Category: Hockey

The Tampa Bay Lightning will go for 9 straight and who better to face than their cross-state rival, the Florida Panthers. The Bolts won the last meeting with the champs, blanking them 4-0. TB is hot, ride them ’til they are not.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

The Buffalo Sabres will be in Raleigh tonight to take on the Carolina Hurricanes. Buffalo is getting no respect in this one, and if there is an upset on the slate tonight, this is it. The Canes are currently -225 and they shouldn’t be. Carolina has lost 2 straight and 5 of their last 6. The Sabres have won 2 straight and 6 of their last 7. They are also 6-1 in their last 7 against the Metropolitan Division and have won the last 2 meetings with Carolina.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BUFFALO SABRES

When the Los Angeles Kings take the ice at home, they are always the side to consider and that is where they will be tonight when they host the Vancouver Canucks. LA has almost been a lock at the CRYPT this season, where they are an unbelievable 19-3-2. The Kings have also won 2 straight, 5 of their last 6, and beat the Canucks convincingly, 5-1, in their last meeting on January 16th in Vancouver.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES KINGS

The Edmonton Oilers are in a funk, losing 3 straight and 5 of their last 7. It won’t get any easier for them tonight when they travel to Amalie Arena to face off against the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bolts have won 5 straight and have outscored their opponents 24-11 over that span. Tampa and Edmonton are similar in many ways and match up well. Both can score and have great goaltending; however, the Lightning are hot at home, where they are 19-7-2, and they will be extra motivated to even the score with the Oilers who beat them in a close one, 2-1, back on Dec 10th in Edmonton.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

In their first game after returning from the break, the New Jersey Devils fell at home to the Dallas Stars, 4-2, and I’m going to chalk that one up to rust. Today they will travel to Nashville to take on the Predators and should come away with a win. The Preds did win yesterday at home over the Colorado Avalanche, but they are still just 20-28-7 on the season and will be challenged today by the Devils. The 31-21-6 Devils have been good on the road with a record of 16-11-2 and cruised to an easy victory over the Preds in their last meeting in November. 5-2. Nashville has trouble scoring, averaging one of the league’s lowest goals per game, at 2.64, and will have trouble finding the back of the net against a New Jersey team that is ranked second in the league in goals allowed, at 2.5. The Devils have been in a pattern where they win one, lose one, so today they win.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Finally, the NHL gets back to business and one of the matchups this afternoon will be the Washington Capitals visiting the Pittsburgh Penguins. Washington is the top dog in the Eastern Conference and has a legitimate shot of once again winning the Cup. They are second in the league in scoring, averaging 3.56 goals per game, and third in goals allowed, surrendering just 2.56 per game. The Caps had no players participating in the ridiculous 4 Nations tournament so they will be well healed and rested. They are also 19-7-2 on the road and cruised to a 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh back on January 18th. The Penguins look like a team that is tired and have their best days behind them. They limped into the break losing 2 of their last 3 and are 2-9 in their last 11 against the Eastern Conference. Also, Sid Crosby is a game time decision for Pittsburgh and if he doesn’t lace up, they don’t stand a chance.
TODAY’S PICK: WASHINGTON CAPITALS

The Ottawa Senators were on a roll, winning five straight, but that all ended when they hit the state of Florida. The Sens have lost two in a row, both to the Tampa Bay Lighting. Tonight they visit the champion Florida Panthers and had better bring their A-game. The Panthers are 16-9-2 in Sunrise and are hot. They have won 4 of their last 5, 7 of their last 10, and are 4-0 in their last 4 home games. Ottawa has been a force on their home ice, with a record of 16-7-2, but when they take it on the arches they are 13-15-2 and have lost 4 of their last 5 away from Canadian Tire Centre.
TONIGHT’S PICK: FLORIDA PANTHERS