Category: Hockey

The New Jersey Devils had a 6-2 lead going into the third period yesterday at home against the Florida Panthers, only to end up losing in OT, 7-6. If that isn’t demoralizing to an already pathetic season then what is? Today they will try to pick up the pieces when they host the New York Islanders in a matinée at Prudential Center. The Isles are on a roll, winning three straight, and are coming off an impressive 3-0 win over the New York Rangers at MSG on Friday. New York has won the last two meetings with New Jersey this year, are 6-1 in their last 7 on one day’s rest, and 6-2 in their last 8 in Newark.
TODAY’S PICK: NEW YORK ISLANDERS

The Los Angeles Kings will be a road dog tonight when they visit the Winnipeg Jets. LA is coming off an impressive SO win over their old coach, Darryl Sutter, and his Calgary Flames on Thursday so they will have plenty of momentum going into this one. The Kings have lost both meetings with the Jets this year but keep in mind they were early in the season and both were close 3-2 victories by Winnipeg. The Jets were almost a lock at home in the past but not so this year, where they are 19-13-2 at Canada Life Centre. The Jets are still licking their wounds after Thursday’s 7-3 drubbing by the Toronto Maple Leafs and will have to face a Kings team that has been a force on the road. LA is 19-9-6 away from Crypto and will have some payback to dish out tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: LOS ANGELES KINGS

With their 3-0 win over the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, the Vegas Golden Knights have now won 3 straight. They are very much alive in the playoff hunt and they want to stay there. Tonight the two clubs will hook up again at Climate Pledge Arena. With Wednesday’s loss, the Kraken were officially eliminated from post-season play but you can bet your bottom dollar they will still give it their all because that is what hockey players do. Vegas has won all 3 meetings with Seattle and are 5-0 in their last 5 against the Pacific. The Golden Knights saw the return of two key D-men over the last two games, Alec Martinez and Brayden McNabb, and could get another boost tonight to their defense with the possible return of their #1 goalie, Robin Lehner. Keep an eye on Vegas down the stretch.
TONIGHT’S PICK: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

The Boston Bruins 4-game winning streak came to an end on Tuesday, after falling to the Toronto Maple Leafs, 6-4. Tonight however, they should start another one when they host the bottom-dwelling New Jersey Devils at TD Garden. New Jersey has been awful on the road, with a dismal record of 8-23-2 and now they have to face the Boston Bruins on their home ice. Good luck. The Devils are just 2-7 against the Atlantic, 1-6 in their last 7 following a win, and 5-16 in their last 21 in Boston. The Bruins will not come cheap in this one but are still worth considering.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BOSTON BRUINS

The Los Angeles Kings will have their tail between their legs tonight when they head to Rogers Place for a date with the Edmonton Oilers. LA was pummeled at home on Monday, 6-1, by the lowly Seattle Kraken and now have to face McDavid and company, who have been smoking hot at home. The Oilers have won 7 straight at Rogers Place and have had the Kings’ number. They won the last meeting in Los Angeles, 5-2, back in February, are 5-2 in the last 7 meetings overall, and 5-1 in the last 6 against them at home.
TONIGHT’S PICK: EDMONTON OILERS

Two of the Original Six will face each other tonight when the Boston Bruins host the Toronto Maple Leafs. These clubs are evenly matched and both possess identical records at 41-19-5 but Boston has been on fire. The Bruins have won 4 straight, 14 of their last 17, and the home team is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings. Also, Boston fell to the Leafs back in November, north of the border, 5-2, which should give them extra incentive to put it to their rival. Boston is hot, ride ’em ’til they are not.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BOSTON BRUINS

Both the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Islanders will be playing back-to-backers when they take the ice today in Elmont, New York. The Lightning finally snapped their 3-game skid with a 2-1 OT win over the Red Wings yesterday while the Islanders fell to the Bruins, 6-3. Tampa has won 5 of the last 7 with their rival and are 4-0 in their last 4 on zero days rest. Tampa is great value at the current price of only -155.
TODAY’S PICK: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING