 home loss to Winnipeg Tuesday which also flew over the total but their best consistency when it comes to big efforts in the offensive zone has been against divisional competition here in late season action. Of course all the Devils can do is play the role of spoiler at this point in time but that hasn't stopped them from coming up with 13 goals in 3 games against the Rangers, Penguins, and Flyers over the past two weeks. The Devils have 7 goals in their two games against the Islanders this season and Isles goalie Jaroslav Halak has seen the over go 3-0 in his last 3 starts as he's struggled. The Devils Keith Kincaid is expected to be between the pipes tonight and the over is 3-1 in his L4 starts as he's also been struggling. The over is 6-2 in Kincaid's divisional starts and 7-3 in Halak's divisional starts. More of the same Friday! 10* OVER the total in NY Islanders

Rickenbach NHL Thursday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (+110) in Winnipeg Jets vs Anaheim Ducks @ 8:05 ET - The Jets now know they officially are headed to the golf courses rather than the playoffs but, on home ice against a division leader, they'll still give a strong effort here. The result should be plenty of goals in this one. Winnipeg has averaged 3.3 goals per game over their last 19 games. The over is 26-13-1 in the Jets last 40 games. They're hosting a red hot Ducks team that has won 5 straight games and 9 of their last 11. Anaheim has averaged 3.1 goals per game in their last 15 games and have been particularly hot of late with an average of nearly 4 goals per game during their 5 game winning streak. Trying to hold off the Oilers and Sharks (plus the Flames are even in the mix) at the top of the Pacific Division, the Ducks are likely to continue their torrid scoring pace here. The Jets are off of a 4-3 win at New Jersey Tuesday and the over is 17-10-2 this season when Winnipeg is off of a non-conference game. Even though none of the last 5 meetings between these teams have totaled more than 5 goals, the odds makers hung an O/U of 5.5 on this game. This is understood though, given the situation as the Jets have injuries to their defense corps and just got eliminated from the post-season. This will impact the effectiveness and intensity of the Jets defense in this game and there is no doubt they'll take plenty or risk at the other end of the ice to try and upset the Ducks with plenty of offense in this one. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Winnipeg

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play Los Angeles Kings Money Line (+) @ Calgary Flames @ 9:05 ET - Two years ago these teams met late in the season and the Flames got the win to secure a playoff berth. They're trying to do the same tonight. Also, Los Angeles lost at Edmonton last night and that allowed the Oilers to secure a playoff berth. Knowing that the Kings are a quality hockey club that is battling hard and giving it their all to keep their own slim postseason chances alive, I just don't seem them falling short in this spot. To allow two teams to secure playoff spots at their own expense is something I just don't see happening especially when you consider Calgary did clinch a berth two years against LA as noted above. This is, essentially, the game of the year for Los Angeles and I expect a fantastic effort from the Kings here. Los Angeles had won 5 straight games in this series, including a 5-0 win at home early this season before the Flames now have taken two straight. As a result, the Kings have revenge on their minds here and Calgary, before back to back wins (albeit one against a bad Colorado team), had lost 3 of their last 5 games and the Flames allowed 4 goals per game in those 3 defeats. The Kings have won 14 of 22 games this season when they are off of a divisional game. The Flames have a losing record in divisional games this season and also a losing record in games this season when they are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. Look for an upset here and the odds makers are expecting it too. That's why they had to make this line so low on the Flames to encourage action and Calgary and get balanced action on this game. Look for the Kings to surprise many with a huge road effort tonight as they are playing for their playoff lives. 10* LOS ANGELES

Rickenbach NHL Tuesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (-) vs Ottawa Senators @ 7:05 ET - While the Flyers playoff chances are certainly bleak, one thing is for certain, if they are to make it they have to keep winning. On home ice and off of a rejuvenating 6-2 win at Pittsburgh, look for Philly to take advantage of hosting an Ottawa team that has lost 5 of its last 7 games and scored a total of only 12 goals in these 7 games. Philadelphia has won 5 of its last 7 home games and they only have 2 road games left this season so they know they can still make a late-season push by continuing to defend home ice. Look for them to do just that tonight! The Flyers have won 3 of the last 4 meetings between these clubs but they did lose the last time they hosted the Senators and they'll be looking for some payback here. The Sens could be rusty as they enter this game with 2 days of rest and that has seen them lose 9 of 15 this season and 27 of 46 the last 3 seasons combined. The Flyers have won 14 of 23 when coming off of a divisional game this season. Also, the last 3 seasons combined the Flyers have won 41 of 66 home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. 10* PHILADELPHIA

