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Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play NY Islanders Money Line +150 @ Florida @ 8:05 ET Friday - Home teams continue to be overvalued in these playoffs. The road teams have won more games than home teams in this post-season so far. That trend continued last night and it was a night where all four teams should have won. The only road team to lose was the Red Wings and they actually outplayed the Lightning before losing on a goal with just 2 minutes to go in that game. The point is that road teams continue to provide value and I believe this game will prove to be another example of that tonight. The Islanders lost on home ice to Florida on Wednesday. The Isles managed just 1 goal in that game. This season, the Islanders have won 15 of 21 games when they are off of a game where they were held to one goal or less! The Isles will again be in 'bounce back" mode here and, so far in this series, neither team has managed to string together back to back wins! The Panthers have lost 65 of 107 games against teams with a winning record the past three seasons. Florida also has a long-term mark of 6-14 in first round playoff games. The pressure is on the Panthers here honestly. If Florida loses they then must travel to Brooklyn for a game that could end their season. This is a lot of pressure for a Panthers club that hasn't enjoyed much post-season success. The Islanders know they "let up" some in Game 4 after getting the home ice edge with their Game 3 win. The Isles just didn't seem to have the same energy and emotion in Game 4 that they had in prior games in this series. Remember that they won Game 1 here in Florida plus outshot the Panthers in Game 2 by a 42-31 count. Coming off of a loss in Game, the Isles will be fired up and play another strong game on the road. Tremendous line value for the road dog here. *10* NY Islanders Money line Friday

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Anaheim Ducks Money Line -105 @ Nashville @ 8:05 ET - The Ducks were heavily favored in this series but then dropped the first two games on home ice and suddenly things were looking grim. Both of those defeats on home ice were tight games though and Anaheim certainly turned the tide in this series with a big 3-0 shutout win in Game 3. The Ducks can now regain home ice edge with another big road win tonight and I love the value of having them at a pick'em price since they are on the road rather than having to lay a big price at home (which I rarely ever will do). That said, there is great line value here and consider that home ice often is overvalued. So far in these playoffs the road team has won more of the games than has the home team. This series is a prime example of the value that can often be had with road teams as the road club has won all 3 games in this series. I look for that streak to reach 4-0 in this series tonight. Anaheim has won 12 of their last 19 games against teams with a winning record. The Preds have lost 14 of their last 24 games against teams with a winning record. The Ducks have won 52 of 81 the past three seasons when they are off of a win by a multiple goal margin. The Predators have lost 28 of 48 first round playoff games while the Ducks have won 9 of 13 first round playoff games and this is even with dropping the first two games of the series. Look for the Ducks to continue to frustrate the Predators tonight as they tightened up the defense in Game 3 and I look for that to continue here. Head coach Bruce Boudreau has his team's full attention right now after what happened in Anaheim and the Ducks will build on the momentum that is a direct result of the dominating Game 3 win. *10* ANAHEIM

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play OVER 5 goals -120 in New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh @ 7:05 ET - The 3-1 Penguins win in Game 3 was the first under in this series. The Rangers are now down 2 games to 1 in this series and they certainly want to avoid having a 3-1 deficit in the series when it shifts to Pittsburgh after tonight's game. With that said, the Rangers know they must push the pace again. They lost on Tuesday night in part due to generating just 17 shots on goal. The Rangers had registered 32.5 shots per game in the first two games of this series. Both of those went over the total. The Penguins have gone 6-1 to the over when leading in a playoff series. The Rangers have gone 12-5 to the over this season when they are off of a loss by a multiple goal margin. The Rangers are also 10-4 to the over this season when playing with home loss revenge. After the loss on home ice Tuesday, the Rangers will do everything they can to bounce back tonight. The problem is that is difficult for the Rangers to slow down a "stacked" Penguins team. They are simply loaded with talent up front and have scored an average of 4 goals per game in winning 10 of their last 12 games. The Pens stay hot here in the offensive zone. As for the Rangers, the under on Tuesday was just their 2nd under in their last 20 games! *10* OVER 5 in NY Rangers

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line -115 vs Los Angeles Kings @ 10:35 ET - After taking a 2-0 series lead in Los Angeles, though this sounds strange, San Jose scoring 30 seconds into Game 3 on Monday was, quite simply, too soon! It seemed to 'set off' the Kings and Los Angeles was able to tie up the game and ended up outshooting the Sharks 13 to 7. What I liked about what the Sharks did from that point on though is that they truly outplayed the Kings even though they ended up losing in overtime. San Jose outshot Los Angeles by a 23 to 11 count the rest of the way. That's an incredible ratio of about 2 to 1 which is a huge edge in shots. Keep in mind that this was in a tie game. It is not like those statistics were skewed by the Kings holding a lead and simply trying to protect it. When you couple this key factor with the fact that the Sharks already won both games in LA in this series, you can see why I am looking for San Jose to respond in a big way on home ice tonight. If the Sharks blow this game they give the home ice edge right back to LA and I just don't see that happening. San Jose is such a speedy and attacking team that I look for them to again use that to their advantage in this game. The Kings won't intimidate them with physicality. We've already seen that this will not be the case in this series. Los Angeles is 12-15 (-10.1 units) in April games the past three seasons combined. The Sharks have won 28 of 41 when playing with revenge this season and also have won 13 of their last 17 games against teams with a winning record. Great, low odds to back the home team in a revenge spot here. I'll take it! *10* SAN JOSE

