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Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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12-17-16 | Flyers +110 v. Stars | 1-3 | Loss | -100 | 3 h 17 m | Show | |
Daytime Dominator - NHL Game #51 Saturday - Rickenbach 8* Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ Dallas Stars @ 2:05 ET - The ability to get plus money with a team that has won 10 games in a row is an opportunity I won't often pass up! The Flyers are red hot and, unlike the Stars, they've been scoring plenty of goals. Note that Dallas is off of shutout loss and they have now been held to 2 goals or less in 8 of their past 12 games! Conversely, Philadelphia has scored at least 3 goals in 9 of their last 10 games during this 10 game hot streak. Not only are the Flyers on a 10-0 run this season, Dallas has gone 0-7 against Eastern Conference teams so far this season! In road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals, Philly has won 7 of 9 this season. Look for the Stars to lose for the 7th time in 8 Saturday games this season. 8* PHILADELPHIA FLYERS money line early Saturday |
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12-15-16 | Devils +180 v. Saint Louis Blues | 2-5 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 47 m | Show | |
Situational Shocker - NHL Game #61 Thursday - Rickenbach 8* New Jersey Devils Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - St Louis is off of a big loss at Nashville as they were blasted 6 to 3 on Tuesday. While it may seem enticing to back the Blues off of an ugly loss, there are a couple of key factors to be mindful of. First off, since St Louis is as high as a 2 to 1 fave in this spot, there certainly is very little value with them on the money line. Additionally, they have lost back to back games and 4 of their last 6 so they're not exactly setting the world on fire of late. Lastly, this is a bad situational spot for the Blues as they are off of a divisional game and have another big divisional game on deck as they face the Blackhawks next. St Louis knocked Chicago out of the playoffs last season and also beat them in their first game this season. Their games are always big as they are big rivals and the Blackhawks did best the Blues in the most recent meeting in early November. That makes their game coming up for Saturday a definite "big one" for St Louis. That said, it's easy to overlook a non-conference opponent like New Jersey that is struggling this season and whom the Blues have dominated in recent meetings. Of course overlooking an opponent is where the trouble starts and the Devils are a dangerous dog in this spot. They just lost 5-0 to the Rangers and are fired up about that defeat. This season, when the Devils have lost a road game by a margin of 3 goals or more while scoring 1 goal or less, New Jersey has won their next game both times. The loss at MSG Sunday was just the 3rd such loss like that this season and the Devils are aiming to again do something about it just like they have previously this season. New Jersey is a long-term 108-67 when they enter a game with 3 or more days of rest and I love their big money line dog price in this one. The Blues are 0-2 (-3.0 net games) when they enter a game after playing each of their three prior games on the road. Having just returned from a 4-game road trip and with that big divisional showdown on deck, look for St Louis to struggle here and that increases the odds of a big upset for the Devils. I'll take my chances on that! 8* NEW JERSEY DEVILS money line Thursday |
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12-15-16 | Wild +118 v. Predators | Top | 5-2 | Win | 118 | 8 h 51 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - NHL Game #59 Thursday - 10* Top Play Minnesota Wild Money Line (+) @ Nashville Predators @ 8:05 ET - This the only road game that the Wild have in a span of two weeks. In other words, Minnesota is undoubtedly fully focused on this game and adding to that focus is the fact that Nashville has won each of the last two meetings with the Wild and the last one was via a shutout. Minnesota has payback on their minds and the Wild come into this game playing their best hockey of the season as they have won 5 straight games by a combined score of 16 to 7. Minny is catching the Predators at the perfect time for an upset win as Nashville is off of a big 6-3 win over St Louis in divisional action. Note that Nashville has lost 8 of 9 this season (and lost 40 of 60 the past 3 seasons) when they are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. Also, when off of a divisional game this season, the Preds have lost 8 of 12 (-7.0 net units) so far this season! Prior to the win over the Blues, the Predators had lost 5 of their last 7 games and this is a classic case of "hot versus not" and I'll ride the hot team at the underdog price with the motivational edge and the situational factors in their favor. 10* MINNESOTA WILD money line Thursday |
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12-14-16 | Sharks -128 v. Senators | 4-3 | Win | 100 | 8 h 58 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - NHL Game #1 Wednesday - Rickenbach 8* San Jose Sharks Money Line (-) @ Ottawa Senators @ 7:05 ET - In their last 11 games the Sharks faced the Senators once (a loss in San Jose) and went 8-2 in the other 10 games. Now it is time for some revenge and, even though this is a back to back spot for the Sharks, San Jose is the play here. They've been the hotter team (Ottawa has lost 5 of their last 7) and the Sharks have that key revenge angle working in their favor here. In fact, Ottawa has swept the season series each of the past two seasons and now they're looking to make it 3 straight tonight. That would make the run 6-0 for the Senators in their games with San Jose the past three seasons and you can bet the Sharks are fired up about preventing that tonight. In their last 4 games, the Sens have notched a victory at San Jose but they allowed 17 goals in the other 3 games and all were blowout losses. I'll tell you right now the Sharks aren't going to be willing to play the "victim" again and they should be on the right side of what is likely to be another blowout loss for the Senators as their recent downturn continues. Ottawa is back from a 4-game road trip that included 3 straight on the West Coast and that first game back east after a western road trip is often the toughest. The Sens have lost 14 of 23 when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games away from home. The Sharks have won 3 of 4 this season when in the 2nd game of a back to back and they also have won 11 of 16 non-conference games this season against teams not named the Senators. In other words, expect PAYBACK tonight. 8* SAN JOSE money line |
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12-13-16 | Blue Jackets -105 v. Oilers | Top | 3-1 | Win | 100 | 10 h 52 m | Show |
NHL Game #69 Tuesday - Rickenbach 10* Top Play Columbus Blue Jackets Money Line (+) @ Edmonton Oilers @ 9:05 ET - Columbus has won 6 straight games. They are beginning a road trip to western Canada and they are fully focused on this match-up as they have won 3 of their last 4 games against the Oilers but they lost their last trip to Edmonton by a count of 5 to 1. The Blue Jackets are catching the Oilers at the right time. Edmonton is off of a divisional win over Winnipeg but the Oilers rallied for two 3rd period goals to get that W. The point is that Edmonton certainly wasn't overly impressive in that game and this is an Oilers team that had lost 7 of their 9 prior games. The Blue Jackets have not only won 6 straight games, they've been dominating as 4 of the 6 wins have come by a margin of at least 3 goals! The Oilers have allowed 15 goals in their last 4 games while the Blue Jackets have allowed a total of only 11 goals in their last 7 games! This is clearly a case of two teams heading in opposite directions. Also, Columbus has won 4 of 5 this season when playing with 2 days of rest between games. Also, when the Blue Jackets enter a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more, they've won 14 of 20 games the past 3 seasons combined. The Oilers have lost 9 of 13 games against Eastern Conference foes this season and also have lost 28 of 36 Tuesday games the past three seasons combined. Great line value here with the "pick'em price" available on this quality road team. 10* Top Play COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS Tuesday night |
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12-13-16 | Blackhawks v. Rangers -135 | 2-1 | Loss | -135 | 8 h 14 m | Show | |
NHL Game #54 Tuesday - Rickenbach 8* New York Rangers Money Line (-) vs Chicago Blackhawks @ 7:05 ET - Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook are traveling with the team for this road trip. However, even if they do come back tonight, they are unlikely to be 100% and plus Chicago is still missing the most important player of all, goalie Corey Crawford. #2 goalie Scott Darling has played fairly well but the Blackhawks have won just 1 of his 3 road starts this season. Also, Chicago is likely to be up against red-hot goalie Antti Raanta who has been in goal for each of the Rangers three straight wins and he has allowed a TOTAL of just 1 goal in these three starts. Indeed, Raanta and New York are "feeling it" right now and the Blackhawks have lost 5 of 8 games against teams with a winning record this season. The Rangers, conversely, have been at their best against quality competition as they have won 9 of 13 games against teams with a winning record this season. Also, the Rangers have won 10 of 12 games in non-conference action this season. The Blackhawks have revenge from a loss last week to New York but the Rangers have revenge from losses in each of Chicago's last two visits to Madison Square Garden. 8* NEW YORK RANGERS money line Tuesday |
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12-13-16 | Canucks +170 v. Hurricanes | 6-8 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 50 m | Show | |
NHL Game #55 Tuesday - Rickenbach 8* Vancouver Canucks Money Line (+) @ Carolina Hurricanes @ 7:05 ET - The Hurricanes have lost 7 of their last 10 games and they are a -200 favorite! I don't care who they're playing, count me in on the underdog side of this one. The Canes simply aren't good enough to merit being in this price range. This is especially true when you consider the current situation here. Carolina just got back from a West Coast road trip. The first game for an East Coast team in a situation like this is almost always the toughest. Making this situation even worse for the Hurricanes is the fact that they have a huge divisional rival on deck as they are facing the Capitals next on Friday night. That is arguably their biggest rival. As for the Canucks, there are certainly not any situational disadvantages here. Unlike the Canes, Vancouver actually has already been playing on the East Coast leading into this game. Granted the results have not been good for the Canucks as they've lost 3 of the 4 games so far on this 5-game road trip but that is also what makes this spot so important for Vancouver. How can you trust a big dog here? Well, as always, you're taking a "chance" when you grab a big dog but this truly is a great spot for the Canucks and they've swept the season series with Carolina each of the past two seasons and they already won the first match-up this season in Vancouver. Overall, the Canucks are 18-6-1 their last 25 games with Carolina. The Canes -200...no matter how this one plays out no one could ever tell me that line is justified. Don't be surprised if Carolina gets upset in this bad spot for them as I expect them to lose for the 8th time in their last 11 games as their slump continues. Vancouver is off of back to back losses for the first time in 5 weeks and I look for them to respond in a big way here. Even though the Canes have revenge here they have lost 72 of their last 114 when playing with revenge! *8 VANCOUVER CANUCKS on the money line Tuesday |
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12-12-16 | Bruins +130 v. Canadiens | 2-1 | Win | 130 | 10 h 36 m | Show | |
NHL Network Smash - NHL Game #3 Monday - Rickenbach 8* Boston Bruins Money Line (+) @ Montreal Canadiens @ 7:35 ET - This is a huge "Original Six" rivalry and certainly the Canadiens have had the upper hand in recent meetings. Montreal has won both meetings this season but, prior to that, the Bruins had taken 2 of the prior 3. Overall, the road team had won 4 in a row prior to the Habs defeating Boston in Montreal early last month. That said, there is significant line value here with the road dog Bruins. Boston had been playing better (won 4 of 5) but now comes into this match-up on a 3-game losing streak. So far this season, the Bruins are a perfect 2-0 when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more and they have won 13 of 21 the past three seasons when in this situation. Boston has won 7 of 9 divisional games this season with Tuukka Rask between the pipes and he has a phenomenal .941 save percentage in these divisional games. Montreal is expected to have Carey Price in the crease for this one and certainly he is a fantastic netminder but he is off of an easy start (10-1 win) Saturday and in his prior two starts he allowed 6 goals. The Canadiens are off of back to back wins but previously had lost 7 of their last 11. As a result, we're truly getting excellent underdog value here with the road dog. 8* BOSTON BRUINS money line Monday evening |
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12-11-16 | Jets +153 v. Oilers | 2-3 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 20 m | Show | |
Western Wipeout - Rickenbach NHL Game #65 Sunday - Rickenbach 8* Winnipeg Jets Money Line (+) @ Edmonton Oilers @ 9:35 ET - The Jets got embarrassed 6 to 2 yesterday at Calgary. That makes it 3 straight losses for Winnipeg and, although this is a back to back spot, note that only ONCE this entire season have the Jets had a losing streak of more than 3 games. They're now facing an Edmonton team that could provide the perfect situation for them to get back on track. The Oilers have been in a major long-term slump ever since they started the season on a strong run. Since their early hot streak, Edmonton has lost 15 of their last 22 games. I don't care where the game is being played and what the situation is (back to back, etc.) a team that has lost 15 of 22 games (including 4 straight) just simply doesn't merit being in this price range. Note that the Oilers blue line is very banged up as injuries to defensemen are dominating their current injury report. Edmonton has lost 10 of 15 games against teams with a losing record this season. The Jets are +$9,200 the last 3 seasons when they are off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. Also, when Winnipeg has played the 2nd night of a back to back this season and they are a dog of +120 or more, they have gone a solid 3-1 (75%). There is big money line value in the Jets here after the way they got embarrassed last night. 8* WINNIPEG JETS money line Sunday |
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12-11-16 | Stars +137 v. Blackhawks | 1-3 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 53 m | Show | |
Divisional Dominator - NHL Game #59 Sunday - Rickenbach 8* Dallas Stars Money Line (+) @ Chicago Blackhawks @ 7:05 ET - Dallas lost at Philly 4-2 yesterday but that game was much closer than the final score would lead you to believe. The Stars are starting to get a little healthier. Conversely, the Blackhawks are having injury issues impacting Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook, and Corey Crawford. Overall, Chicago is in a "funk" as their home shutout loss to the Rangers actually marked the 7th time in their last 10 games that the Blackhawks have been held to two goals or less. The Stars are certainly catching the Hawks at the right time and they're also playing this game with double revenge. Dallas won 4 of the last 5 meetings last season but then has lost the first two meetings this season. That makes this a double revenge spot for the Stars. Both of these clubs come into this game off of a non-conference game. Dallas has won 4 of 5 this season (and 44 of 69 the last 3 seasons) when off of a game against an Eastern Conference foe. The Blackhawks have lost 5 of 9 (down $2,700) this season when off of a non-conference game. The Stars have won 34 of 53 (+$15,600) when off of a loss by a multiple goal margin the past three seasons combined. 8* DALLAS STARS money line Sunday |