Rickenbach NHL Monday 10* Top Play Chicago Blackhawks Money Line (+) @ Tampa Bay Lightning @ 7:35 ET - The Blackhawks are off of an embarrassing loss at Florida (7-0 Saturday) and I fully expect a response here. Adding to the likelihood of a big response here is the fact that the Lightning hammered the Hawks 5-2 in Chicago two months ago. The revenge-seeking Blackhawks have won 12 of 17 games this season when playing with home loss revenge. Also, Chicago has only lost back to back games once since January. Dating back to a win on February 2nd, the Blackhawks had won 18 of 22 games prior to the ugly loss to the Panthers Saturday. Amazingly, the Bolts are currently on a 7-game run where the road team is 7-0. This includes the Bolts current 3-game losing streak on home ice and Tampa gave up 5 goals in EACH of those 3 home defeats. Tampa Bay has lost 16 of 26 non-conference games this season and also the Lightning have been defeated in 14 of their last 23 home games that had a posted total of 5.5 goals. With TB having given up 15 goals in their last 3 home games, they're in trouble here as they face an angry Blackhawks team off of a 7-0 beating. Last, but certainly not least, the Bolts are quite banged up right now and those injury issues will be magnified when facing one of the top teams in the league. Great line value here since the Hawks are on the road. Grab it! 10* CHICAGO

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line (+) @ Nashville Predators @ 8:05 ET - San Jose lost badly at Dallas last night. As followers know I had the underdog Stars in that game and the Sharks went with back-up goalie Aaron Dell and also appeared to clearly be looking ahead to this playoff rematch from last May. Even though San Jose did get the better of Nashville to knock them out of the post-season last year, that doesn't prevent this from being a revenge spot for the Sharks. Why? Because San Jose recently lost at home to the Predators by a 3-1 count and that arguably was the beginning of some tougher times for the Sharks as they've now lost 6 of their last 8 games. The point is that San Jose needs to snap the skid before the two-day break they have coming up prior to a home date with the Rangers. That means this game is circled in red on the Sharks calendar and they'll be looking to avenge the home loss from earlier this month. #1 goalie Martin Jones will be back between the pipes for the Sharks tonight and he has been very strong in recent games but just hasn't gotten much support from the offense. That should change tonight as San Jose has scored 20 goals the last 5 times that Preds goalie Pekka Rinne has started against them. The Sharks have won 8 of 11 games this season when off of a loss by 2 goals or more in their prior game. The Predators have lost 12 of 17 Saturday games this season. Also, Nashville has lost 41 of 66 (and cost their backers 30.1 net units) the last 3 seasons when they are off of a win by a multiple goal margin. After beating Calgary 3-1 Thursday, look for the Preds to fall flat here. 10* SAN JOSE SHARKS

Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play Calgary Flames Money Line (+125) @ Nashville Predators @ 8:05 ET - Great spot to grab the Flames as they've been one of the hottest teams in the league but are coming off of a loss. That means you can expect a supreme effort from Calgary tonight and this is a Flames club that has not suffered back to back losses in TWO MONTHS! The Flames had won 17 of their last 21 games prior to a 4-2 loss at Washington on Tuesday. Adding to the line value here is the fact that the road team has taken 6 of the last 7 meetings between these clubs as the Predators have won 2 of the last 3 games played in Calgary while the Flames have won 4 STRAIGHT meetings at Nashville. The Preds come into this game off of a win but had lost 5 of their 8 prior games. Even though the Predators are playing this game with home loss revenge, that is a situation that has seen Nashville lose 10 of 15 times this season. Also, when off of a win by 2 goals or more, the Preds have lost 14 of 21 times this season and 41 of 65 times the last 3 seasons combined. The Flames, considering how hot they have been and the fact they're off of a loss and have had a ton of success at Nashville, are offering a lot of line value in this spot. The Predators are known for their struggles off of a big win and they have the Sharks on deck and San Jose is the team that knocked the Preds out of the post-season last spring. Tremendous situational edges here. 10* CALGARY on the money line

Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (+) in Boston Bruins vs Ottawa Senators @ 7:05 ET - Boston knows they need to do much more than they did last night at Toronto. Sitting on a 1-1 game from the first period on the very late scoring (2 minutes to go in game) went the way of the Maple Leafs as Toronto scored 3 quick goals last before the Bruins answered with a meaningless goal very late in the 4-2 final. After last night's result I look for the Bruins to be much more aggressive tonight and that should lead to a bit of a barnburner with an Ottawa team looking to bounce back off of a 4-1 loss. The Senators had won 3 straight road games (and averaged 4 goals per game) before they lost at Montreal Sunday. Their last two meetings with the Bruins at Boston have totaled 17 goals and the Sens have not recorded an under in Boston in their last 5 games there. The Bruins come into this game having allowed 4 goals per game in their last 4 games. Also, when in the 2nd game of back to back this season, Boston has had just 4 unders in 12 games! The over is 18-9 in Bruins games against teams with a winning record and the over is 58-32 the last 3 seasons combined in games versus opponents with a winning record. The Senators penalty kill has allowed 6 goals in 19 chances in their last five road games. There have been 6 special teams goals in the Bruins last 2 games. Look for a wild one tonight as these divisional foes both seek offense after rare, poor efforts in their most recent game. 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (+) in Boston Tuesday night

Rickenbach NHL Thursday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (-) @ New Jersey Devils @ 7:05 ET - Off of a big win over in-state rival Pittsburgh it may seem tough to take the Flyers here but, keep in mind, they're still fighting hard for a playoff spot and have been a very streaky team this season. Also, they get the added edge of facing a Devils team that has lost 10 straight games! Additionally, the Flyers are a respectable 8-6 (+3.0 net games) when in a back to back spot this season and also Philly is a perfect 3-0 this season when off of a shutout win! When off of a divisional game this season the Flyers have won 12 of 19. As for the Devils, they have lost 5 of 6 when they are playing with three or more days of rest between games. New Jersey has been off since Saturday at Arizona because the northeast snowstorm cancelled their most recent game. Look for the Devils to be "rusty" coming off of a west coast road trip and having not played in 5 days! The Flyers should be skating circles around the Devils here as they ride the momentum of last night's key win over the Pens as Philadelphia looks to remain alive in the playoff chase. New Jersey has lost 51 of 80 divisional games the past 3 seasons combined and the Flyers get revenge tonight for losing the first two games to the Devils this season by a combined score of 8 to 1. Payback time. 10* PHILADELPHIA on the money line Thursday

NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play Montreal Canadiens Money Line (-) vs Chicago Blackhawks @ 7:35 ET - The Blackhawks are off of a key divisional win over Minnesota and could be caught flat here at Montreal. Chicago had lost two straight games before knocking off the Wild and, though they've been playing well overall, the Blackhawks are arguably not as hot as the Canadiens. Montreal comes into this game having won 7 of its last 8 games. They needed to get hot after some mid-season doldrums and they've done just that as they've won 8 of 10 the last 4 weeks. While Chicago has been solid overall defensively, they have given up 2 goals or more in 6 of their last 9 games while Montreal, amazingly, has given up 1 goal or less in 5 of their last 6 games. In fact, other than ugly loss at Calgary, the Canadiens last 6 games have seen them allow a total of 4 goals in the 5 games not against the Flames. While the Hawks are off of that big win over the Wild, the Habs have had this game circled as it is their only game between the 12th and the 18th and picking up 2 points is critical for them in this one. Look for them to get revenge for a loss at Chicago earlier this season as the Canadiens have fallen victim to the Blackhawks in recent seasons and this is the perfect spot for payback. 10* MONTREAL