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Pittsburgh Penguins Money Line -111 @ New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - The Penguins are off of a rare loss. Yes they lost their regular season finale against the Flyers but that was a game they truly did not care about. Prior to that game the Penguins had won 8 games in a row. Then, after destroying the Rangers 5-2 in game one, the Pens fell short in game two and I look for a big response here. Pittsburgh is 13-5 this season when off of a loss by a margin of two goals or more. The Penguins had won four straight against New York (by a combined score of 17 to 8) before the game two loss to the Rangers. Now, because the series shifts from Pittsburgh to New York we get line value with the road team seeking revenge. I look for the Penguins to bounce right back here. They outshot the Rangers in game three and they had two power play goals while holding the Rangers without one in their three chances with the man advantage. The Pens have been strong on the kill this season while the Rangers have been one of the league's worst on the penalty kill. That should be a difference maker as this series goes on and prior to that "meaningless" loss at Philly at the end of the season the Penguins had won eight straight road games! The Rangers have split their last 14 home games. Pens have been given great line value here on the road. I know their goaltending situation is uncertain but the skaters are going to be the difference makers in this game. The Penguins are fired up off of a loss and they have too much firepower for the Rangers. *10* PITTSBURGH

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line +123 vs Washington @ 7:05 ET - Shorter write-ups today due to bad storms here in Texas. The Flyers outshot the Capitals by a big margin (42-23) in Game Two so the final score (an ugly 4-1 defeat) is certainly deceiving. I look for another huge effort from the Flyers tonight as this is their last chance to crawl back into this series. The loss of Sean Couturier for the series (hurt on Alex Ovechkin hit in Game One) certainly hurts the Flyers. However, they proved in Game Two that they certainly are not going to lay down in this series. They know they can tie the series up on home ice by winning each of the next two games. But that must start with a victory tonight. The Flyers have won 4 of their last 5 home games and that included a win over Washington just a few weeks ago. Philly is 14-9 when off of a game where they were held to one goal or less and the Flyers offer great line value as a home dog in this spot tonight. *10* PHILADELPHIA

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Detroit Red Wings -120 vs Tampa Bay @ 7:05 ET - Although it was by the slimmest of margins, Detroit did outshoot the Lightning in both games down in Tampa. Of course all that matters is who wins or loses but the point is that the Red Wings have played better than their 2-0 series deficit is telling the betting markets. That said, there is fantastic line value here with the Wings as a very small home favorite. It is going to be tough for the Lightning to go into Joe Louis Arena and go up 3-0 in this series. That is asking a lot. The 5-2 final score is deceiving as the Red Wings were tied with the Lightning in the third period Friday. Note also that Detroit was tied at 2 with Tampa Bay in the third period of game one on Wednesday as well. The point is that the Red Wings have been "right there" in each of the first two games and yet they have nothing to show for it. I expect all that to change today. The Lightning have a couple of wingers injured and J.T. Brown is out for sure and he is one of those guys that is more important than his stats would lead you to believe. Remember that TB was already lacking some key personnel with Steven Stamkos and Anton Stralman out. The Lightning have gotten 7 of 8 goals from their top line so far in this series. That is not necessarily a good thing because you can bet the Red Wings will be making some adjustments and are fully focused on shutting those guys down in this game. Detroit will force Tampa to try and beat them with more balanced scoring. The Lightning will have to prove they can do that and I don't see that happening in this ultra-important game three. Fully focused, motivated, and intense Detroit club should get back into the series with a big win Sunday. The Lightning lost 16 of 29 games this season when off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. The Red Wings won 13 of 23 games this season when off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. That situation intensifies huge too with this being a playoff game. *10* DETROIT 

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line +130 @ Los Angeles @ 10:35 ET - The Kings lost the opener of this series and now the natural reaction would be to back Los Angeles to bounce back. However, there are a few very good reasons not to do that. The Sharks have been fantastic on the road all season. True road warriors. The Kings are likely to be without key defensemen Alec Martinez. The underdog price on San Jose. Add it all up and the value is with San Jose AGAIN here in Game Two just like it was in Game One. The road team has won 5 of the 6 meetings between these teams (5 regular season and 1 postseason) dating back to the beginning of this season. In road games where the posted total on their game is 5 goals, the Sharks have won 19 of 24 this season! San Jose also has won 12 of their last 15 games against teams with a winning record. The Kings did get a power play goal in the series opener but that was just their 4th power play goal in their last 17 games. Contrast that with the Sharks who have 15 power play goals in their last 16 games. All the pressure is on the Kings here as they know they can't afford to lose both games on home ice to open up this series. Unlike Los Angeles, San Jose comes into this game loose and simply looking to "steal" another road win. The way the Sharks are playing they are fully capable of winning yet again on the road. They have great skill and quickness which they can use to frustrate the Kings who will again try to slow them down but again will likely be unsuccessful. The Sharks come into this game having won 8 of their last 9 road games! *10* SAN JOSE

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Nashville Predators Money Line +155 @ Anaheim @ 10:35 ET - When this line opened up it opened at a -145. It has since been driven up to as high as a -170 and this huge line move has simply been pushed too far. It is offering such extreme line value to a talented Predators team that I am elevating this play to my top rating. Of course both clubs come into this game well-rested and the Predators have won 12 of 19 games the past three seasons when they enter a game off of three or more days of rest. The Ducks lost 3 of 5 (and were a -2.4 in units) in their games this season that were played after three or more days of rest. Nashville won two of the three games between these teams this season and the Predators outshot the Ducks 42-28 in the one game they lost which was played here in Anaheim. The Ducks only won 12 of goalie John Gibson's 22 home starts so is this situation really worthy of a -170 price on the Ducks. In my opinion it is absolutely not and Anaheim split their last 18 games of the season with 9 wins and 9 losses and that's even with winning the final two games. Predators goalie Pekka Rinne is fully capable of not only stealing a game but also stealing a series. This is especially true since the Preds added the offensive punch of Ryan Johansen and are solid on the blue line with Shea Weber and Roman Josi. *10* NASHVILLE +155

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Chicago Blackhawks Money Line +105 @ St Louis @ 8:05 ET - In Game One, even without Duncan Keith, the Blackhawks started strong and finished strong. Chicago outshot the Blues 11-4 in the first period and by a combined count of 15-4 in the third period and overtime. That is a 26-8 edge in shots in those critical periods of the game. The Blues still managed to win the game 1-0 as Brian Elliott had a huge game between the pipes. However, St Louis will now be facing a more determined and also strengthened lineup on Friday night. The Blackhawks will have Keith back and he has fresh legs after serving the final game of a 6-game suspension when he sat out game one of this series. He can't wait to get back on the ice and help his teammates and I don't see the Hawks going down 2 games to none in this series. They played stifling defense in game one, they are even in better shape now with the return of Keith for game two, and Chicago is 8-2 the last 3 seasons when trailing in a playoff series. Also, the Hawks lost their final two games of the regular season so they are on a 3-game losing streak. Note that Chicago has won 3 of 4 this season (and 11 of 15 the last three seasons) when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. The Blues had lost 8 of their last 12 first round playoff games before winning game one by the slimmest of margins despite being outplayed. Look for the Blues first round problems to resume Friday. *10* CHICAGO +105

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play San Jose Sharks +125 @ Los Angeles @ 10:35 ET - As long-time followers know I like to look for underdog value in the money line sports. This is another classic case as the Sharks are a fantastic team but, because of the reputation of the Kings they are getting sold a little short here. San Jose won 18 of 23 road games this season that had a posted total of 5 goals. What that tells you of course is that the Sharks are absolutely capable of winning road games that are projected to be tight, low-scoring games. Yes, the Kings are a big, physical team that is built well for playoff success. However, lets not forget that the Sharks skate extremely well, are very skilled up front, and they can cause some match-up issues for the opposition. The Sharks come into the post-season having won 11 of their last 14 meetings with teams with a winning record. By contrast, Los Angeles only took 10 of 18 games against teams with a winning record. I know LA has had tremendous success in recent seasons and I know the Sharks are known for playoff frustration but this series could end up quite different than many expect as so many prognosticators are already saying the Kings are the team to win it all this year. The Sharks won the most recent meeting between these teams in late March and that game was in San Jose. Prior to that the road team won each of the first four meetings this season. That said, there is tremendous line value here with a determined road dog and divisional rival that is absolutely sick of hearing about the LA Kings all the time. You can bet on that. The Sharks have won 22 of Martin Jones' 32 road starts this season! The Kings have won only 15 of Jonathan Quick's 26 divisional starts this season. The Kings are simply over-valued here and the Sharks will prove to be the hungrier team. *10* SAN JOSE

Rickenbach NHL *10* St Louis Blues -115 vs Chicago @ 9:35 ET - The opening line on this game was way too small in my opinion. Already as I put this write-up together the Blues are attracting some attention and their price has moved upward from -115 to -130 and even higher and I would not be surprised to see it climb as the day goes on. Yes the Blackhawks are the defending Stanley Cup champions but the absence of defenseman Duncan Keith for Chicago in Game One (as he serves the final game of a 6-game suspension) is a key one. The Blackhawks rely heavily on Keith and he will be sorely missed Wednesday. The Hawks also rely heavily on goalie Corey Crawford and he missed nearly a month of time very late in the season and that is bad news for the netminder. He only returned in time for the season finale and it's evident he has lost his rhythm between the pipes as he was not sharp at all against the Blue Jackets. Now he faces an even taller order today as he takes on a Blues team that is back to full strength. Yes, just in time for the playoffs, St Louis does have "all hands on deck" and this is going to present even more of a challenge here in Game One for Chicago. The Blackhawks have lost 18 of 33 games since mid-January so their problems have not just been a short-term problem. I am not saying they won't turn things around during this series but what I am saying is that with a "rusty" Crawford and a blueline without Keith, I do expect the Blues to take care of business on home ice in game one. The Blues seek revenge for a first round playoff exit at the hands of Chicago two years ago. *10* ST LOUIS

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Anaheim Ducks Money Line -105 @ Washington @ 7:30 ET - For those of you that like day of the week trends the Ducks have won 9 of 11 Sunday games this season and an incredible 34 of 44 Sunday games the past three seasons! The key here for Anaheim is motivation as they can win the Pacific Division title (and become the #2 seed in the Western Conference) by knocking off the Capitals Sunday. Rest assured the Ducks want to overtake their hated division rival, the Kings, and take the division from them after Los Angeles squandered their chance to lock it up by losing to the Avalanche. It's not just an Anaheim versus LA "thing" it is also the better playoff positioning that is key here. Look for Anaheim to give it their all on Sunday while the Capitals (long ago having clinched the top spot in the NHL playoffs) are simply wanting to rest up for the post-season and not get anyone hurt as the Caps prepare to host the upstart Flyers in the first round of the NHL post-season. Washington is likely to rest Holtby for this game and start Grubauer. This is significant because he's 0-3 with an ugly .864 save percentage in his last 4 games (3 starts). Grubauer will prove to be no match for a Ducks team that has allowed an average of just 2 goals per game in their last 8 games! This game means nothing to Washington and it means a lot to the Ducks. We get a very favorable price since Anaheim is on the road. Beautiful situation and I won't hesitate to step in and take advantage by going with my highest rating on this play. *10* ANAHEIM

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line -122 vs Pittsburgh @ 3:05 ET - Though this is a bitter in-state divisional rivalry, the Penguins may rest some players today. Simply put, there is no reason not to. Pittsburgh is in good shape in terms of the post-season picture and the last thing they would want to see happen is for a key player to get hurt in a game that just doesn't carry enough meaning for them. That said, the low line on this game is offering fantastic line value to the Flyers. Philadelphia must get points if it wants to make the post-season and the Flyers still control their own destiny. It's very simply for Philly as they don't have to rely on anyone else's help as long as they just win their games. Win both games and the Flyers are in. Tomorrow they face the Islanders but today it's all about taking care of business and getting revenge against the Penguins. Coming into this season the Flyers had the Penguins number in recent seasons. That all changed this season as the Pens have swept all games with Philly so far this season. Not that the Flyers needed any extra motivation but they truly do hate their in-state rivals and had won 8 of 9 meetings with the Pens before losing all 3 so far this season. The Flyers had won 3 of the last 4 home meetings with the Penguins before an ugly loss on home ice last month. In road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals Pittsburgh has lost 7 of 12 this season. In home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals the Flyers have won 8 of 11 this season! Based on Philadelphia's 3-game losing streak and the Penguins recent run of having won 14 of their last 15 games, this certainly would look like a "mismatch" at first glance. The key here is that Pittsburgh truly wants to be careful here with their key players while Philly must go "all out" as they desperately need the two points. *10* PHILADELPHIA

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play New York Islanders +126 @ New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - Huge battle for playoff position and the Islanders, though they trail the Rangers in the standings, still have a game in hand. They also know that the Rangers have a tough game on deck with Detroit (who could still be battling for their playoff lives) while the Isles have lowly Buffalo on deck. With all that said, this game is huge in the playoff race and the Islanders have already proven to be a huge challenge for the Rangers this season. The Isles have won all 3 games between the clubs and the victories have come by a combined score of 11 to 6. The Islanders come into this game having won 5 of their last 6 games overall and the red hot run could lead to a 4-0 series sweep here. The Rangers are off back to back wins but they had lost three straight games prior to that and two of those defeats were at the hands of non-playoff teams. Though both teams have injuries the Rangers truly have some key ones and that could be a difference maker here. The Islanders have won 5 of the last 6 meetings that the Rangers have hosted so home ice has not been an edge in recent series history. The Rangers have lost 10 of 16 this season when playing with home loss revenge. That said, there is solid line value here with the road dog as certainly there is not much of a road trip for the Isles in this one! *10* NY ISLANDERS

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers +110 @ Detroit @ 8:05 ET - The Red Wings are off of back to back wins but they've managed to win three straight games just TWO times since mid-January! Detroit also has lost 3 of their last 5 games against playoff teams. The three losses, including one at Philly on March 15th, have come by a combined score of 17 to 7. The loss to the Flyers by a 4-3 final wasn't as close as the score would lead you to believe either. Philadelphia had 46 shots on goal in that game and they led by two goals most of the game. The Flyers come into this game off of a disappointing effort at Pittsburgh. They've had two full off days to recover since the loss and note that Philadelphia hasn't lost two straight games since mid-February! Also, since the calendar turned the page to 2016 the Flyers have been among the top teams in the league. The loss to the Pens was just the 6th Flyers loss by a multiple goal margin since January 1st. What happened after the first five losses by 2 or more goals in 2016? The Flyers won the next game ALL FIVE times! PERFECT 5-0 for Philly this YEAR! By the way, the combined score of those games was 24-7. Utter and complete domination for the Flyers when they are off of an ugly loss. They will respond here as they are in a battle to secure a playoff spot and still have the edge over the Bruins and Red Wings based on still having 4 games left on the season (including tonight's game). The Flyers, before the loss to the Pens, had won 23 of 37 games against teams with a winning record this season. The Red Wings are also well-rested here but is it too much rest? The Flyers have been off since Sunday but Detroit has been off since Saturday and the Wings have lost 5 of 7 games this season when they enter a game with 3 or more days of rest! The Flyers have won 6 of their last 8 meetings with the Red Wings and they have been the much better team in recent weeks. Look for that to continue here. *10* PHILADELPHIA

