Anaheim Duck fans should be in rare form tonight when the Chicago Blackhawks pay a visit to Honda Center. Anaheim will be celebrating the team’s 2000th game in franchise history and captain Ryan Getzlaf will be playing in his 1000th game, all with the Ducks. The Blackhawks have lost 6 out of 7, are winless on the road at 0-3-1, and will be playing back-to-back games after losing to the Los Angeles Kings last night in OT, 4-3. The Ducks have been clicking, winning 2 straight, 3 out of their last 4, and are a force at home with a record of 6-1-0. The Pond will be electric tonight and it’s payback time for Anaheim after losing 2 of 3 meetings with Chicago last year.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ANAHEIM DUCKS
Saturday NHL Pick
The Nashville Predators are still licking their wounds after blowing a 4-1 lead at home to the Calgary Flames on Halloween night. Today they will have a chance to redeem themselves when they host the New York Rangers in a matinee at Bridgestone Arena. New York has been inconsistent out of the gate. They sit in the 7th spot in the Metropolitan division at 4-5-1 and are just 1-2-0 on the road. The Predators are second in the Central division at 8-3-2 and are a force at home with a record of 6-1-2. Nashville is the superior team by far between these two clubs and the only way they lose this game is if they beat themselves.
TODAY’S PICK: NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Friday NHL Pick
The Anaheim Ducks own an impressive 5-1-0 record at Honda Center and that’s where they will be tonight when they host the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver has been red hot, going 8-1-1 in their last 10 games, but have struggled against Anaheim in the past. The Ducks have won 7 of the last 10 meetings and 4 straight against the Canucks at the Pond. Anaheim could get a boost to their lineup tonight with the possible return of Hampus Lindholm, who leads the team with 9 assists.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ANAHEIM DUCKS
Thursday NHL Pick
The Vegas Golden Knights are expecting the return of some key players tonight when they host the Montreal Canadiens at T-Mobile Arena: defenseman Nate Schmidt, winger Alex Tuch and goalie Malcolm Subban. The Habs will be playing back-to-back games after knocking off Arizona last night, 4-1, which is a definite advantage for Vegas. The Golden Knights will be well rested since Sunday’s victory over the Anaheim Ducks and are expected to go with Marc-André Fleury between the pipes. Fleury is 8-3-0, with a 2.30 GAA and a .928 SV%. Keith Kinkaid is expected in goal for Montreal and he is winless, at 0-1-1, with a bloated 4.54 GAA, and a .875 SV%. Hockey in Vegas on Halloween night? It doesn’t get much better than that.
TONIGHT’S PICK: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Wednesday MLB Pick
Neither the Washington Nationals or the Houston Astros have won a home game in this best of 7 series but it’s all on the line tonight. Houston will try to break that trend and become the World Champs when they send Zack Greinke to the hill. Greinke has not been Greinke-like in the post-season but pitched well in his last turn, allowing just 1 run in 4-2/3 innings, and let’s not forget, since joining the Astros from Arizona, he was 8-1 in the regular season with a 3.02 ERA. The Nationals are expected to counter with Max Scherzer and red flags are jumping all over the place. The guy is lethal and that’s a fact but was scratched from Game 5 with a neck issue. He had to take injections for pain and wore a neck brace on Monday’s flight from DC to Houston. That’s not good. If the Astros get to Scherzer early, it’s over.
TONIGHT’S PICK: HOUSTON ASTROS
Tuesday MLB Pick
The Washington Nationals are hanging by a thread, down 3-2 in the Series, and heading back to Houston for Game 6 but there is life because the flame thrower, Stephen Strasburg, will be tapping the rubber tonight for the Nats. Strasburg has been nothing short of spectacular in the post-season. He is 4-0, with a 1.93 ERA, 40 Ks and only 2 walks in 28 innings of work. That’s dominance. Justin Verlander will get the nod for the Astros and he has not been sharp in the post-season. Verlander is 1-3 with a 4.15 ERA. Washington got to him in Game 2 and they crushed Houston, 12-3. The Nats are 10-1 in their last 11 trips to Minute Maid Park and 4-0 in Strasburg’s last 4 turns against the Astros. The books currently have Washington at +162 and, with Strasburg on the hill, they are worth a consideration.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WASHINGTON NATIONALS
Monday NHL Pick
Two young teams that are moving in the right direction, the Buffalo Sabres and the Arizona Coyotes, will meet tonight in Western New York at Key Bank Center. Buffalo leads the Atlantic Division at 9-2-1 and are at 5-0-0 at home. If they want to stay perfect at Key Bank, they had better be clicking on every cylinder because the Coyotes can bring it. Arizona is 6-3-1, 3-2-1 on the road, and have won 5 of their last 6 games. The Sabres have also been hot, winning 4 of their last 5, and will have the support of 19,000+ passionate fans behind them. Buffalo has won 7 of the last 10 meetings with the Coyotes and notch another one tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: BUFFALO SABRES