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12-10-16 | Senators +169 v. Kings | 1-4 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 56 m | Show | |
Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Game #3 Saturday - 8* Ottawa Senators Money Line (+) @ Los Angeles Kings @ 4:05 ET - One of the Senators top blue liners, Marc Methot has been upgraded to probable for this game. The Sens have won 6 of their past 9 games while the Kings have lost 3 of their last 4. Also, Ottawa won both match-ups with Los Angeles last season and they've already won the first match-up this season. The Senators have won each of their last two visits to LA and they're catching the Kings at a good time as Los Angeles is off of back to back losses and they may not right themselves into they go on the road. That is what often happens to teams that are struggling. The Kings need a lengthy road trip (coming up) to right the ship. LA has lost 6 of 8 games this season when they are off of a game where they were held to one goal or less. The Senators are a perfect 3-0 this season (and +$4,400) in road games with a posted total of 5 goals. The Sens have had two days off between games and the Kings just have not been the same team this season without goalie Jonathan Quick. He is still out with a groin injury. Look for the Sens to take advantage and I love the big dog offering here. 8* OTTAWA SENATORS money line Saturday |
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12-09-16 | Rangers +114 v. Blackhawks | Top | 1-0 | Win | 114 | 11 h 26 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #59 Friday - 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (+) @ Chicago Blackhawks @ 8:35 ET - Many will look to back the Blackhawks here since the Rangers are in a back to back situation. However, the Rangers are actually a perfect 4-0 this season (and have won 23 of 35 the last 3 seasons combined) when they are playing the 2nd game of a back to back. Also, the Rangers used back-up goalie Antti Raanta last night at Winnipeg so that means top goalie Henrik Lundqvist will be between the pipes tonight. Chicago could only hope for such good fortune for themselves as, the fact is, Corey Crawford is still out (appendix) and both Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook are expected to miss tonight. That has the Blackhawks down 3 key players and also note that the road team has swept the series between these clubs each of the past two seasons. The road dominance (4-0 L4) should continue here given the situation. Yes, the Hawks are off of a win over Arizona but the Coyotes are the worst team in the league. Prior to that win Chicago had lost 5 of their last 8 games overall and back-up goalie Scott Darling had lost 3 straight starts. The Blackhawks have lost 9 of 16 (-$6,800) the past three seasons combined when they are off of a shutout win. Also, the Rangers have won 8 of 12 games against teams with a winning record this season while Chicago has lost 4 of 7 games against teams with a winning record this season. Before scoring 4 goals against the downtrodden Coyotes, the Blackhawks were held to 2 goals or less in 6 of their 8 prior games. Look for the Hawks to struggle again tonight. 10* Top Play NEW YORK RANGERS money line Friday |
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12-08-16 | Predators v. Stars +110 | Top | 2-5 | Win | 110 | 6 h 16 m | Show |
NHL Game #15 Thursday - Rickenbach 10* Top Play Dallas Stars Money Line (+) vs Nashville Predators @ 8:35 ET - Certainly Dallas has been hurt by injuries but that hasn't stopped them from putting up a fight. The Stars have outshot three of their last four opponents by a double digit margin! Dallas also is getting stellar goaltending from Kari Lehtonen of late as he's been rock solid in his last 3 starts. The issue for the Stars has been generating enough offense but they've certainly been generating opportunities and they will start to cash those in. The Stars have revenge on their minds here as they lost 5-2 at Nashville two weeks ago. Dallas outshot the Preds 35 to 21 in that game but fell well short on the scoreboard. It is time for a little payback and home ice is likely to have a huge impact in this one. The Predators have lost 6 of 7 road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals this season. The Preds are off of a 4-3 win over Colorado Tuesday but that was at home. Nashville has lost 7 of 8 this season when they are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. The last 3 seasons combined in that situation, the Predators have lost 39 of 59. Also, the Preds have lost 25 of their 36 road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals the past three seasons combined. Even with all their injury issues the Stars have won 6 of 9 home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals this season and they've won 48 of 82 home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals the past three seasons combined. The Stars have won 19 of 29 the past three seasons when they are off of game where they were held to 1 goal or less. 10* Top Play DALLAS STARS money line Thursday night |
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12-08-16 | Rangers +105 v. Jets | 2-1 | Win | 105 | 6 h 53 m | Show | |
NHL Game #13 Thursday - Rickenbach 8* New York Rangers Money Line (+) @ Winnipeg Jets @ 8:05 ET - The Rangers are expected to start Antti Raanta tonight in goal since this is the first of a back to back set as they are in Chicago tomorrow night. Even though Raanta is the #2 guy for the Rangers he has been rock solid and is already a perfect 3-0 on the road this season with a .953 save percentage. The Rangers beat Winnipeg earlier this season and here were are getting line value even though New York is off of a loss. The Rangers lost 4-2 to the Islanders Tuesday and they have lost back to back games only ONCE this entire season. When off of a loss this season thusfar, the Rangers have won 8 of 9 times! This is a high percentage play as the Rangers will be fired up off of a loss an Raanta truly gives us this edge in goal over Michael Hutchinson for the Jets. Winnipeg has lost 6 of his 9 starts this season and he has an .874 save percentage in non-conference starts this season. 8* NEW YORK RANGERS money line Thursday |
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12-07-16 | Bruins +130 v. Capitals | Top | 3-4 | Loss | -100 | 12 h 58 m | Show |
TV Game of the Week - NHL Game #53 Wednesday - Rickenbach 10* Top Play Boston Bruins Money Line (+) @ Washington Capitals @ 8:05 ET - No team in the NHL has more road wins (8) than Boston and I expect the "road warriors" to be at it again on Wednesday night in Washington. The Bruins have outshot their opponent by 20 shots or more in 3 of their last 7 road games. That's impressive production on the road and certainly Boston will be highly motivated facing the Capitals because Washington has swept the season series with the Bruins each of the past two seasons. Boston comes into this one on a 3-game winning streak while the Capitals are off of a fortunate OT win in a game they never led. The Caps just aren't playing that well right now as they had lost 3 straight (and 6 of their last 10) before that tight win versus Buffalo. Washington is facing a much tougher opponent than the Sabres tonight and I'll take advantage of the underdog line value here as the Bruins improve to 4-0 in the month of December. The Bruins have gone 8-3 in Tuukka Rask's 11 road starts this season as he's compiled an incredible .950 save percentage away from home. The Capitals have lost 3 of the last 4 starts that Braden Holtby has made! 10* Top Play BOSTON BRUINS money line Wednesday evening on the NBC Sports Network |
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12-06-16 | Flames +117 v. Stars | Top | 2-1 | Win | 117 | 8 h 40 m | Show |
No Doubt Blowout Rout - NHL Game #15 Tuesday - 10* Top Play Calgary Flames Money Line (+) @ Dallas Stars @ 8:35 ET - The Flames are hot right now with 3 straight wins and 8 victories in their last 12 games. After a homestand where Calgary won all 3 games by a combined score of 14 to 5, the Flames are fully focused on keeping the momentum going on this quick 2-game road swing. The mini-road trip starts in Dallas where Calgary has won in 2 of its last 3 visits but this is a double revenge spot for the Flames. Not only did the Stars beat them in Calgary 4 weeks ago, they also beat them in their last visit to the Big D. That said, the Flames have a little extra motivation here and Calgary has won 5 of 7 this season when playing with home loss revenge. The Flames also have won 3 of 4 this season when they are off of a win by a multiple goal margin so look for them to stay hot here. As for Dallas, they are off of a 3-0 win at Colorado but previously had lost 7 of their last 10 games. The Stars continue to be dealing with injury issues and now Patrick Sharp is out for an indefinite period with a concussion. Dallas forwards continue to be impacted by the injury "bug" and the Stars are averaging just 2.2 goals per game in their last 10 games. They simply have not been the same high-flying team they once were and, right now, Calgary is firing on all cylinders and the Flames are highly motivated here. That makes for a very dangerous dog and Dallas has lost 10 of 13 this season when off of a divisional game! Not only that, the Stars have another big divisional game on deck as Nashville is up next. 10* Top Play on the CALGARY FLAMES on the money line Tuesday |
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12-04-16 | Jets +146 v. Blackhawks | 2-1 | Win | 146 | 6 h 25 m | Show | |
NHL Game #9 Sunday - Rickenbach 8* Winnipeg Jets Money Line (+) @ Chicago Blackhawks @ 7:05 ET - The Blackhawks are a popular choice today which is not a surprise. After all, both of these teams were in action yesterday and the Jets got a win in OT while the Blackhawks lost at Philly. Also, Chicago has revenge against the Jets for a 4-0 loss at Winnipeg three weeks ago. That makes this the perfect spot to back the Hawks, right? Well, as you can see, there is more to the story than just that. The problem for Chicago right now is that #1 netminder Corey Crawford is out. Not only is he the Blackhawks #1, he is arguably the top goalie in the game. That said, it is a significant dropoff from Crawford to Scott Darling. On top of that, this is a back to back spot for Chicago so there is even more pressure on the goalie situation. As for the Jets, they actually had Hutchinson in goal yesterday so that means the #1 goalie Hellebuyck and he has been stellar in divisional action with 4 wins in 6 starts and a fantastic .948 save percentage in divisional games this season. This line got driven up from an opener of -135 to as high as a -165 and I'll gladly fade the masses here given the goalie situation and the fact that the Jets are starting to build up some momentum with wins in 3 of their last 4 games. They are a dangerous dog in this spot. 8* WINNIPEG JETS on the money line |
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12-04-16 | Red Wings +135 v. Islanders | 4-3 | Win | 135 | 6 h 43 m | Show | |
NHL Game #5 Sunday - Rickenbach 8* Detroit Red Wings Money Line (+) @ New York Islanders @ 6:05 ET - Red Wings are off of a loss at Pittsburgh yesterday where they blew a big lead and gave up 4 goals in the 3rd period. However, Detroit had a #3 netminder in goal and Petr Mrazek is expected back between the pipes today and he has a .924 save percentage in his last 4 games. Also, the Islanders could get caught feeling a little too good about themselves because of their 3-game winning streak. Note that this is the Isles first three game winning streak of this season and they are 11-17 the past three seasons (and 40-72 long-term!) when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more. The Red Wings are fired up after blowing yesterday's game and they have their top goalie back between the pipes. They get the upset as they catch the Islanders looking ahead to a big match-up with the rival Rangers set for Tuesday. 8* DETROIT RED WINGS on the money line |
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12-03-16 | Maple Leafs -140 v. Canucks | 2-3 | Loss | -140 | 6 h 27 m | Show | |
Canadian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Game #59 Saturday - 7* Toronto Maple Leafs Money Line (-) @ Vancouver Canucks @ 7:05 ET - Not only are the Maple Leafs off of a 3-0 road loss at Calgary, they have had two full off days to think about it as they've been waiting for this game which is the Leafs only game in a span of a week. That is bad news for Vancouver because that means the Canucks have the full focus of Toronto and the Maple Leafs have owned them in recent meetings with three straight wins by a combined score of 15 to 7. Every single game was decided by a multiple goal margin and I expect another one here! The Leafs are a perfect 4-0 this season when off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more. After the shutout loss at Calgary, they respond in a big way here! Vancouver has been at the other end of the spectrum in this spot as they have lost 6 of 9 this season when off of a loss by a multiple goal margin in their prior game. Also, the Canucks have lost 5 of 6 when off of a divisional game and have lost 8 of 11 in their games against Eastern Conference foes this season. More of the same here as I look for this one to be a road rout. 7* TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS money line Saturday |
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12-03-16 | Jets +153 v. Blues | 3-2 | Win | 153 | 6 h 14 m | Show | |
Situational Barnburner - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Game #65 Saturday - 8* Winnipeg Jets Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 7:05 ET - The Blues are expected to have Carter Hutton between the pipes and they've won just 1 of his last 3 starts. Overall, in his last 4 appearances, Hutton has an ugly .870 save percentage and this is a definite flat spot here as St Louis is off of a tight win versus Tampa Bay and has Montreal on deck. Winnipeg has never really posed a real threat to the Blues in the division so it's hard to blame the Blues if they overlook them a bit here. But that will prove to be a mistake and it certainly is noteworthy that the road team has won 6 of the last 9 meetings between these clubs. Even though St Louis is on a 3-game winning streak, they are 1-2 this season when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more. Also, in their last 4 games, the Blues have allowed an average of 3.5 goals per game. Winnipeg is off of an ugly 6-3 home loss to Edmonton but previously allowed a total of just 2 goals in their 2 prior games. This is a tremendous value spot in a game where the Jets will be the hungrier team and, arguably, will have the better goalie between the pipes as well. 8* WINNIPEG JETS money line Saturday |
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12-02-16 | Canadiens +119 v. Sharks | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 10 m | Show |
Game of the Week: Rickenbach NHL Game #3 Friday - 10* Top Play Montreal Canadiens Money Line (+) @ San Jose Sharks @ 10:35 ET - The Sharks will be the popular choice here since they have the home ice edge but they are off of a divisional win over the rival Kings and I expect the Canadiens to be the much hungrier team tonight. Montreal lost both match-ups (by a combined score of 9-3 last season!) so they have payback on their minds here. Also, unlike San Jose, the Habs are coming into this game off of a loss as they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Anaheim on Tuesday. Montreal is expected to have Carey Price in between the pipes tonight and they are 13-3 in his 16 starts this season. The Sharks will counter with Martin Jones but he has won only 6 of his 10 non-conference starts this season. San Jose, the past 3 seasons combined, has lost 34 of 63 home games with a posted total of 5 goals or less and that has cost their backers $27,200 at $1,000 per game in this situation! These are two of the top clubs in the league and the value here is with the hungry, revenge-seeking underdog. 10* Top Play MONTREAL CANADIENS on the money line Friday |
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12-01-16 | Devils +138 v. Blackhawks | 3-4 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 29 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #67 Thursday - 8* New Jersey Devils Money Line (+) @ Chicago Blackhawks @ 8:35 ET - The Devils have lost three straight games and they have yet to lose four straight games this season. This looks like a good spot to back New Jersey as a sizable underdog considering the fact that the Blackhawks are off of a tight win over the Panthers but previously had lost 5 of their 9 prior games. Also, Chicago is expected to be without Jonathan Toews tonight. Additionally, Artem Anisimov (#2 on the team in goals and tied for the team lead in +/- @ +11) is dealing with an ankle injury and will miss tonight or, if he plays, I expect him to be limited. The Devils have won 68 of 110 (+$22,800) when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. The Blackhawks have had trouble stringing together wins lately and, in fact, have lost 4 of their last 5 when they are entering a game off of a win. Nice factors in play here for an upset at the United Center tonight. 8* NEW JERSEY DEVILS money line Thursday |
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12-01-16 | Lightning +130 v. Blues | Top | 4-5 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 52 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL Game #63 Thursday - 10* Top Play Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - The Lightning have lost 3 straight games and have certainly been impacted by some injury issues. However, even though centerman Steven Stamkos is going to be out for months, there is a chance that key defenseman Anton Stralman is going to play tonight at St Louis. This will undoubtedly give the Bolts a boost and they don't want to go winless on this road trip. Tampa Bay's next game is at home versus Washington but there is no lookahead here because the Bolts know they can't afford to look ahead when they need a win to get back on track before getting back into divisional action. Keep in mind, the Blues certainly have their full attention too because St Louis not only swept them last season, they swept them the prior season as well. The key to the value is the Lightning tonight catch the Blues off of a key win over Dallas (the same team they faced in last spring's post-season battle). Off of a big win and now facing a non-conference foe, don't be surprised if St Louis comes out a little flat in this game. The Blues have had a tendency to show some rust when off of 2 days rest. They've won 3 of 7 in this situation this season but the four losses have come by a combined score of 13 to 3 and St Louis was a sizable favorite in 3 of those 4 defeats. Look for this trend to continue here as they again get throttled as  rested, sizable fave against a hungrier foe. 10* TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING money line Thursday |
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12-01-16 | Flyers -106 v. Senators | 3-2 | Win | 100 | 8 h 58 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #59 Thursday - 8* Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (-) @ Ottawa Senators @ 7:35 ET - The Sens have some injury issues coming into this one as they had been riding a red hot goalie (Craig Anderson) who is out for personal reasons tonight. That means Mike Condon gets the start and he hasn't seen action in quite awhile and was also awful in his most recent start. Also, one of the Senators top D-men (Marc Methot) is doubtful for tonight's game due to a lower body injury. Last but certainly not least, one of Ottawa's top wingers (Bobby Ryan) is out with a hand injury. Add it all up and those are some key personnel "holes" that the Senators have coming into this one and they're also facing a Flyers team that is playing with revenge here as they suffered a tight home loss to the Sens in mid-November. It's payback time here and Philly is also trying to build up some momentum as they look for their third straight win. Ottawa has won only 11 of 31 home games with a posted total of 5 goals or less the past 3 seasons. The Flyers have scored at least 3 goals in 17 of their 24 games this season while the Senators had been held to 2 goals or less in 13 of their last 16 games before they scored 4 goals in the loss versus Buffalo Tuesday. The more potent offense gets it done in this one, especially because of Condon being in the pipes for the Sabres. 8* PHILADELPHIA FLYERS on the money line Thursday |
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11-30-16 | Penguins -158 v. Islanders | 3-5 | Loss | -158 | 11 h 20 m | Show | |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #1 Wednesday - 7* Pittsburgh Penguins Money Line (-) @ New York Islanders @ 8:05 ET - The Penguins are 3-1 this season when they enter a game off of 2 or more days of rest. Certainly they have fresh legs here as they have been off for 3 days since they beat New Jersey 4-3 in the shootout Saturday. The Pens are facing an Islanders team that has revenge on their minds as Pittsburgh beat them 3-2 earlier this season. However, that win was nothing new for the Penguins in this series as they have now won 5 of the last 6 meetings. Also, the Isles have won just 2 of 11 this season when playing with revenge and they've lost all 4 games this season when playing with home loss revenge. That win earlier this season was in New York and the Penguins have now won the last two games at the Barclays Center by a combined score of 8 to 2. More domination on tap here as the Pens have won 6 of 8 divisional games this season and 6 of 9 games against teams with a losing record. The Islanders have lost 9 of 10 games this season against teams with a winning record. Also, the Isles are 0-5 in divisional games so, couple that with their 0-4 record when playing with home loss revenge and this is an 0-9 spot for the Islanders. That means we have a 9-0, 100% PERFECT "play on" spot for the Penguins and, even though this price is a little higher than I generally play, this situation is too strong to pass up on. 7* PITTSBURGH on the money line |
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11-29-16 | Lightning +105 v. Blue Jackets | 1-5 | Loss | -100 | 5 h 19 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #51 Tuesday - 8* Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line +105 @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - The Lightning are off of back to back losses. Only once this season has Tampa Bay had a 3-game losing streak. Generally they respond very well when off of a loss. Also, a big key to this play is the revenge factor as the Bolts lost at home to Columbus last week. That means the Lighting will be looking to avenge the loss to the Blue Jackets but, since this game is in Columbus, we are being offered exceptional line value to back the better team. Tampa Bay has won 4 of 5 this season (and 38 of 54 the past three seasons combined) when they are off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. The Bolts have also won 5 of 7 this season when they are off of a game where they were held to one goal or less. The Lightning are a perfect 4-0 in Tuesday games this season. The Blue Jackets are off of a loss at Florida and they've now lost 3 of their last 4 with the only win coming at Tampa Bay. Columbus, the past 3 seasons combined, has lost 51 of 90 in games against teams with a winning record. The Blue Jackets had lost 5 of their past 6 games against the Bolts before that upset win last week. The Lightning get their payback tonight. 8* TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING money line Tuesday |
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11-27-16 | Flames v. Flyers -140 | 3-5 | Win | 100 | 9 h 59 m | Show | |
Blowout Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #62 Sunday - 8* Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (-) vs Calgary Flames @ 7:35 ET - With young goalie Anthony Stolarz set to make his NHL debut for the Flyers on Sunday evening, the normally "leaky" defense in front of the Flyers net is likely to play their best game of the season as they look to protect the young netminder. This is just human nature and Philly's D (recently struggling in front of #1 netminder Steve Mason) will give a huge effort tonight at home for the rookie goalie. The Flyers have lost back to back games and they've done well in this situation (home game off of recent loss or losses) and I expect a huge effort here. Calgary is on a 6 game road trip that encompasses only 9 days and they have another game tomorrow. The Flames would never admit it but they may get caught still celebrating their back to back road wins (rare) as they just won at Boston Friday and now have the NY Islanders on deck for tomorrow. Calgary has lost 5 of 7 games against teams with a losing record this season. Philly has won 30 of their last 51 home games with posted total of 5.5 goals. 8* PHILADELPHIA FLYERS money line Sunday |
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11-26-16 | Hurricanes +105 v. Senators | 1-2 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 3 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #3 Saturday - 8* Carolina Hurricanes Money Line +105 @ Ottawa Senators @ 7:05 ET - The Canes have revenge here from a loss at Ottawa earlier this season. Also, Carolina is off of a loss on Thanksgiving Day that ended a 5-game winning streak for the Canes. The Hurricanes have been getting fantastic play between the pipes and in their own zone as they have allowed a total of only 7 goals in their last 6 games. The Sens are off of a big win on Thanksgiving versus Boston but had lost 4 of their 5 prior home games and that was a big divisional win for Ottawa. Look for them to fall flat here. The Senators have lost 19 of their last 29 home games with a posted total of 5 goals or less. Look for another one here. 8* CAROLINA HURRICANES on the money line Saturday evening |
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11-25-16 | Flames +135 v. Bruins | 2-1 | Win | 135 | 8 h 14 m | Show | |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Game #67 Friday - 8* Calgary Flames Money Line (+) @ Boston Bruins @ 7:35 ET - Many will look to back the Bruins here as they are off of back to back losses after last night's 3-1 loss at Ottawa. However, this is a tough spot for the Bruins as they had to play on Thanksgiving Night for the first time since 1950 and, of the 4 teams that played on Thanksgiving Boston is the only one having to play again today. The back to back makes things rough on the Bruins as they have lost 19 of 30 the past 3 seasons combined when they are playing the 2nd game of a back to back and they still are dealing with some injury issues too. Back to backs are tough on goalies too and Tuukka Rask was in net last night and had a 2nd straight loss. Now it's either the #2 netminder tonight or Rask is going again and neither situation is a good one for the Bruins. Unlike Boston, the Flames come into this game fresh and they are off of a shutout win at Columbus Wednesday. Surprisingly, when off of a shutout win, Calgary has won 6 of 9 the past 3 seasons. In other words, the Flames do a good job of maintaining the momentum in situations like this and, right now, Calgary has been rallying around the Johnny Goudreau injury. Wednesday's win was the Flames 4th in their last 6 games. 8* CALGARY FLAMES money line Friday. |
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11-25-16 | Blackhawks -100 v. Ducks | 3-2 | Win | 100 | 4 h 18 m | Show | |
Afternoon Smash - Rickenbach NHL Game #57 Friday - 8* Chicago Blackhawks Money Line (+) @ Anaheim Ducks @ 4:05 ET Friday - I am well aware of the Jonathan Toews injury and, whether or not he plays, the Blackhawks are likely to bounce back in this spot. Chicago is off of back to back losses but they have yet to lose 3 straight games this entire season and we're already over 6 weeks into the new season. The Blackhawks have won 5 of their last 7 visits to Anaheim but they are playing this game with revenge because Chicago did suffer a home loss to the Ducks in February in their most recent meeting. The Blackhawks did get past Anaheim in the post-season in 2014-15 so there is some extra motivation for the Ducks here but this is truly a situation of the Hawks "having their number" as that revenge angle was there for Anaheim early last season and yet the Ducks lost both early season meetings (one in October and one in November). In fact, a bigger issue for Anaheim could very well be a lookahead spot here as they have the division rival Sharks on deck for tomorrow and they already lost at San Jose earlier this season. The Ducks blue line depth has been impacted because Simon Despres is still out, Clayton Stoner is still dealing with a low-body injury, and Sami Vatanen (though expected to play) has not been feeling well and is battling an illness. Look for the Blackhawks to get back on track and get the road win. 8* CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS money line Friday afternoon |
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11-24-16 | Bruins -125 v. Senators | 1-3 | Loss | -125 | 9 h 34 m | Show | |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #1 Thursday - 8* Boston Bruins Money Line (-) @ Ottawa Senators @ 7:35 ET - Perfect set-up here as the Bruins are off of a loss but previously had won 8 of 11 while the Senators are off of a win but previously had lost 5 of 8. Boston also has 'double revenge' on their minds here as they had lost their last visit to Ottawa (in January) and then lost again when they hosted the Sens in an embarrassing 6-1 home loss in April. Remember the Bruins just missed the post-season last year so certainly that defeat had a lot to do with it. Now it is time for payback for Boston and note that Ottawa has lost 19 of their last 28 home games with a posted total of 5 goals or less. Low total posted on this game, big divisional battle, and the small road fave should get their revenge. 8* BOSTON |
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11-24-16 | Hurricanes +155 v. Canadiens | 1-2 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 15 m | Show | |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #3 Thursday - 8* Carolina Hurricanes Money Line (+) @ Montreal Canadiens @ 7:35 ET - This is a contrarian play because most will be looking to back the Canadiens here since they have revenge from a 3-2 loss at Carolina Friday and because the Habs are off of a loss. However, the problem with that theory is the simple fact that Montreal is struggling right now. The Canadiens are slumping with 4 losses in their past 5 games. Also, this is a tough scheduling spot for Montreal as they are off of back to back divisional games against Toronto and Ottawa and they now have another big divisional game (at Detroit) on deck. As for Carolina, they are red hot overall and also riding the strength of a red hot goalie in Cam Ward. The Hurricanes have won 5 straight games and Ward has been between the pipes for all of them and he and the Canes have allowed a TOTAL of only 5 goals in these 5 games! This is in stark contrast to a Canadiens team that has given up at least 3 goals in 4 of their last 5 games. Also, even when playing with revenge, Montreal has a losing record this season and a losing record the past three seasons combined as well. Look for the Canes to make it 6 in a row with another upset win at a great price. 8* CAROLINA as a big dog on Thanksgiving |
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11-23-16 | Penguins +107 v. Rangers | 6-1 | Win | 107 | 9 h 39 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #55 Wednesday - 8* Pittsburgh Penguins Money Line (+) @ New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in Monday's game, the Penguins allowed 5 unanswered goals to the Rangers the rest of the way in Pittsburgh. Now it is time for the rematch and this one is at Madison Square Garden in New York. Of course the good news with that is, since the Pens are on the road, we get an opportunity to back them as an underdog in a strong revenge spot. The Penguins are already a perfect 4-0 this season when off of a loss by a multiple goal margin in their prior game. Also, Pittsburgh will have Matt Murray between the pipes tonight and he's clearly been the superior goalie for the Penguins this season. While Marc-Andre Fleury has struggled, Murray is now 5-1 with a fantastic .945 save percentage so far this season! The Penguins have dominated the Rangers long-term and I don't expect them to lose two straight. In fact, the Pens (including post-season action) had won 7 of the 8 prior meetings. By the way, the average margin of victory in those 7 wins was a 2.7 goal margin per W! The absence of Mika Zibanejad and Pavel Buchnevich (both injured forwards) will be felt more by the Rangers in this game as they face a fired up and revenge-minded Pens team here. 8* PITTSBURGH |