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play San Jose Sharks +107 @ Minnesota @ 8:05 ET - The Wild continue to crumble under the pressure of trying to secure their playoff spot. Minnesota is squeezing the sticks a little too tight and now has lost three straight games. The Sharks have been one of the top road teams in the NHL this season and they are an incredible 17-5 in road games with a posted total of 5 goals or less this season. They also have the goaltending edge in this match-up. James Reimer is expected to get the start and he's saved 92% of the shots he's faced as San Jose has won three of his last four starts. The Wild are expected to go with Devan Dubnyk between the pipes and he's saved only 89% of the shots he's faced as Minnesota has lost three of his last four starts. While the Wild are motivated but also under pressure, the Sharks are motivated but without the pressure. San Jose has already secured a playoff spot but certainly is looking to improve their playoff positioning and coach Peter DeBoer was even discussing their desire to finish with the best road record in the league. The Sharks are currently 27-10-3 away from home this season and this is San Jose's final road game of the season. They will make it count as they push for better positioning in the standings while the Wild continue to falter under "playoff pressure" as another Avalanche loss is going to be the likely way that Minny secures their post-season spot. *10* SAN JOSE

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Tampa Bay Lightning +100 @ NY Islanders @ 7:05 ET - I am well aware of the fact that Lightning leading scorer Steven Stamkos is out. However, that is part of what is driving the line value on this play as the money line certainly has been adjusted for his absence. That said, we're still talking about an extremely deep and talented Tampa Bay team that still needs another victory to clinch a playoff spot. Additionally, we're talking about a New York Islanders team that has won some games recently but only against non-playoff teams! They take a major step up in class today to face a tough Lightning team and the Isles are 0-6 in their last 6 games against playoff-level teams. The worst part of it, if your an Islanders fan, is that they have lost these games by a combined score of 25-8. That means the average score for the Islanders in their last 6 games against playoff-level competition was 4-1. NOT GOOD! Now the Isles will try to slow down a Lightning freight train that has won 5 of their last 7 games and that averaged 4 goals per game in the 5 wins. Tampa Bay has won 27 of their 40 games since the mid-way point of the season and the Lightning, when off of a stretch where their past 3 games were at home, have won 28 of 44 the last 3 seasons combined. In other words, after the nice homestand, look for the Lightning to be fully focused on the task at hand here on the road. As for the Islanders, they have lost 15 of 24 when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games at home. The goalie match-up today should be Bishop versus Greiss and the Lighting netminder has saved 94% of shots his last 4 games while Greiss has only saved 89%. *10* TAMPA BAY

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals +100 in Anaheim vs Dallas @ 9:05 ET - The Stars rallied for a big win at LA against the Kings yesterday. Dallas has now won 7 of its last 8 games and the Stars have averaged 4 goals per game in the 7 wins! Because this is a back to back situation for Dallas it is likely that Antti Niemi will get the start and he has not been as strong on the road (.899 save percentage and 9-11 record) as he has been at home this season. The Ducks have allowed at least 3 goals in 5 of their last 6 games but Anaheim's strength (like Dallas) has been production on offense in recent games. Before the loss to the Canucks, the Ducks had won 6 of their last 9 contests and Anaheim averaged 4 goals per game during this 9 game stretch. Both teams will be going "all out" in this one as it is critical to playoff positioning for each of these clubs. The Stars are so dangerous because of their speed which will continue to open up scoring chances for Dallas. At the same time the Ducks should respond off of their loss to Vancouver and I look for Anaheim to create a lot of screens in front of Niemi tonight as the Ducks thrive on creating traffic in front of the net and getting the "dirty work" done along the boards. 13 of the Stars last 19 games against teams with a winning record have gone over the total. 7 of the Ducks last 10 games against teams with a winning record have gone over the total. The two match-ups between these teams this season each ended with at least 6 goals scored and, given the situation here, I look for another barn burner tonight. *10* OVER 5.5 in Anaheim

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Winnipeg Jets Money Line +135 vs Minnesota @ 8:05 ET - Hockey is huge in Manitoba. Certainly the Winnipeg faithful are disappointed about missing out on the post-season but that does not mean the Jets won't give a huge effort in their home finale for the season. I expect a massive effort from the hometown team in this one as it's the final game for Winnipeg on home ice this season. The game does carry some extra meaning since they can help prevent their neighbors to the south from having a shot at clinching a post-season berth tonight. The Jets, on their home ice, certainly don't want to allow that to happen for a divisional foe. Winnipeg can put some extra stress on Minnesota by getting the win tonight. Winnipeg will give a huge effort undoubtedly and, even though the Jets have suffered some losses recently it certainly hasn't been for lack of effort. Winnipeg's last 5 losses have all come by a single goal. The Jets had a couple of home wins sprinkled in their and those two victories came by a combined score of 6 to 1. The Wild are feeling the pressure of the race for a playoff spot as they've lost back to back games entering this contest. The Jets are likely to put additional pressure on Minnesota as Winnipeg has taken 6 of the last 8 meetings between the teams. Excellent line value here with the hungry home dog definitely showing "no quit" in this match-up. A huge divisional home finale for the Jets so they will leave it all on the ice for sure! Every ounce of energy and effort. *10* WINNIPEG