Rickenbach NHL 10* Top Play OVER the total in Nashville Predators vs Winnipeg Jets @ 8:05 ET - Of course a total of 6 goals may seem high but when that number is put out there by odds makers it is certainly not without some justification. In this case, note that the Jets are actually a perfect 3-0 to the over this season in games where their posted total is set at 6 goals. Winnipeg comes into this game off of a 3-0 home shutout versus Calgary so a bounce back can be expected here. The Jets are taking on a Predators team that has lost 35 of 68 games this season and Winnipeg is 7-1 to the over in their last 8 games against teams with a losing record. The Jets also enter this game on a 3-game losing streak and that is a situation that has seen them go 18-11 to the over the L3 seasons. The Predators come into this one off of a 3-1 win at San Jose. Even though the Preds have won only a modest 6 of 11 games the past few weeks, the offensive production has been solid. Nashville has averaged 3.7 goals per game during this 11-game stretch. The Predators long-term problem has been keeping pucks out of their own net as they've allowed an average of 3.7 goals per game in their last 15 games. The Preds are hosting a Jets team that has lost 39 of 69 games this season and the over is 7-3 in Nashville's last 10 games against teams with a losing record. Also, the Predators have had just 6 unders in their 24 divisional games this season. That equates to just a 25% under rate when the Preds are facing a divisional opponents and I look for another wild one here as, before the Predators last 2 games were tight and low-scoring, 9 of the Preds last 11 games had totaled at least 7 goals! 10* OVER the total in Nashville

Situational Shocker - Rickenbach NHL Game #15 Saturday 10* Top Play New York Islanders Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - This line looked a little "funny" as it opened up at a pick'em price even though Blues have the home ice edge. Sure enough, many are now backing the home team here as the St Louis money line is getting plenty of attention from the betting markets. I am well aware of the fact that the Blues have won 3 straight games and have actually fared well in most back to back situations this season. However, St Louis more recently has not impressed. Prior to this 3-game mini-run the Blues had lost 5 straight games. Also, believe it or not, St Louis has not won consecutive home games since November 28th and December 1st. Overall, the Blues have lost 8 of 13 home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals this season and I look for the high-scoring Islanders to give them trouble here. The Isles have excelled as it relates to longer road trips and have won 21 of 29 the last 3 seasons combined when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games on the road. Look for more of the same tonight as the Isles have scored 4 goals or more in 9 of their last 18 games. By comparison, prior to scoring 4 goals last night, the Blues had averaged only 1.6 goals per game in their last 7 games! Road rout on tap with the more rested team here as St Louis again fails to win a home game when they enter having won their most recent home contest. 10* NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (+120) in Tampa Bay Lightning vs Minnesota Wild @ 7:35 ET - Both these teams are off of tight, low-scoring losses. That said, I like the fact that both had been scoring goals quite well before their recent defeats. The Bolts had averaged over 3 goals a game and won 6 of 9 before getting shutout by the Rangers Monday. The Wild had won 5 of 7 and averaged about 3.5 goals per game before a home loss to the Blues by a 2-1 count Tuesday. Minnesota is 15-6 to the over this season when off of a divisional game and the Wild have gone 10-3 to the over in their last 13 games against teams with a losing record this season. The Lightning are 11-7 to the over when off of a game where they were held to one goal or less this season. After being shutout on their home ice, I look for a big response from the Bolts in this one. In a late-season non-conference game both teams push hard for points and take more risk because they don't have to worry about the other teams points costing them in the standings since they are in different conferences. This does change the flow of the game in a situation like this and I do expect this one to play out with plenty of scoring chances afforded for both clubs. The Wild do have some injury/illness issues impacting their blue line and this should turn into a high-scoring barnburner. 10* OVER the total in Tampa Bay

Contrarian Game of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Monday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (+105) in Tampa Bay Lightning vs New York Rangers - Because the Rangers have struggled to score goals recently, they are fully focused on that as they head to Tampa Bay. Look for New York to put plenty of pucks on net in this one as they fight hard after a 4-1 home loss to the Canadiens. The Lightning are off of a tight 2-1 win at Buffalo but, prior to this, the Bolts had allowed 3 goals or more in 3 of their last 4 games. Also, TB had been on a 3-0 run to the over prior to facing the Sabres. Tampa Bay has averaged scoring 4 goals per game in their last 5 home games and the Rangers have now given up 3 goals or more in 6 of their last 9 games and NY's games have stayed under the total just 8 times in their last 32 games. Lundqvist has only an .894 save percentage in his last 4 games and Vasilevskiy home starts are 10-5 to the over this season. With the Lightning playing with a ton of confidence and scoring extremely well in recent home games, and the Rangers coming into this one fully focused on increasing scoring chances, look for this one to play out with at least 6 goals potted. 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (+105) in Tampa Bay Monday