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11-22-16 | Flyers +121 v. Panthers | 3-1 | Win | 121 | 8 h 52 m | Show | |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 Tuesday - 8* Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ Florida Panthers @ 7:35 ET - The Flyers didn't just lose on Saturday versus the Lighting, they got embarrassed by an ugly 3-0 final AND this was on home ice. The last 4 times that the Flyers have suffered a home loss by a margin of 3 goals or more, they have their next game all 4 times! Also, the Panthers enter this game off of back to back wins and they have not won 3 straight games so far this season! Also, when the Panthers are off of a win where they allowed at least two goals, they have gone just 1-4 (20%) in their next game. Off of the 3-2 win over the Rangers, an upset win for the Panthers, look for Florida to fall flat in this game as that was their biggest upset win so far this season. The Panthers are mired in a 1 for 17 stretch on the power play while the Flyers are 7-20 (35%) on the power play in their last 6 road games. 8* PHILADELPHIA FLYERS money line Tuesday |
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11-22-16 | Hurricanes +117 v. Maple Leafs | 2-1 | Win | 117 | 7 h 27 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #1 Tuesday - 8* Carolina Hurricanes Money Line (+) @ Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:05 ET - Many will be looking at Toronto here off of a loss and trying to bounce back at home. However, the Hurricanes are a red hot team with a white hot goalie and that means we are getting excellent line value here with the Canes as an underdog. Carolina has won 4 straight games and Cam Ward has been between the pipes for all of them. The Hurricanes have given up a total of only 4 goals in those games. The Canes have not only outshot their opponent in 3 of their last 4 games, the advantage has been dominating as the edge was double digits in each game averaging out to a margin of 13 shots more than their opponent in those 3 games. The Hurricanes have not allowed a power play goal in 9 straight games while the Maple Leafs have allowed 3 power play goals in their last 5 games while only scoring 1 in their last 4 games. By comparison, Carolina has 3 power play goals during their 4 game winning streak. Carolina has won 5 of the last 7 meetings between these clubs and also has won 10 of the last 15 at the Air Canada Centre. Plenty of value with the red hot road dog in this one as the Maple Leafs, when off of a divisional game, have a losing record this season and also have lost 42 of 66 the past 3 seasons combined. Toronto will struggle to get back on track after the loss at division rival Montreal. 8* Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday |
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11-20-16 | Flames +131 v. Red Wings | 3-2 | Win | 131 | 7 h 42 m | Show | |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #7 Sunday - 8* Calgary Flames Money Line (+) @ Detroit Red Wings @ 7:35 ET - The Flames are planning to rally without the services of Johnny Gaudreau and certainly it was a valiant effort on Friday at Chicago even though they came up short on the scoreboard as the Blackhawks got a very late game-winner. Calgary outshot the Hawks by a 30-24 count and the Flames and they have now gone 6 straight games with being outshot. It's been a full two weeks since Calgary was outshot in a game. As for the Red Wings, they are off of a 1-0 loss at Washington but that was the 3rd time in their last 4 games that they were outshot. Both teams have Buffalo on deck but that is a bigger deal for the Red Wings than the Flames since that is a divisional foe of Detroit's. Make not mistake about it Calgary wants this game badly at the Joe as they lost here 4-2 last December. The Red Wings have lost 15 of their last 24 Sunday games (including both this season) and, with losses in 8 of their last 10 games, Detroit just doesn't even warrant being in this price range on home ice. The Red Wings also are dealing with some injury concerns with their wingers and centermen. It's not a good spot for Detroit. Grab the underdog value here as the Flames are hungry. 8* CALGARY on the money line Sunday evening |
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11-19-16 | Devils +131 v. Kings | 2-4 | Loss | -100 | 5 h 5 m | Show | |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Saturday - 8* New Jersey Devils Money Line (+) @ Los Angeles Kings @ 4 ET - Perfect set up here in so many ways. First off the Devils are off of a loss where they outshot their opponent and they had previously won five straight. Also, the Kings are off of a win but they were outshot by their opponent and they had previously lost four straight. Making the situation even better for the Devils though is that they're simply working on a west coast road trip here and they have a game at San Jose on deck for Monday. However, the Kings actually have a huge rivalry game at Anaheim tomorrow so this is a definite lookahead situation for LA. Also, Los Angeles will be impacted by the absence of centerman Anze Kopitar for this game and the Kings continue to battle injury situations as, already without #1 goalie Jonathan Quick, #3 goalie Jeff Zatkoff is dealing with a groin injury. Considering this is the front end of a back to back for LA it is putting a lot of pressure on #2 goalie Peter Budaj given the situation. The Kings had lost 7 of 10 before their win over the Oilers and LA scored a TOTAL of only 5 goals in those SEVEN defeats! They'll struggle to score against a Devils team that allowed a TOTAL of only 7 goals in their FIVE game winning streak. NJ has won each of their last two visits to LA and also held them to a total of only 1 goal in the two meetings between the clubs last season. More of the same in this one! 8* NEW JERSEY DEVILS money line Saturday afternoon |
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11-17-16 | Jets +126 v. Flyers | 2-5 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 43 m | Show | |
PA Insider - Rickenbach NHL Game #51 Thursday - 8* Winnipeg Jets Money Line (+) @ Philadelphia Flyers @ 7:05 ET - Two teams going in opposite directions right now and the Flyers also are in an Eastern Conference sandwich (off a game against Ottawa and have Tampa Bay on deck) while the Jets are beginning an East Coast road trip so no lookahead here. Philadelphia has lost 4 of their last 5 games while Winnipeg has won 4 of their last 5 games. Even though the Jets are off of a shutout win over a divisional foe, Winnipeg has been strong this season (won 4 of 6) when off of a divisional game. Also, when off of a shutout win, the Jets did lose earlier this season but they had won 6 of 9 when off of a shutout win the past two seasons. They're winning with defense (6-0 to the under after a divisional game) and they'll hold the edge there against a Flyers team that ranks among the league's worst in goals allowed. Philly has lost 4 of 6 non-conference games this season and also has lost 4 of 6 when they are at home in a game with a posted total of 5.5 goals. That makes this an ideal spot to grab the road dog value. 8* WINNIPEG Thursday |
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11-17-16 | Lightning -130 v. Sabres | 4-1 | Win | 100 | 5 h 30 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Thursday - 8* Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line -130 @ Buffalo Sabres @ 7:05 ET - The Lightning have some injury issues here and that has resulted in this line dropping all the way down from as high as a -180 all the way down to as low as a -130 as of early afternoon Thursday. This is an insane line move in my opinion because Buffalo also has some injury issues and let's not forget that the Sabres come into this game having lost 5 straight games. Additionally, Buffalo had one of the worst records in the league in home games last season while the Lightning won more than half their road games last season. Tampa Bay is already taking care of business this season against lesser foes as they have won 6 of their 8 games against teams with a losing record while the Sabres home struggles have continued with only 1 win in their 8 home games. Even worse news for Buffalo is the fact that Tampa Bay has revenge in this game as they lost at home against the Sabres in their most recent meeting which was back in November of last season. Tampa Bay has won 3 of their last 4 visits to Buffalo and the Lightning has won their other 4 home meetings with the Sabres in recent seasons. In other words, that home loss was a rare one and you can expect the Lighting to get payback against a club they have dominated. The Sabres have been held to 2 goals or less in 8 straight games! The Lightning have scored 4 goals or more in 5 of their last 8 games. Big difference between these clubs and they BOTH have injury issues tonight so I'll gladly take advantage of the line move here and lay it with the Bolts. *8 TAMPA BAY Thursday |
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11-15-16 | Panthers v. Canadiens -140 | 4-3 | Loss | -140 | 8 h 3 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #60 Tuesday - 8* Montreal Canadiens Money Line (-) vs Florida Panthers @ 7:35 ET - I normally don't play favorites but I always am on the lookout for value and there was no way I was going to pass up the value being afforded by the line move in this one. After opening up at a -170, the line on the Canadiens has dropped all the way down to a -140. Keep in mind, Montreal is off of a loss and they have not lost two straight games all season. Also, Florida is off of a win and the Panthers have not managed back to back wins since they won their first two games this season. Also, Florida's win was a big one as it was another playoff rematch with the Islanders. As for the Habs, they have two full off days on deck after this game and then they are playing a standalone road game. That said, this is Montreal's only home game that is between the 12th and the 19th and they want to make the most of it. Remember last spring when disappointment shrouded the entire nation of Canada because none of the Canadian teams made the NHL post-season? Three straight Panthers wins over the Canadiens between mid-March and early April had a lot to do with that as Montreal falling well back in the playoff race and those points could have changed momentum to say the least. The Canadiens are looking to get some payback here and they are 10-0 at home this season! Florida has just 1 win in their 7 road games this season. 8* MONTREAL Tuesday |
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11-14-16 | Lightning -123 v. Islanders | 4-0 | Win | 100 | 9 h 1 m | Show | |
No Doubt Blowout Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #1 Monday - 8* Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line (-) @ New York Islanders @ 7:05 ET - The Islanders were eliminated from the post-season by the Lightning last season. However, they have had two chances already to avenge that exit from the playoffs and, not only have they been unable to get a W, they've lost badly. The Isles have lost by a combined count of 10 to 2 in the two early season rematches. The fact is that the Lightning simply have their number and have won 6 straight match-ups dating back to April. Incredibly, the Islanders have been held to 1 goal or less in 5 of those 6 games. It is hard to win when you can't find the back of the net and the Isles come into this game having lost 7 of their last 9 games overall and scoring only 2 goals or less in 6 of those 7 losses. The Lightning are fired up as they are off of a loss and they feel that their play has been a bit inconsistent of late. Sometimes the best thing for a club that is having a situation like that is to go on a road trip. Tonight's game is the first of a five game road trip for the Bolts and they're hungry to get off to a strong start. Before their 3-1 loss to San Jose the Lightning had scored at least 3 goals in 4 of their 5 prior games. TB has won 34 of 50 (68%) when off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more. The Islanders have won just 2 of 8 (25%) when playing with revenge this season. 8* TAMPA BAY money line Monday |
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11-11-16 | Flyers -109 v. Maple Leafs | Top | 3-6 | Loss | -109 | 11 h 24 m | Show |
Double Perfect Top - Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Friday - 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (-) @ Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:05 ET - The Maple Leafs are off of a 7-0 home loss to the LA Kings Tuesday. Toronto would love to bounce back of course but they truly "had it coming" as they have not been playing very well. The Leafs were winning but still giving up way too many shots on goal and it finally caught up with them against Los Angeles. The Maple Leafs have allowed more than 40 shots on goal in 3 of their last 4 games and they'll now be challenged by a Flyers club that is off of back to back losses. Only once this season has Philly lost three straight and remember they had one of the best runs in the league from January through April of last season. Brayden Schenn is moving back to being a top line left winger after spending some time as a 3rd line center for the Flyers. Look for Schenn's reuniting with Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds on the top line to give Philadelphia a boost. They were flat against the Red Wings Wednesday. While many will be looking to the Maple Leafs for a response here, this is a Toronto club that has lost 42 of 59 games when they are off of a contest where they were held to 1 goal or less! The road team has won each of the last 3 meetings between these clubs and the Flyers are already 2-0 this season when off of a loss where they were held to 2 goals or less. Philly won those two games by a combined score of 10 to 6 and they roll again here. 10* PHILADELPHIA Friday |
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11-10-16 | Sharks -105 v. Panthers | Top | 4-2 | Win | 100 | 7 h 19 m | Show |
Top Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #7 Thursday - 10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line (-) @ Florida Panthers @ 7:35 ET - The Sharks have a big situational edge here. Not only was San Jose the best team in the league last season on the road, they catch Florida in a very tough scheduling spot. Even though the Panthers are at home and had two days off before this game, they are coming off of a huge win over the in-state rival Lightning. Not only that, Florida has a huge home date with the Islanders on deck for Saturday. It was the Isles whom ended the Panthers season last spring in the playoffs and this will be the first shot that Florida has had at revenge. That said, this is truly a "sandwich spot" for the Panthers coming off of a big win over the Bolts and having a big revenge game on deck with the Islanders. The Sharks got back on track with a 3-0 road win at Washington to start off their 6-game road trip on the right foot. After some ups and downs early this season, San Jose has this road trip "circled" as an opportunity to "get right" and the Sharks won 28 of their 41 road games last season! The Panthers beat Tampa Bay on Monday by a 3-1 final and Florida is 0-3 this season when off of a win by 2 goals or more. 10* SAN JOSE money line Thursday |
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11-09-16 | Blackhawks +113 v. Blues | 2-1 | Win | 113 | 14 h 17 m | Show | |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #55 Wednesday - 8* Chicago Blackhawks Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - The Blues eliminated the Blackhawks from the post-season last spring in an epic 7 game battle. The Hawks had their first shot at revenge on opening night this season but Chicago was beaten badly by a 5-2 count. That was part of a 2-game losing streak for the Blackhawks to open up this season but they've since won 9 of their last 11 including 6 straight! Chicago brings that 6-game winning streak into tonight's match-up and it's a big confidence boost as they look to get their revenge here. The Blackhawks have averaged nearly 4 goals per game during this 11-game stretch and they'll take advantage of a Blues team that was struggling to score goals prior to their 5-1 victory over Colorado Sunday. Prior to that win St Louis had been held to 2 goals or less in 8 of their previous 9 games. The Blackhawks have been the better power play team so far this season. As for the penalty kill, Chicago has some atrocious full season numbers due to a very poor start to the season but the Blackhawks have allowed only 1 power play goal in 16 chances for the opposition spanning their last 5 games. In comparison, note that St Louis has allowed 3 power plays goals in their last 4 games. Chicago has gone 5-1 already this season when playing with home loss revenge. The Blackhawks will look to avenge that October 12th loss tonight as they also get some measure of revenge for last spring's playoff exit. The Blues are 0-3 this season when playing with two days of rest so a combined 8-1 (89%) run in favor of the road dog is in play in this one. 8* CHICAGO money line Wednesday |
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11-08-16 | Senators +145 v. Predators | Top | 1-3 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 1 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL Game #17 Tuesday - 10* Top Play Ottawa Senators Money Line (+) @ Nashville Predators @ 8:05 ET - The Senators have allowed a total of only 3 goals in their last 4 games. Overall, the Sens had given up 1 goal or less in 4 of their 5 prior games (all 4 were wins) before a 2-1 home loss to Buffalo on Saturday. That defeat has Ottawa fired up for this game and they gave up 11 goals in losing both games to Nashville last season. It is time for a little payback and the Sens are catching the Predators at the right time. The Preds have had a rough start to the season as they are trying to make all the pieces fit after some off-season changes. Nashville has lost 8 of their last 10 games. The Predators also have a big game on deck with the division rival Blues for Thursday. The Senators are already 4-1 against the Western Conference this season and they keep that hot streak going here. 10* OTTAWA money line Tuesday |
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11-08-16 | Oilers +185 v. Penguins | 3-4 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 57 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #1 Tuesday - 8* Edmonton Oilers Money Line (+) @ Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - The Penguins, of course, are the defending Stanley Cup Champions. However, the Oilers are simply being given no respect here. Yes, Edmonton does have some nagging injury issues but they are nearly a 2 to 1 dog here even though they have a record that is identical to that of Pittsburgh's. Also, from a situational standpoint, this one actually favors Edmonton even though is the Pens that are at home. The Penguins are back home after a 4 game road trip that wrapped up with 3 games out west. Oftentimes the toughest scenario for a team (even when some days off are alotted) is their first game back east after a lengthy west coast road trip. Don't be surprised if the Penguins are a little sluggish here and you'd better believe that Connor McDavid and the Oilers are hungry to take down Sidney Crosby and the Pens in this one. The advantage for the Oilers is that they've already been out east on this road trip as this will be their 5th and final game played in the Eastern time zone before heading back west. Coming off of back to back road wins, Edmonton is filled with confidence right now and, last season, the road team won each of the two meetings between these clubs. The Oilers are 5-1-1 on the road this season and simply being given no respect here as a nearly 2 to 1 dog in this spot. Taking this season combined with the past 2 seasons, the Penguins have a losing record (and down 13.8 net units) when they are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. First meeting between McDavid and Crosby and the Oilers are amped up to the extreme for this game. 8* EDMONTON money line Tuesday |
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11-07-16 | Canucks +170 v. Islanders | 2-4 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 59 m | Show | |
NHL TV Smash Pass - Rickenbach NHL Game #51 Monday - 8* Vancouver Canucks Money Line (+) @ New York Islanders @ 7:05 ET - The big dog Canucks have a great shot at the upset here. The road team won both match-ups between these clubs last season. Vancouver has won each of their trips to Long Island the past two seasons. Also, the Islanders have a huge game on deck as they face Tampa Bay. Not only did the Lightning embarrass the Isles at home a week ago, it was the Bolts who knocked the Islanders out of the playoffs in the 2nd round last spring. That said, the Isles might get caught peeking ahead to the rematch which looms on Wednesday. Even though the Canucks are mired in a losing streak, the Islanders have lost 5 of their last 6 games and they simply don't merit being a 2 to 1 favorite in this spot. This is especially true when you consider the big game at Tampa Bay that is on deck. Looks like the Isles could be without 3 of their top 6 defensemen tonight whereas the Canucks could have their top 2 D-men back for this one with Alexander Edler and Christopher Tanev. Either way, the big dog is absolutely worth an investment considering the Islanders current situation. 8* VANCOUVER money line early Monday evening |
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11-07-16 | Sabres +160 v. Bruins | 0-4 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 29 m | Show | |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Monday - 8* Buffalo Sabres Money Line (+) @ Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - The Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask seemed to tweak his lower body injury in the loss to the Rangers Saturday. Boston also has a big rivalry game on deck at Montreal for tomorrow night. It does appear that Rask is going to get the start tonight but he may not be 100%. Of course the Bruins options in this front-end of a back to back are quite limited as #2 goalie Anton Khubodin is currently out with an injury. That means rookie Zach McIntyre is the other option for the B's here and he has allowed 7 goals in 48 shots in his first two NHL appearances. The Bruins have struggled on special teams as they allowed a short-handed goal Saturday plus gave up 2 more power play goals. The Boston power play (7.7%!) has been an issue so far this season. Overall, the Bruins offense is struggling badly as they have been held to 2 goals or less in 7 of their last 8 games. That spells trouble as they face a surprisingly red hot Sabres team that has won 4 of their past 5 games and only allowed an average of 1 goal per game during this red hot 5-game stretch. While the Bruins have the Canadiens on deck for tomorrow night, Buffalo is off tomorrow. The Sabres are off of a win at Ottawa Saturday and, so far this season, they have gone 3-0 when they are off of a divisional game. The Bruins have lost 25 of 42 when they are off of a loss by two goals or more in their prior game. 8* BUFFALO |
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11-06-16 | Flames +186 v. Ducks | 1-4 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 37 m | Show | |
Value Smash - Rickenbach NHL Game #11 Sunday - 8* Calgary Flames Money Line (+) @ Anaheim Ducks @ 9:35 ET - The big dog is worth the investment here. We're catching the Flames very fired up off of an embarrassing 5-0 loss at LA last night. They now face Anaheim the very next night so, although it is a back to back situation, no travel was involved. Also, the Flames are wrapping up a 4 game road trip and don't play again until Thursday in Calgary. That said, this is their one and only chance for awhile where they have the opportunity to make up for a bad loss. As for the Ducks, they are off of a great game but they have yet to put together back to back strong games this season. Anaheim just beat Arizona 5-1 Friday but the Ducks are 0-3 this season when they are off of a win by a multiple goal margin in their prior game. They are having trouble with consistency in coach Randy Carlylye's return to Anaheim and I expect that to continue tonight as this is a Ducks team that had been held to 2 goals or less in 7 of their first 11 games this season prior to the big 5-goal outburst against the Coyotes Friday. The Flames had scored 3 goals or more in 8 of their first 12 games this season before being shutout for the first time this season in their ugly loss to the Kings last night. Look for the Flames to respond in a big way tonight and, even though this is a back to back, goalie Chad Johnson has saved 56 of 59 shots in his 2 road starts this season and he got the win at San Jose Thursday. Yes, the Flames already had 3 wins as big dogs (+160 or more) in their last 4 road games before the ugly effort in Los Angeles. They respond across town in Anaheim tonight and I expect them to "shock" for the 4th time in their last 6 road games. 8* CALGARY money line |
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11-05-16 | Flyers +130 v. Canadiens | 4-5 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 5 m | Show | |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #55 Saturday - 8* Philadelphia Flyers Money Line +130 vs Montreal Canadiens @ 7:05 ET - Many will look for the Habs to bounce back off of their most embarrassing loss since 1942. Yes, it is true that Montreal lost 10 to 0 for the first time in 74 years but that doesn't mean they're guaranteed to bounce back. This is truly a tough spot for the Canadiens. It is a back to back with travel involved and even though Montreal is back home they are hosting a Flyers team playing with revenge from a loss at the Bell Centre a couple weeks ago. Additionally the Flyers are "feeling it" right now as they continue to pile up come from behind wins. Overally, Philly is on a 3-game streak entering this Saturday match-up and I feel it was an egregious error on the part of the Habs management to leave Al Montoya in goal yesterday and allow him to give up 10 goals. Yes, Carey Price will be back in goal tonight but the entire team is deflated about what happened yesterday. Montreal is now facing the wrong team at the wrong time because the Flyers have all the confidence in the world right now and they are also seeking payback here. Also, the Canadiens have their most hated rival, Boston, on the schedule next. Look for the Flyers to upset the embarrassed Habs who certainly could have used a day off after what happened to them last time. 8* PHILADELPHIA |
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11-03-16 | Blues v. Stars -103 | 2-6 | Win | 100 | 7 h 57 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #66 Thursday - 8* Dallas Stars Money Line (-) vs St Louis Blues @ 8:35 ET - SIX to ONE home LOSS. That is how the Stars season ended last spring when they were eliminated from the post-season by the Blues in a grueling 7-game series that wrapped up on May 11th. You can bet that Dallas is fired up about their first opportunity at revenge this season. Granted, the Stars have been dealing with some injury issues up front and this has certainly impacted them. However, Dallas did outplay the Blue Jackets Tuesday (and that game was on the road) but the Stars allowed the tying goal with just 15 seconds left and then went on to lose the game in OT. It was a tough loss for Dallas but that has simply increased their hunger for this game tonight which is a huge revenge opportunity for the Stars on home ice. Keep in mind, Dallas is 2-2 on home ice this season so their ugly record so far this season has a lot to do with struggling away from home (including tough losses like they just had against the Jackets). Even with the Stars having some injury issues to their wingers, the Blues are having their own issues right now as their offensive production has been held to 1 goal or less in 6 of their last 7 games. St Louis has been outscored by a combined score of 16 to 5 in those 6 games and I look for the hungry Stars to exact revenge as the Blues scoring woes continue here. Look for the Stars to improve to 3-0 in home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals this seaon while the Blues drop to 0-3 this season in games where they are off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. St Louis got drilled 5-0 in their most recent game. 8* DALLAS STARS money line Thursday |
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11-03-16 | Canucks +150 v. Senators | 0-1 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 22 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #59 Thursday - 8* Vancouver Canucks Money Line (+) @ Ottawa Senators @ 7:35 ET - The Canucks doubled up the Canadiens in shots on goal (42 to 21) last night in Montreal but they came up on the wrong end of the scoreboard 3 to 0. It wasn't a case of Vancouver only getting those shots because of trailing in the game. The Canucks actually dominated from the drop of the opening puck but simply ran into a hot goalie in Carey Price who had a fantastic game for the Habs. Vancouver is hungry to end their current losing streak and they showed that last night. Since they came up short, there is no doubt that the Canucks will give another huge effort tonight and I look for them to take advantage of facing the Senators #3 goalie as Michael Condon is getting this start. He is inexperienced as an NHL starter and I look for Vancouver to "cash in" tonight as they go from facing arguably the top netminder in the league to now facing a guy making his first start of the season and whom hasn't seen significant action at the NHL level since the 2014-15 season. Ottawa is off of back to back wins and also has a divisional opponent on deck. Also, the Canucks have revenge from a home shutout at the hands of the Sens last week. It is payback time. 8* VANCOUVER money line |
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11-03-16 | Maple Leafs v. Sabres +100 | 2-1 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 40 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #56 Thursday - 8* Buffalo Sabres Money Line (+) vs Toronto Maple Leafs - The Maple Leafs are getting a ton of attention here and this has resulted in fantastic line value with Buffalo on home ice and going from -140 to +100 in terms of pricing for this game. Toronto still has not won a road game this season and they've already played SIX of them! Also, the Maple Leafs come into this game off of a home win so it is not like they're coming in fired up off of a loss. Toronto also could get frustrated here because their offense is likely to be stifled by a Sabres team that has won 3 straight games and allowed only 2 goals TOTAL during this 3-game hot streak. The Maple Leafs have lost each of their last 4 games in Buffalo and they come into this game having been held to 2 goals or less in 3 of their last 4 road games this season. Look for the Leafs to drop to 0-7 on the road this season while the the Sabres make it 4 wins in a row! Toronto has lost 48 of their past 61 road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. 8* BUFFALO SABRES money line |
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11-02-16 | Red Wings v. Flyers -125 | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 10 h 51 m | Show | |
Watch-n-Win Blowout - Rickenbach NHL Game #4 Wednesday - 8* Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (-) vs Detroit Red Wings @ 8:05 ET - The Red Wings haven't won in Philadelphia in nearly 20 years. It's been an 0-11 run for Detroit in the City of Brotherly Love and their unlikely to end that streak tonight. The Red Wings are off of back to back losses and they face a Flyers team off of a road win that looks to ride the momentum from that victory by getting a big home win to erase the frustration of two tight losses in their last 2 home games. Detroit has been held to 2 goals or less in each of their last three games and they're facing a Flyers team that has scored 4 goals in 4 straight games and has scored 4 or more in 7 of their 10 games this season. Look for the Red Wings to struggle to match the Flyers scoring ability here as Philly continues to win the battles that lead to solid scoring chances. Overall, Philly is outshooting opponents by an average of about 3 shots per game while the Red Wings have been on the wrong side of shots on goal by 4.1 shots per game so far this season. The past two seasons Detroit lost 17 of 30 road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. The Flyers won 27 of 42 home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals the past two seasons. This is the only home game Philly has until they face Detroit again next week on Tuesday. That said, off of back to back losses in their last two home games, the Flyers are going to give a huge effort on home ice tonight. 8* PHILADELPHIA FLYERS money line Wednesday |