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals +100 in Nashville vs San Jose @ 8:05 ET - The Predators played 15 games in March. Only ONE of those 15 games stayed under the total. The Preds recorded 11 overs and 3 pushes in the other 14 games. Certainly the production of the offense had something to do with it but one of the biggest factors is that Pekka Rinne is struggling right now. The Predators #1 netminder has an ugly .864 save percentage in his last 4 starts. All 4, as you would expect, went over the total. Now Rinne and the Preds will have to deal with a Sharks team that is off of a loss where they were held to just two goals. In other words, San Jose will be ready to pepper Nashville with shots on goal in this one. The over is 4-0-1 in the Sharks last five games as San Jose has seen a mixture of big surges on offense and lapses in defense and netminding be alternating themes in games over the past ten days. San Jose knows they need to kick things up a notch as they've lost four of their past six games. Couple that with Rinne's recent struggles and certainly the Sharks can be expected to light the lamp often in this one. The key to the over is the Predators should answer them goal for goal as they've averaged scoring 4 goals per game in their last 5 home games! The over is 14-7 when Nashville is off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. The over is also 63-38 the last 3 seasons in Predators games against teams with a winning record. The over is 11-6 in Sharks games in the month of April the past two seasons. *10* OVER 5.5 in Nashville

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play OVER 5 -125 in Winnipeg vs Chicago @ 8:05 ET - 20 of the Blackhawks last 23 games have ended with at least a total of 5. That said, the posted total of 5 on this game is giving us solid line value. This is especially true considering back-up goalie Scott Darling is likely to again be between the pipes tonight. The Blackhawks have given up an average of 3 goals per game in his last 5 games. Though Chicago may again struggle to keep the puck out of their own net tonight, especially with defenseman Duncan Keith out due to suspension, look for the Hawks to enjoy success on the other end of the rink. The Blackhawks will test the Jets netminder early and often in this one and Winnipeg is off of a 2-1 loss but 15 of their 18 prior games had ended with a total of at least 5. Again, the solid line value of having a 5 posted on tonight's total. The over is 6-3 this season (and 23-13 the last 3 seasons) in Jets home games with a posted total of 5 goals. The over is 10-4 this season (and 31-16 the last 3 seasons) in Blackhawks road games with a posted total of 5 goals. Also, when off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more, Chicago has gone 27-17 to the over the past three seasons. When the Jets enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more, the over has gone 7-4 this season. *10* OVER 5 goals in Winnipeg

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Carolina Hurricanes Money Line +122 vs New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - The Hurricanes are now relegated to playing the role of spoiler and the last thing they want to see is the Rangers clinch a playoff spot in Carolina. Why does this mean so much to the Canes? Former captain Eric Staal is returning to Carolina for the first time since the trade with the Rangers. The Hurricanes can make a statement tonight and they have earned at least a point in 4 straight games. Carolina has been a bit of a "hard luck loser" this season as their 16 post-regulation losses leads the NHL and, of course, leading that category is not what you want. But the hard work and playing teams tough has paid off recently with Carolina notching a few wins recently and playing with the kind of resolve you don't always see from a team that already knows the golf course looms rather than playoff hockey. There will be no shortage of motivation tonight as the Hurricanes have struggled in recent seasons, including this one, against the Rangers. That said, keeping the Rangers (including the Canes former captain) from clinching a playoff spot tonight makes this a bit of a "game of the year" for the Hurricanes in this late season match-up. In road games with posted total of 5 goals, the Rangers have lost 20 of 31 games this season! This is expected to be a tight, low-scoring battle away from home for the Rangers and, as you can see from that stat, they have not fared well in these types of games this season. The Rangers have been off since Sunday but the extra rest hasn't helped them as they've lost 5 of 7 this season when they enter a game with 3 or more days of rest. The Canes did allow a power play goal in their shootout loss to the Islanders but they entered that game having NOT allowed a power play goal in 13 of their 14 prior games. Conversely, the Rangers have allowed 18 power play goals in their last 27 games so basically 2 pp goals every 3 games. Look for the hungry and disciplined (few penalties and excellent penalty killing) Hurricanes to score the upset here. *10* CAROLINA

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line +110 vs Washington @ 8:05 ET - Look for a playoff type atmosphere in this game. However, I feel it is the Flyers that have the edge for two reasons. One of course is home ice and the other is that Philadelphia absolutely still needs to win while the Capitals have already locked up the Presidents Cup trophy for most points in the league for this season. Certainly Washington is not going to "lay down" here as they know this is also a potential first round playoff match-up. However, it is virtually impossible - given the situation - for the Capitals to match the intensity the Flyers will have here. Philly needs to keep piling up points to make sure they lock up a post-season spot. The Flyers have been one of the hottest teams in the league for quite some time now as Philadelphia has won 11 of their last 16 games including 7 of their last 9 home games. Washington has lost 3 of their last 5 road games and the Caps, overall, had been held to 2 goals or less in 8 of their last 11 games before exploding for 4 goals in their win over Columbus Monday. Conversely, the Flyers have scored 3 goals or more in 12 of their last 16 games! Philadelphia has won 22 of 36 games against teams with a winning record this season and they've been playing their best hockey of late. That said, there is great home dog value in this spot as you can get the Flyers at plus money on home ice in a revenge spot. Philly lost to Washington in early February but the Flyers had won the prior meeting at Washington. Also, prior to a home loss to the Capitals in November, Philly had won 4 of the last 5 meetings on home ice. They resume that series dominance on home ice Wednesday. *10* PHILADELPHIA

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play OVER 5.5 +115 in Montreal vs Detroit @ 7:35 ET - The Red Wings are battling for their playoff lives and certainly the Canadiens would love nothing more than to be able to put a dent in Detroit's chances at reaching the postseason. However, for Montreal to pull the upset the Habs are certainly going to have to score plenty of goals because they have not been able to keep the puck out of their own net. The Canadiens have given up FOUR goals or more in 6 of their last 8 games. This is an incredible run of futility in their own end of the ice and the Habs have gone over the total in three straight games. Montreal has struggled some in terms of their production on offense but the Red Wings have been getting inconsistent goal-tending. Detroit hung on for the 3-2 win last night but had allowed 24 goals in their 6 prior games - an average of 4 goals given up per game. Before last night's Wings game pushed the total of 5, the over was a perfect 4-0 in Detroit's 4 prior games. The over is 7-3 in Detroit games this month and also 15-9 on the season when they are off a divisional game. The over is also 6-2 in Red Wings games this season when they enter a game having played each of their prior three games at home. Montreal has gone 19-10 to the over since the midway point of this season. Also, the over is 14-5 this season in Canadiens games when they are off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. Look for another barnburner involving the Habs Tuesday. *10* OVER 5.5 in Montreal

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers -125 @ Arizona @ 10:05 ET - The Flyers continue their big push for a playoff spot and they should enjoy success here at Arizona. They catch the Coyotes off of rare back to back wins. Prior to these two victories Arizona had lost 21 of their past 30 games. The Coyotes have lost 23 of 30 home games with a posted total of 5 goals the past 3 seasons. Arizona also has lost 43 of 62 non-conference games the past three seasons. The Flyers crushed the Coyotes 4-2 last month in Philly but, even though Arizona will be looking for revenge, the Coyotes have lost 57 of their last 80 games when playing with revenge. The Flyers have won 16 of 26 this season when on the road in a game with a posted total of 5 goals or less. They are playing their best hockey of the season right now and have outshot the opposition in 14 of their last 18 games. By comparison, Arizona has been outshot in 5 of their last 6 games. The Flyers have earned at least a point in 9 of their last 10 games. The lineup is healthier than it's been in quite some time for Philly and they know it's key to wrap up this road trip properly tonight before heading home for a nice 3-game homestand this coming week. These team is playing like a playoff team and will take advantage of facing an Arizona team that is going for its' 3rd straight win but that has only managed a winning streak of 3 games or more TWICE in the past FOUR months! *10* PHILADELPHIA

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play OVER 5 goals -135 in Toronto vs Boston @ 7:05 ET - The Bruins are now fighting for their playoff lives as they have lost five straight games. The young Maple Leafs are relishing the role of spoiler and have now won 6 of their past 8 games. That said, I don't like the side in this match-up as I see huge efforts coming from both teams Saturday evening. The total is where the value is on this game in my opinion. The Leafs have exploded for 15 goals in their past 3 games and they now take on a Bruins team that has allowed 18 goals during their 5 game losing streak. As for the Boston offense, certainly they have been stifled of late but the Maple Leafs have given up at least 3 goals in 6 of their past 10 games. Toronto has allowed an average of 3 goals per game in their last 4 games. Each of the last three meetings between these teams has totaled at least 5 goals and the over is 4-1 in the last five meetings between these clubs in Toronto. The goaltending has not been particularly sharp for either club of late and the Maple Leafs offense has confidence from their recent success as they are battling hard and being rewarded for it. The Bruins are in need of a breakout game on offense and facing the Leafs should be "just what the doctor ordered" in that regard. When the Bruins are off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more this season, the over is 10-5. When Boston is on a losing streak of 3 games or more the over is 10-4 the past three seasons combined. The over is 6-3 in the Leafs last 9 games against teams with a winning record. *10* OVER 5 in Toronto

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line -104 @ Colorado @ 9:05 ET - The Flyers blew a late 2-goal lead at Columbus on Tuesday and ended up losing in the shootout period. Philadelphia still got an all important point in the standings but they Flyers are fired up as they know they let a golden opportunity slip away. Philly should have earned the full two points in the game and they are fired up to respond properly at Colorado on Thursday. The Flyers are a stellar 9-2-2 in their last 13 games as they continue their March toward notching a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs. While the Avalanche have also been a "team on a mission" the Avs certainly have been hurt by bad news on the injury front in recent days. That is going to make it tough for short-handed Colorado team to hold off a "bound and determined" Flyers team that has won 15 of 25 road games this season with a posted total of 5 goals or less. Also, Philly has won 21 of 35 games this season against teams with a winning record. The Avalanche are well rested here as they have been off since Sunday's win at Edmonton. However, the first game back after a lengthy road trip to Canada is often the toughest. The Avs also have lost 14 of 24 games the past three seasons when they enter a game off of 3 or more days of rest. Look for Colorado to struggle getting back into proper form on home ice. The absence of key personnel Matt Duchene and Nathan McKinnon, the two leading scorers for Colorado, really hurts the Avalanche Thursday. The Flyers have revenge for a 4-0 home loss to the Avs in November and they avenge that loss tonight. *10* PHILADELPHIA

Rickenbach NHL *10* Boston Bruins Money Line +122 @ NY Rangers @ 8:05 ET - Bruins #1 goalie Tuukka Rask is unlikely to play tonight due to illness. However, that means Jonas Gustavsson is expected to be between the pipes and he's compiled a .927 save percentage away from home this season. Boston is 8-3 in his road starts this season! The Bruins come into this game very hungry as they've lost three straight games and they've had three full off days to think about it. As a result, there is no doubt Boston will come out strong tonight as they can't wait to get back on track after an ugly road swing to the west that saw them drop all three games. Of course tonight's game is still a road game for the B's but they are certainly happy to be back on the east coast. Boston is a perfect 4-0 this season when they enter a game on a 3-game losing streak. The Rangers enter this game off of a big win over Florida but, prior to the victory, the Rangers had lost 6 of their 9 prior games. New York has lost 18 of 31 games against teams with a winning record this season. Of course they are favored tonight because they are on home ice but the Rangers are hosting a Bruins team that is off of a loss in the most recent meeting here but had won 6 of their last 7 overall meetings with the Rangers. Also, the Bruins are 23-10-3 on the road this season! Only one team, Washington (with 9), has fewer road losses in regulation this season. Look Boston to improve to 5-0 this season when they enter a game on a 3-game losing streak. Look for the Bruins to get back to being road warriors after the disappointing west coast road trip. *10* BOSTON

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Buffalo Sabres +140 @ Carolina @ 7:05 ET - Quick...name the three Eastern Conference teams that currently have more road wins that home wins on the season...got it? Boston, New Jersey...and Buffalo! The Sabres? Yes, Buffalo is one of the few "road warriors" in the NHL in that they actually have notched more victories away from home than on home ice. With that said, there is too much line value here to pass up on this opportunity. Buffalo has played 35 road games this season and Carolina has played 35 home games so far this season. The Hurricanes have won 17 home games and the Sabres have won 15 road games on the season. With that said, there is great line value here with underdog Buffalo. Not only have the Sabres won 3 straight meetings between these clubs, the Canes are hanging their heads right now as they've seen their post-season chances slip away thanks to an unsightly stretch that has seen Carolina lose four straight games and 8 of their last 11. The Sabres lack of a shot at the post-season was truly decided long ago so there is no "drop off" in emotional intensity for Buffalo here. In fact, they are likely to get a boost with the return of Jack Eichel tonight. Even though goalie Robin Lehner is likely to miss tonight's game that is actually good news as Chad Johnson has a phenomenal .933 save percentage in his last 4 games (3 starts). Also, Johnson has been in goal for Buffalo in both of their games with the Hurricanes this season and both were victories! Though the Canes are playing this game with revenge, Carolina has lost 27 of 43 this season when playing with revenge. Also, the Hurricanes are back home after a five game road trip and Carolina has lost 20 of 29 the last three seasons when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games away from home. With the Canes struggling mentally after seeing the road trip kill their post-season chances, they simply do merit being in this price range and I'll grab the big dog value with a Sabres team still playing hard and looking to respond after a rare, ugly game at Toronto on Saturday. *10* BUFFALO

Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers +120 @ NY Islanders @ 7:35 ET - The Flyers are looking up in the standings at the Islanders right now and both of these teams are coming off of a loss in their most recent game. The difference is that the Islanders have now lost 5 of their last 6 games while, for the Flyers, losses have truly been few and far between for many weeks now. In fact, Philadelphia hasn't had back to back losses since mid-Feb. Over the past 5 weeks since then the Flyers had won 10 of their last 14 games before their embarrassing home loss to the Penguins on Saturday. Fired up by that defeat, I look for the Flyers to respond in a big way on Monday against the Islanders. The Isles have been outshot in 8 of their last 10 games. They haven't been slim margins either as the Islanders have been outshot by 60 in those 8 games combined. The Flyers were badly outplayed by the Pens Saturday but Philly had previously outshot their opponent in 12 of their last 14 games! The Flyers average edge in shots on goal in those 12 games was 8 shots per game. A significant edge just like the Islanders have been allowing most of their opponents a significant edge too. In other words, it's evident which team has been playing harder and outworking the opposition and I have no doubt about the effort the Flyers are going to bring tonight as they flight for their playoff lives! They want in to the post-season and have been proving that with the way they've been playing - the Saturday game notwithstanding. The Flyers have won 12 of 19 this season when they are off of a game where they were held to 1 goal or less. Even though the Islanders are playing with revenge here they have been a losing proposition in this situation this season costing their backers 6.5 units (i.e. dime players down $6,500). The Flyers have won 5 of Mason's last 7 starts. The Islanders have lost 4 of Greiss' last 5 starts. *10* PHILADELPHIA