Ugly Best Bet - Rickenbach NHL Game #13 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals (+120) in Arizona Coyotes vs Carolina Hurricanes @ 8:35 ET - Two of the worst teams in the league and playoff hopes have long ago vanished for these two clubs. Couple that with the fact that this is a non-conference match-up and very little animosity between the teams and you have the perfect set-up for a wide-open late-season "meaningless game" with plenty of open ice and very little intensity on defense. Certainly neither team is a juggernaut when it comes to scoring goals but the way that both the Coyotes and Hurricanes are giving up goals, the lamp should get lit early and often in this one. Carolina has given up 3 goals or more in 17 of its last 22 games. Arizona has given up 3.5 goals per game on average over their last 21 games. Not surprisingly, given those numbers, the Coyotes have stayed under the total in only 4 of their last 21 games! Prior to their 4-2 win (against the Hurricanes Friday in Carolina) the Yotes had allowed an average of 4 goals per game in their last 9 games. They'll be "in for it" tonight as the Canes seek revenge and will bring plenty of offensive zone pressure. Keep in mind, the Hurricanes did generate 34 shots on goal in that game and they've averaged 34 shots on goal per game over their last 7 games. The over is 27-19 the L3 seasons combined when the Canes are playing with home loss revenge. The last 9 Coyotes games against teams with a losing record have resulted in only 2 unders. Look for that trend to continue here. 10* OVER 5.5 goals (+120) in Arizona Sunday night

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #61 Thursday 10* Top Play Nashville Predators Money Line (+) @ Montreal Canadiens @ 7:35 ET - Both teams come in on winning streaks but the Predators have averaged 4 goals per game their last 11 games while the Canadiens have scored a TOTAL of just 4 goals in their last 5 home games! As you can see from those numbers we are getting great line value here with underdog Nashville. The red hot Preds have revenge on their minds as they lost at home to Montreal in early January. Prior to that Nashville had won the last 2 meetings by a combined score of 7-2. A lot of value is given to home ice in NHL match-ups but the road team has outshot the home team in each of the last 3 meetings by a combined tally of 109-71 in shots on goal. The Predators have won 12 of 19 when they are off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more this season. The Preds also have won 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a winning record. The Habs have lost 10 of 16 (and cost backers $6,700 at $1K a game) when they are off of a shutout win. After a revenging 1-0 win over Columbus on Tuesday, look for Montreal to fall flat tonight against the red hot offense of the revenge-minded Predators. 10* NASHVILLE money line Thursday

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #10 Saturday 10* Top Play Toronto Maple Leafs Money Line (-) vs Montreal Canadiens @ 7:05 ET - The reason this is a contrarian play is because many will back the Canadiens here simply based on their long history of success against the Maple Leafs. This is actually helping to make this the perfect spot to back Toronto because the line is being held lower than it should be because of Montreal's past successes in this match-up. The Maple Leafs have a great shot at finally getting into the win column against the Habs as Montreal still "can't get right" even after the coaching change. Overall it is a long, ugly stretch that has seen the Canadiens lose 8 of their last 10 games. The Leafs come into this game off of a tight loss that has them fired up as they previously had won a respectable 16 of their last 28 games. For the Leafs, that type of a stretch is progress and Toronto has won 9 of 13 this season when playing with home loss revenge. Conversely, Montreal has lost 8 of its last 12 games against teams with a losing record! The Maple Leafs have outshot the Habs in all 3 match-ups this season so they've been on the cusp of turning the corner against a hated rival. On Saturday I foresee them indeed finally turning the corner! Great line value here with the team playing the better hockey and not going through a transitional phase! 10* TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS money line