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11-02-16 | Canucks +196 v. Canadiens | 0-3 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 10 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #1 Wednesday - 8* Vancouver Canucks Money Line (+) @ Montreal Canadiens @ 7:35 ET - First off, a quick note about my picks last night, Dallas was up 2-1 and gave up tying goal with only 15 seconds left in regulation. They then lost in OT. Blackhawks under was 1-1 going to 3rd period and Chicago inexplicably got 4 goals to sneak it past the total of 5.5 goals. Tough to get burned like that but I will respond appropriately and, certainly, some bounces of the puck are due to come my way. There hasn't been much of that in my favor early this season. On to today's 1st of 2 NHL plays: Last season the Habs won 9 straight games to start their season and then traveled to Vancouver for a game on October 27. Montreal got drilled 5-1 to end their perfect start. This season a very similar situation has arisen. The Canadiens are 8-0-1 in their first 9 games (still not a single regulation loss) and they are facing the Canucks again in Game 10. The difference here is that the game is in Montreal. However, Vancouver needs this road trip and they are hungry to get it off to a strong start. The Canucks won their first 4 games this season only to then lose their next 5 (including an 0-3 on their recent homestand). When a team has struggled at home a road trip can end up being the best remedy for the club. With tonight's game, Vancouver begins a 6-game road swing back east. The Canucks have won 36 of 68 in non-conference action in recent seasons. While that is not that impressive, let's not forget they are a 2 to 1 underdog tonight and Montreal has lost 36 of 57 (costing their backers -22.3 net units) in non-conference action. The Habs already got revenge against the Canucks when they snuck by them 4-3 in November of last season. The point is that the motivational edges here are clearly with a very hungry underdog that has had 3 full days off to think about where they stand now and how badly they want to get back on track in their next game. At the same time, the Canadiens have had 3 full days off to think about how great they've played during their current 7-game winning streak and I would not be surprised to seem them overconfident tonight and it will be the Canucks skating circles around the Habs and getting a big underdog win. 8* VANCOUVER on the money line in early evening action Wednesday |
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11-01-16 | Lightning v. Islanders +103 | 6-1 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 57 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #56 Tuesday - 8* New York Islanders Money Line (+) vs Tampa Bay Lightning @ 7:35 ET - This is a big revenge game for the Isles who were eliminated by the Bolts in 5 games in May. The Islanders won game one and then the Lightning took 4 straight. The Isles certainly haven't forgotten about that and their catching the Bolts at the right time to exact revenge. The Lightning are wrapping up a 6 game road trip and they've lost each of their last three games and only scored 1 goal in each defeat. It will be tough for Tampa Bay to get on track considering the intensity that the Islanders are going to bring to the ice for this one. The Isles have won 4 of their 6 home games so far on the young season and this is just their 2nd game in 5 days so they are well rested. The Lightning are playing their 5th game in 8 nights and they've all been on the road. The Isles are off of a big 5-1 confidence-building win over the Maple Leafs in their most recent game. The Islanders have won 40 of 66 home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. The Lightning have only won 27 of their last 52 road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. The Bolts are unlikely to "get right" until they get back home and I am forecasting their 4th straight road loss tonight. 8* NEW YORK ISLANDERS money line Tuesday |
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11-01-16 | Stars -101 v. Blue Jackets | 2-3 | Loss | -101 | 7 h 18 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Tuesday - 8* Dallas Stars Money Line (-) @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - Not only are the Stars off of a shutout loss, the Blue Jackets are off of a shutout win. Hold on...it gets even better in terms of situational value. The only other shutout that these teams have been involved in this season is when Columbus beat the Stars in Dallas back on October 22nd. Needless to say, the Jackets are facing a fired up Dallas club tonight. Yes, the Stars have had some issues with injuries up front already this season. However, they still have enough healthy firepower to exact "road revenge" tonight at Columbus. From a technical standpoint, the Stars have won 18 of 26 when they are off of a game where they were held to one goal or less. Also, when playing with 2 days of rest the Stars have won 27 of 39 and that includes a perfect 2-0 mark already early this season. The Blue Jackets have lost 3 of 4 when off of a shutout win. Also, Columbus has lost 12 of 18 when they enter a game having played each of their prior 3 games on the road. Also, when on a streak of 3 or more consecutive unders, the Jackets have lost 87 of 139. Simply put, the Blue Jackets aren't going to be able to keep up with a revenging Stars club that will be flying all over the ice tonight. 8* DALLAS STARS money line Tuesday |
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10-29-16 | Penguins v. Flyers +110 | 5-4 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 11 m | Show | |
NHL Network Smash Pass - Rickenbach NHL Game #54 Saturday - 8* Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - The Pens are the biggest rival of the Flyers and this is the Penguins first trip to Philly since they won the Stanley Cup last June. Of course that just intensifies this rivalry and Philadelphia will undoubtedly bring their "A game" for this match-up. Rivalries tend to be an equalizer between teams and that is why the Flyers give Pittsburgh a lot of trouble even though the Penguins are the more talented team. The Flyers have split their last 4 match-ups at Pittsburgh and they've won 3 of the last 4 here in Philly. That is not a bad success rate at all and I'll gladly take them here in the home underdog role. The Flyers 5-3 mark against the Pens has netted 4.1 net units and again the underdog value (particularly at home where they've gone 3-1 against Pittsburgh) keys this play. The Penguins have lost 25 of 40 (and cost their backers -$15,000 at a dime per game) in road games where the posted total is 5.5 goals. The Pens are already 0-2 this season in that role. The Flyers are 28-16 (+$8,600) in home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. Philly is known for 'stepping up' against quality foes (remember the post-season last spring?) and, after a sluggish start to this season (a bit of up and down) they get a statement win here. 8* PHILADELPHIA FLYERS money line Saturday |
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10-27-16 | Wild v. Sabres +128 | 4-0 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 16 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #52 Thursday - 8* Buffalo Sabres Money Line (+) vs Minnesota Wild @ 7:05 ET - This is a solid home dog spot for Buffalo. Even though the Sabres lost on Tuesday night they actually played quite well. Anders Nilsson was in net and it is likely he could start again tonight. Buffalo had a 3 goal lead heading into the 3rd period but then got careless and did themselves in with penalties. The Sabres allowed 3 third period goals (all on the power play) as the Flyers tied it up and then won in the shootout. Even though Buffalo is now on a 3 game winning streak the first loss came in overtime. Then, the past two losses have seen the Sabres lose two more tight games and they allowed only one non-power play goal in these two games. The point is that Buffalo has been playing solid 5 on 5 hockey and simply has had some tough bounces during this 3-game streak. The Wild are off of a dominating 5-0 win Tuesday at Boston and they have a big home game on deck with division rival Dallas. That makes this a flat spot for Minny and I would not be surprised to see them struggle here as Buffalo is so hungry for a win. This is only their 2nd home game of the season and they did lose their home opener two weeks ago. Look for the Sabres to make the most of this opportunity on home ice. The Wild have struggled away from Minnesota with losses in 3 of their first 4 road games this season. More of the same tonight which means home dog value with the Sabres here. 8* BUFFALO money line Thursday evening |
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10-26-16 | Canadiens v. Islanders -113 | 3-2 | Loss | -113 | 13 h 1 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #2 Wednesday - 8* New York Islanders Money Line (-) vs Montreal Canadiens @ 7:05 ET - Al Montoya will be in goal for the Habs tonight. Though he has played very well early this season, Carey Price is still the #1 netminder for the Canadiens with good reason. Price is being saved for tomorrow's game with the Lightning. Note that this is indeed a significant lookahead spot for the Habs as it was Tampa Bay that knocked them out in the 2nd round of the post-season in the spring of 2015. Montreal could certainly be peeking ahead to that game while, for the Isles, there is no way they are looking ahead to tomorrow's game with Pittsburgh. That's because the Islanders have lost all 6 games with the Canadiens the past two seasons and it is time for a little payback tonight. Montreal is on a 4-game winning streak but this looks like a flat spot for them and it is easy to get a little complacent when winning. The Canadiens have a long-term run of losing 95 of 182 (a cumulative loss of $23,500 at a $1K per game) when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 games or more. The Islanders have gotten off to fast starts in recent seasons and they have won 3 of their last 4 games entering this one. In games against teams with a winning record prior to the All Star break, the Islanders are on a 24-14 (+$10,800) run! Look for the Isles to again be at their best in this revenge spot tonight. 8* NEW YORK ISLANDERS money line Wednesday |
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10-25-16 | Jets v. Stars -141 | 2-3 | Win | 100 | 9 h 53 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #66 Tuesday - 8* Dallas Stars Money Line (-) vs Winnipeg Jets @ 8:35 ET - I am well aware of the fact that the Stars have some injury issues impacting their forwards. There is no doubt about those injuries certainly being a concern. However, this is still a Dallas team that was the top team in the Western Conference in the regular season last year. The Stars are facing a Jets team that, last season, finished at the bottom of the Central Division. Of course it was Dallas that was at the top of the division. Even though I do expect the Jets to show improvement this season there is still incredible line value here to be able to get the Stars in the -140 price range on home ice when they are off of a home shutout loss! Dallas has won 17 of their last 24 games when they are off of a game where they were held to 1 goal or less. The Jets are also off of a home shutout loss but they actually had a losing record over the past two seasons when off of a game where they were held to one goal or less. Also, Winnipeg's loss was in that big outdoor game versus Edmonton and that was a game the Jets wanted badly. It is tough to get up for the next one after a deflating effort in a big game like that was in the Heritage Classic north of the border. As for the Stars, they also have a rest edge here as, while the Jets played Sunday, Dallas hasn't played since Saturday and they have won 26 of their last 38 games when they enter off of two days of rest. 8* DALLAS STARS money line Tuesday Night. |
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10-25-16 | Sabres v. Flyers -143 | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 8 h 9 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #58 Tuesday - 8* Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (-) vs Buffalo @ 7:35 ET - The Flyers lost 3-1 at Montreal last night. Now they return to home ice where they won 6-3 over Carolina on Saturday. Philadelphia has won 27 of their last 42 home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals and the Sabres have lost 21 of their last 32 road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals. Buffalo is rested here as they have been off since the 20th. However, sometimes rest can lead to rust when there are too many days between games. This is especially true early in the season and the Sabres are wrapping up a 4-game road trip with tonight's match-up at Philly. Note that Buffalo has lost 12 of their last 14 when they enter a game having played 3 or more consecutive road games. This is a very fair price to have the superior team on home ice. Lay it! 8* PHILADELPHIA FLYERS Tuesday Night. |
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10-24-16 | Flames +154 v. Blackhawks | 3-2 | Win | 154 | 9 h 17 m | Show | |
Watch-n-Win Smash Pass - Rickenbach NHL Game #3 Monday - 8* Calgary Flames Money Line (+) @ Chicago Blackhawks @ 8:35 ET - The Blackhawks opened up as nearly 2 to 1 favorites in this game and the money line has come down quite dramatically since then. The fact is that you don't often see that unless there truly is good value on the underdog and that is absolutely what I am seeing here as well. Calgary is so hungry for a win and I like what the Flames have done with their goalies as well. The fact that they held out Brian Elliott against his former team (the Blues) on Saturday is going to get his head straight for this one. He is a fantastic goalie that is off to a tough start with Calgary but he'll come around and I expect a huge game from here. He has plenty of solid history against the Blackhawks from his time with the Blues. Being pushed by #2 goalie Chad Johnson is also going to help Elliott. Look for a big game from him here and they catching the Hawks at the right time. Chicago is coming off of a win over the Maple Leafs where they rallied and got the win in the shootout. The Blackhawks gave up 4 goals in that game and they are already 0-2 this season when off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. They have the worst penalty kill in the league as they've allowed 12 goals on 21 power plays. That is insanely bad. The Flames struggled on their three game homestand and oftentimes it helps a struggling team to get away from home and refocus. They only allowed 2 goals in their most recent road game and I expect another solid effort in their own end tonight as well. The key though will be taking advantage of a Blackhawks D and netminding combo that is allowing 3.7 goals per game this season. As noted above, the Flames are having even worse struggles in terms of goals allowed this season but with Calgary off of a loss and Chicago off of a win, the situation is ripe for the hungrier team to get the road upset here. Sometimes when a team wins (even though the allow a lot of goals) they forget how "fortunate" they were and the bad habits keep creeping up. Look for the Blackhawks to get caught looking ahead to their three day break that is coming up as, after tonight's game, they don't play again until Friday. I expect Chicago to drop to 0-3 in this season when off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. 8* CALGARY FLAMES money line Monday |
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10-24-16 | Flyers +145 v. Canadiens | 1-3 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 18 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #1 Monday - 8* Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ Montreal Canadiens @ 7:35 ET - Montreal is one of the "Original Six" in the NHL and the hard-fought histories between those clubs go way, way back. That said, when the Habs are off of a game against another "Original Six" team it is not surprising when they then fall flat in their next game. The Canadiens are off of a big 4-2 win at Boston Saturday night. The last four times they've faced the Bruins, they have then lost their next game 3 of 4 times. The lone exception in that stretch was not even a regulation win as the victory came in the shootout. As an another example, the last 3 times Montreal has faced Toronto, they've lost the next game all 3 times. As you can see, this could be a flat spot for the Habs and they are hosting a fired up Flyers team with a dangerous offense. Philadelphia scored 11 goals in their season-opening three game road trip and the Flyers come into this game off of a big game Saturday where they erupted for 6 goals on home ice. Steve Mason has been solid in goal for Philly in their last two games and this goal-tending battle with Michal Neuvirth (one good start, one bad thus far) will help bring out the best in both net-minders. The Canadiens are happy to have Carey Price back from illness but he faced a struggling Coyotes team and then only 21 shots by the Bruins in his first two starts back. The Flyers have registered at least 27 shots on goal in 4 of their 5 games tonight and they've had the better power play (in comparison with the Habs) early this season. This one has the makings of an upset with Montreal off of that big win over a division rival. Grab the line value with a hungry road dog here. 8* PHILADELPHIA FLYERS on the money line Monday |
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10-21-16 | Predators -108 v. Red Wings | Top | 3-5 | Loss | -108 | 11 h 49 m | Show |
NHL Network Smash - Rickenbach NHL Game #55 Friday - 10* Top Play Nashville Predators Money Line (-) @ Detroit Red Wings @ 7:35 ET - The Predators are a team on the rise and the Red Wings are a team on the decline. Detroit hopes to return to those glory years soon but they truly have lost some of their mojo with barely sneaking into the post-season last year after many years of big success. As for the Preds, the deal for PK Subban is part of a push that Nashville feels can push them closer to the ultimate prize and this team, off of back to back losses, is not a team that anyone would want to face. Adding to the motivation for the Predators is the fact that they not only lost both games to Detroit last season, the Red Wings got the best of them with winning both match-ups the prior season as well. Nashville is hungry to finally notch a win over the Red Wings and the Predators are off of a disappointing 2-1 home loss to the Stars that adds fuel to their fire here. In fact, when off of a game where they were held to 1 goal or less, the Preds have won 23 of their last 35 games and netting $10,000 for their backers at $1,000 per game in those 35 games. As for the Red Wings, they've been a money-burning -$6,600 in Friday games the past two seasons. That said, even though it's Friday night at The Joe, the Red Wings are facing the wrong team at the wrong time. Off back to back wins where Detroit allowed just a single goal in each game, a "let down" is in store here. As for the Predators, off of scoring just 1 goal versus Dallas, and looking to avenge past losses to the Red Wings, they're going to be flying all over the ice to notch the road win here tonight. Keep in mind, while the Preds have outshot their opponents overall on the season, the Red Wings have been outshot by a sizable 139 to 97 margin so far this season. 10* NASHVILLE money line Friday |
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10-20-16 | Capitals v. Panthers +110 | 4-2 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 3 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #10 Thursday - 8* Florida Panthers Money Line +110 vs Washington Capitals @ 7:35 ET - The Panthers are off of a tough loss at Tampa Bay but they are now back home where they are a perfect 2-0 this season. Also, they are a perfect 2-0 in their last two games against the Capitals and they dominated the Caps by a combined score of 9 to 3 in those two games. They are catching Washington at a good time as the Capitals are off of a 3 to 0 shutout home win but now are back on the road and they lost their only road game so far this season. Also, the Caps have a long-term mark of 49 losses in 93 games (-$13,300) when off of a shutout win. The Panthers have won 26 of 45 (+$8,900) when off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. While Florida has a non-conference opponent on deck, the Capitals have a big game with a tough divisional foe, New York Rangers, on deck for Saturday. Washington is in a flat spot here and the Panthers are hungry after suffering their first loss of the young season. 8* FLORIDA on the money line Thursday |
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10-20-16 | Avalanche +165 v. Lightning | 4-0 | Win | 165 | 9 h 0 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #11 Thursday - 8* Colorado Avalanche Money Line +165 @ Tampa Bay Lightning @ 7:35 ET - While it may seem risky to take a big dog, the payoff is so large that when the situation is right, it absolutely should be a part of your wagering repertoire. This is one of those cases. The Avalanche are off of an embarrassing 3-0 road loss at Washington Tuesday. The Avs have a knack for responding after games like that. Colorado has won 29 of 47 (+$17,800) when off of a game where they lost by a multiple-goal margin. Also, the Avalanche have won 23 of 35 (+$17,200) when off of a game where they were held to 1 goal or less. Not only are the Avs in a "play on" spot, the Lightning are in a "play against" spot. Tampa Bay is off of a 4-3 win (in the shootout) in a game where the Bolts were fortunate to even get to overtime as they rallied to tie the game at 3 with only 6 seconds left in regulation. Make no mistake about it, that was a big win for Tampa as they finished 2nd to Florida in the division last season and the Lightning wanted Tuesday's game badly. The Bolts are wrapping up a 4-game season opening homestand and teams can sometimes get complacent when home for too long. The Lightning are a good example of this as they have lost 130 of 229 (-$40,800) when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games at home. This has the makings of a big upset in non-conference action. 8* COLORADO on the money line Thursday |
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10-19-16 | Red Wings +142 v. Rangers | 2-1 | Win | 142 | 14 h 4 m | Show | |
Watch-n-Win Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #51 Wednesday - 8* Detroit Red Wings Money Line (+) @ New York Rangers @ 8:05 ET - The Red Wings are off of a solid 5-1 home win over Ottawa Monday. On deck is a non-conference home game with Nashville. That ensures proper focus here from a Detroit team that is fired up about notching their first road win of the season and evening up their overall record on the young season after dropping their first two road games. The Rangers situation is quite different here. They have a big divisional game on deck with the Capitals. Though the Rangers did lose their lone road game this season they are already a perfect 2-0 at home and it would not be a surprise if the Rangers are caught looking ahead here to their big road showdown at Washington. Also, New York has allowed at least 3 goals in all 3 of their games this season. Conversely, the Red Wings settled things down in their own end when they held the Senators to just 1 goal in Monday's game. The Rangers defense is likely to get Kevin Klein back but his back is bothering him and New York is likely to still be without Dan Girardi. Great line value here for the motivated road dog in this one. 8* DETROIT Wednesday |
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10-18-16 | Flyers +145 v. Blackhawks | Top | 4-7 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 25 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL Game #17 Tuesday - 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ Chicago Blackhawks @ 8:35 ET - The Blackhawks are off of a big win over Nashville Saturday but they still have lost 2 of their first 3 games and have been outshot 96 to 70 in those three contests. Also, Chicago has allowed 7 power plays goals in 13 opportunities for the opposition. The Flyers are dead even (60-60) in shots on goal so far this season and have allowed just 1 power play goal in 9 chances for opponents. Philadelphia feels good about earning 3 of 4 points thus far in this season opening road trip and the Flyers are fired up about wrapping it up properly tonight in Chicago before heading home for Thursday's home opener. The Blackhawks have had trouble with the Flyers historically as Philly has won 21 of the last 31 meetings including 3 of 4 the past two seasons. Of course this game carries special meaning for the Flyers as they lost to the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals in June of 2010. That is the only trip to the Finals that Philly has had in the past 19 years so of course it carries extra meaning for Philly even though only current captain Claude Giroux remains from that team. Michal Neuvirth is expected to be in goal for the Flyers tonight. He won his only start this season and also had a spectacular .981 save percentage in the playoffs last spring and a fantastic .924 save percentage in the regular season. Corey Crawford is certainly a great netminder for the Blackhawks but, dating back to last season, he has allowed 3 goals or more in 10 of his last 12 starts! Chicago has lost 10 of his last 13 starts and they lost his last 4 starts of the regular season last spring, then lost 4 of his 7 starts in the post-season, and now have lost his first two starts of this season. The upstart Flyers are catching him at the right time and note that Neuvirth has allowed 2 goals or less in 6 straight starts. He also started both games against the Blackhawks last season and beat them both times while allowing a total of only 2 goals in the two starts. More of the same Tuesday. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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10-18-16 | Stars v. Predators -129 | 2-1 | Loss | -129 | 12 h 2 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #14 Tuesday - 8* Nashville Predators Money Line (-) vs Dallas Stars @ 8:05 ET - Both teams are 1-1 so far on the season but I have been much more impressed with what I have seen from the Preds in comparison with the Stars. The Predators have outshot their opponents 63 to 51 in their first two games and they've been lethal on the power play with a 50% success rate so far. The Stars have been outshot by a 68 to 48 margin in their first two games and, as usual, have struggled on defense. Though the Predators are off of a loss where they allowed 5 goals, Pekka Rinne was not in goal that night for Nashville as it was a back to back spot. Back home and with Rinne back between the pipes, look for the Predators to take advantage of a struggling Stars defense. Also, Dallas has the more significant injury concerns entering this one with Cody Eakin and Mattias Janmark both out for this one and Alex Hemsky still a question mark for tonight. These are all guys from the top 3 lines that the Stars roll out there when healthy. The home team has won 4 of the last 5 meetings between these clubs and the Predators are seeking revenge for losing each of the two late-season meetings between these teams last spring in late March and early April. It is payback time. 8* NASHVILLE |
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10-18-16 | Ducks -110 v. Devils | 1-2 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 30 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #1 Tuesday - 8* Anaheim Ducks Money Line (-) @ New Jersey Devils @ 7:05 ET - Both these teams have struggled early this season with the Ducks winless in their three games and the Devils also winless in their first two games of the new season. Anaheim is the more likely team to bounce back. The Ducks are projected to be one of the top teams in the Pacific Division this season while New Jersey is likely to finish at the bottom of the Metro Division. Also, Anaheim has won each of the last 4 meetings including the most recent one in dominating fashion by a count of 7-1. The Ducks have also won 8 of 11 times when they enter a game on a losing streak of three games or more. Anaheim is in the 4th game of a 5 game road trip to open the season and they have won 22 of 31 when they enter a game having played each of their three prior games on the road. The Devils were last in the league on offense with just 2.22 goals per game last season and they are already off to a slow start this season with just 1.50 goals per game. 8* ANAHEIM |
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10-17-16 | Sharks -110 v. Rangers | 4-7 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 55 m | Show | |
NHL Network Smash - Rickenbach Game #51 Monday 8* San Jose Sharks Money Line (-) @ New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - The Sharks were the #1 road team in the NHL last season with 28 regular season road wins in 41 games. San Jose is already off to a 2-0 overall start this season including winning the first game of their five game road trip with a W at Columbus on Saturday. The Rangers are only 1-1 to start the season. Although they are expected to have back-up goalie Antti Raanta between the pipes for this one, that is not the key to this play. The fact is that Raanta is a "more than adequate" back-up. The problem for the #2 netminder is the defense in front of him. The Rangers were already without defenseman Kevin Klein and now Dan Girardi got hurt in Saturday's loss at St Louis. Both of these blue-liners are highly doubtful for tonight's game and they are among the top 4 defensemen that the Rangers have. The Sharks doubled up the Rangers with a 52-26 edge in shots when these teams met in San Jose in March. However, one of the few road losses the Sharks had last season was in New York when the Rangers won 4-0 to deliver one of the worst road losses of the season for San Jose. The Sharks haven't forgotten that and they take advantage of a weakened defense corps of the Rangers in this one. As strong as New York has been in recent seasons they still have only won half of their games against teams with a winning record the past two seasons. As for the Sharks in recent seasons, they have proven to be road warriors and they get the job done again here. 8* SAN JOSE SHARKS money line on Monday evening in the early game televised on the NHL Network |
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10-16-16 | Sabres +155 v. Oilers | 6-2 | Win | 155 | 8 h 35 m | Show | |
NHL Network Smash Pass - Rickenbach NHL Game #3 Sunday - 8* Buffalo Sabres Money Line +155 @ Edmonton Oilers @ 7:05 ET - The favorites have been crushing it in the NHL early this season but that simply will not continue. I don't know if I can ever recall so many early season NHL games without very many underdog winners. However, there will be more spots for upsets coming and this is one of them. Edmonton is not only 2-0 to start the season, they also got those two victories against their biggest rival. Winning the "Battle of Alberta" twice by knocking off their provincial rivals (Calgary Flames) was a huge way for the Oilers to begin their season. As impressive as that was it does not hide the fact that Edmonton did allow 7 goals in those 2 games and, if a team like the Sabres comes in and surprises them with some tough defense and an ability to slow the pace down, the Oilers could be in trouble here. Keep in mind, Edmonton is undoubtedly due for a letdown here and it is hard for the Oilers to really see the Sabres as a threat since they have swept them each of the past two seasons. However, Buffalo is a dangerous dog here as they are just beginning a West Coast road trip and they are not happy about the fact they began their season with a 4-1 home loss to the division rival Canadiens. That ensures proper motivation and hunger for the Sabres here and they are expected to have RW Kyle Okposo back for this one plus D Dimitry Kulikov could be back as well. Yes, Buffalo is still without Jack Eichel and they did lose Evander Kane but the point is the other two players returning helps offset that. I see big dog value here because Buffalo is catching the Oilers at the right time and the Sabres did outshoot Montreal 31 to 24 in their home opener while Edmonton has been outshot by 22 so far in their first two games. The Oilers have lost 29 of their last 43 when they are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. 8* BUFFALO money line Sunday evening |
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10-15-16 | Stars v. Avalanche +111 | 5-6 | Win | 111 | 9 h 31 m | Show | |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #72 Saturday - 8* Colorado Avalanche Money Line (+) vs Dallas Stars @ 9:05 ET - The Stars were outshot 35 to 20 in their home opener but managed to get the win over the Ducks on Thursday. They now face an old nemesis Saturday as Colorado finally gets their season underway and the Avalanche have gone 11-2-1 in their last 14 games against the Stars. It is like a "new beginning" in Colorado as head coach Patrick Roy stepped down on Aug. 11. That didn’t leave the Avs a lot of time but I expect the hiring of Jared Bednar to prove to be a good one in the long run. Bednar, last season, was the head coach of Lake Erie (now Cleveland) of the American Hockey League and led them to the Calder Cup championship. Bednar wants the Avalanche to play an up-tempo game and utilize the speed of their forwards up-front. Guys like Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon should be in for big seasons under Bednar. Though you can't put too much weight into pre-season certainly one has to give some credit to the fact that the Avs went 6-0 and were the only undefeated team in pre-season action. With a new coach, some hungry young players, and ticked off about the drop-off they've had the past two seasons, Colorado is anxious to get off to a strong start this season. After this game the Avalanche go on the road for nearly two full weeks. This is a big home game for the Avs and they catch the Stars off of a revenging win over the Ducks. That makes this a great spot to back the home dog. 8* COLORADO Saturday night |
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10-15-16 | Ducks +137 v. Penguins | 2-3 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 33 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #61 Saturday - 8* Anaheim Ducks Money Line (+) @ Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - The Penguins snuck out a tight win over Washington in their home opener. Not even overtime could decide that one as the Pens had to go to the shootout to get the W. Of course a win is a win but I wasn't overly impressed with the Penguins without Sidney Crosby in that game and some hungry Ducks are now flying into Pittsburgh for this one Saturday night. Anaheim jumped on the Stars in their season opener at Dallas Thursday but their 17-1 advantage in shots in the first period only led to a 1-1 tie. The game was tied at 2-2 in the 3rd period when the Stars got a big goal on their way to an eventual 4-2 win. Of course this has Anaheim even hungrier for this game as they know they wasted a great start at Dallas and they will hit the ice with the same energy for this Saturday game at Pittsburgh. The Ducks seek revenge for one of their worst losses last season as they lost 6-2 at Pittsburgh in February. It is time for a little payback here. 8* ANAHEIM early Saturday evening |
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10-14-16 | Flyers +122 v. Kings | 4-2 | Win | 122 | 12 h 6 m | Show | |
West Coast Smash Friday - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 - 8* Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ Los Angeles Kings @ 10:35 ET - For those of you following along with my hockey early this season it has been a tough first two days as I have a one-goal loss, an OT loss, and a SO loss already. I did have one loss by more than a goal but my lone win was by a margin of 3 goals so, the point is, hang in there. It is a long season and the puck will start to bounce my way on closer games. It has certainly been surprising to see so many favorites winning early this season and the "blind chalk" players (basically they play favorites just because they are favored!) are cleaning up but that doesn't last. There have been very few dog wins in the first two days of the new NHL season but this certainly looks like a great spot for one Friday night. The Kings just had their 'worst case scenario' happen as starting goalie Jonathan Quick hurt his back in the loss to the Sharks on opening night. That means Jeff Zatkoff gets the start for the Kings tonight and he only won 4 of his 11 starts with the Stanley Cup Champion Penguins last season. The Kings are also without a pair of top wingers as Tanner Pearson is serving a suspension and Marian Gaborik is out with a broken foot. That hurts Los Angeles and balances out with the fact that the Flyers are without a pair of defensemen as Radko Gudas is suspended and Michael Del Zotto is out with a lower body injury. Philadelphia is an up and coming team that responded well to new head coach Dave Hakstol last season. Keep in mind the Flyers were one of the best teams in the league in the 2nd half of last season as they adjusted to Hakstol's systems and they are now in their 2nd season with him behind the bench. That said, continued improvement is expected. The Kings are excited about their home opener but the injury to Quick coupled with a loss to the rival Sharks certainly put a damper on the festivities for tonight. The Flyers will come in and take advantage in their season opener and Philly only has Arizona on deck so their full focus is certainly on the Kings. 8* PHILADELPHIA Flyers money line Friday |
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10-13-16 | Capitals +104 v. Penguins | 2-3 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 50 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #63 Thursday - 8* Washington Capitals Money Line (+) @ Pittsburgh Penguins @ 8:05 ET - It is always tough to be the defending champs as the "target" is squarely on your backs. Not only is that the case here, but one of the teams the Penguins got past on their way to hoisting the cup in June was these Capitals. Washington is seeking revenge and their chances at getting it certainly improved with Sidney Crosby expected to miss this game with a concussion. Certainly the Penguins have proven time and time again that they are still one of the league's best even when Crosby is out. But there is no denying that missing the league's best player certainly hurts the league's best team! The Capitals have been waiting for 5 months for this shot at revenge and Alex Ovechkin and company will be flying all over the ice. The Penguins have won only 37 of 76 games against divisional opponents the past two seasons. The Capitals won 27 of their 41 road games last season. Not only was that tops in the Eastern Conference, only 3 other teams in the entire league also had more than 22 road wins last season. The highly motivated road warriors get the job done here against the Crosby-less Pens. 8* WASHINGTON |
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10-13-16 | Wild +120 v. Blues | 2-3 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 35 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #65 Thursday - 8* Minnesota Wild Money Line (+) @ St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - The Blues are in a back to back spot here and off of a big win at Chicago last night. St Louis benefited from a penalty-filled night for the Blackhawks last night that led to multiple 5 on 3 opportunities for the Blues and they took advantage after trailing 2-1 in the 2nd period. Now St Louis will be starting goalie Jake Allen in a back to back spot and this is not something their new #1 netminder has done much of in his career. Also, the Blues and Hawks is always a big battle and they knew Chicago wanted that game badly last night as the Blackhawks were seeking revenge for last spring's playoff exits at the hands of St Louis. With the Blues managing to pull out the win last night and spoil Chicago's home opener, don't be surprised if St Louis falls a little flat tonight and struggles with a Wild team that looks for a big game in their first match-up with the highly respected Bruce Boudreau behind the bench as their new head coach. Scheduling situation here should lead to an upset for the road team and nice underdog value here. 8* MINNESOTA |
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10-13-16 | Canadiens -125 v. Sabres | 4-1 | Win | 100 | 9 h 13 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Thursday - 8* Montreal Canadiens Money Line (-) @ Buffalo @ 7:05 ET - With the Canadiens on the road for this one and with Habs #1 goalie Cary Price out with the flu, this line has been kept lower than it normally would be for favored Montreal. The key here is that new #2 goalie, Al Montoya, is coming off of a solid campaign in Florida where he compiled a 2.18 GAA with a .919 save percentage. I personally watched this goalie develop during his years in San Antonio (I live near SA) with the Rampage in the AHL and he now gives the Habs a solid, dependable, veteran #2 for spots like this. Buffalo won only 16 home games last season and only two teams in the entire league won fewer match-ups at home. The Sabres also have some issues effecting their "top six" tonight. Buffalo's Ryan O'Reilly and Jack Eichel are out and Kyle Okposo is doubtful for tonight's game. That is half of the guys on the top two lines for Buffalo. This is a Sabres team that struggles to score goals and it will now be even tougher tonight. After last season's disappointment (unexpected by many) the Canadiens are fired up about getting this season off on the right foot. They've waited all summer for this. 8* MONTREAL |
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10-12-16 | Blues v. Blackhawks -119 | 5-2 | Loss | -119 | 7 h 3 m | Show | |
Watch-n-Win Special - Rickenbach NHL Game #4 Wednesday - 8* Chicago Blackhawks Money Line (-) vs St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - Huge revenge game for the Blackhawks. They rallied back from a 3-1 deficit in their series with the Blues in April by winning two straight including a big 6-3 win at home. However, Chicago then lost Game 7 at St Louis and they've been waiting over 5 months for this shot at revenge. It's not just the mental aspect here that favors the hungry Hawks either. In terms of physicality, the Blackhawks come into this season much fresher than they've been coming into other recent seasons. That's because Chicago is use to making long post-season runs. That said, off of last April's early playoff exit, the Hawks are fully prepared both mentally and physically as they enter the new season. The situation Wednesday is offering great line value with the Blackhawks available as such a short home favorite. Even though St Louis was a strong road team last season (and therefore is commanding respect from the odds makers and the betting markets), the Blues goal differential on the road was only +12 while the Blackhawks had a goal differential of +36 at home. The Blues are going through a transition this season with coach Ken Hitchcock making this his swan song while also associate Mike Yeo is groomed for the top spot. This is not the only coaching aspect that could bring a regression for St Louis this season. The fact that coach Brad Shaw (penalty kill) and coach Kirk Muller (power play) have moved on to Columbus and Montreal, respectively, is absolutely going to be impacting to the special teams play of St Louis and that normally was a strength for the Blues. Jake Allen is now the #1 goalie for the Blues after the trade of Brian Elliott to Calgary. Not only was Elliott the one who helped St Louis knock the Hawks out of the post-season in April, but Allen is also currently dealing with an ankle injury he suffered in pre-season action. Perfect situation here for the Blackhawks to get some payback. 8* CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS money line |
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10-12-16 | Maple Leafs +125 v. Senators | 4-5 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 21 m | Show | |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #1 - 8* Toronto Maple Leafs Money Line (+) @ Ottawa Senators @ 7:05 ET - The Leafs got what they wanted last season (in a way) as they finished dead last in the league and were able to get Auston Matthews in the draft. He's not the only big name addition for Toronto as they also acquired goalie Frederik Andersen from the Ducks. This is a Maple Leafs team that is still going to endure growing pains but is likely ready to leapfrog Ottawa in the Atlantic Division standings this season. The Leafs are hungry to get off to a strong start and we are getting line value here as they are on the road for their season opener. The Maple Leafs outshot the Senators in each of their four meetings last season but ended up on the wrong end of the scoreboard. It is time for a little payback for coach Mike Babock's team. The Senators have a new coach in Guy Boucher and a new GM in Pierre Dorion. Though this may pay dividends in the long-term the short-term could certainly be a little choppy as there will be an "adjustment phase" with Boucher behind the bench. The Sens will have Craig Anderson between the pipes for this one and he got off to a slow start last season and I look for a repeat of that this season. In his four home starts in October he allowed 3.75 goals per game. In his only start against the Maple Leafs in October he allowed 4 goals at Toronto. Grab the value with the road dog in this one. 8* TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS money line |
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06-12-16 | Penguins v. Sharks -105 | Top | 3-1 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 27 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line -105 vs Pittsburgh @ 8:05 ET - The Penguins have dominated shots on goal in this series. Yet this has been a very tight series with the victories coming by the slimmest of margins. The key reason the Sharks are still in this is because of the goalie edge and that is likely to be a key again Sunday as Martin Jones does it again and outduels Matt Murray. Pittsburgh's Murray has now lost 2 of his last 3 and allowed 3 goals in each defeat. The Penguins have a losing record this season when playing with two days of rest. The extra rest between games helps the team that is trying to come back in the series moreso than the team that is trying to close it out because, believe me, Pittsburgh is so anxious to get that fourth win and hoist the Stanley Cup. The pressure on the Penguins is huge and that is another factor in Sunday's Game 6 because the Sharks were essentially left for dead after they lost Game 4 in San Jose. The Sharks have won 17 of 27 this season (and 35 of 53 the last 3 seasons) when they have two days of rest between games. The Sharks have won 24 of their last 33 games against teams with a winning record. Also, San Jose had won 8 of their last 9 postseason home games before they lost Game 4 here earlier this week. The Sharks make up for that defeat tonight. *10* SAN JOSE |
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06-09-16 | Sharks +155 v. Penguins | 4-2 | Win | 155 | 13 h 5 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL *8* San Jose Sharks Money Line +160 @ Pittsburgh @ 8:05 ET - Make no mistake, the Penguins have outplayed the Sharks so far in this series. That said, I find it interesting that Pittsburgh opened up as only a -145 favorite in Game 5. Sure enough, the whole world had piled onto the Pens here and this line has been driven up to as high as a -180 as of 9:45 AM ET on gameday. Even though San Jose is down 3 games to 1 in this series. They truly have been "right there" most of the way. Yes, Pittsburgh has outplayed the Sharks but, in San Jose, the Sharks did start to turn the corner. They were very aggressive in Game 3 but had a lot of shots that simply didn't get on goal - credit the Penguins for that. Then, in Game 4, San Jose did outshoot the Pens for the game. The last time the Sharks faced elimination they beat Nashville 5-0 in a Game 7. San Jose will be the aggressor tonight and will dig deep for their best game of the post-season. They clearly are in the "value spot" with this line and I like their chances for the upset. The Sharks have won 23 of their last 32 games against teams with a winning record. Also, San Jose has won 23 of 32 road games with a posted total of 5 goals this season. When playing with home loss revenge the Sharks have won 17 of 26 this season and, when off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more, the Sharks have won 16 of 24 this season. *8* SAN JOSE |
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06-01-16 | Sharks +122 v. Penguins | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -100 | 33 h 46 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line +122 @ Pittsburgh @ 8:05 ET Wednesday - Whether it was the long layoff or not, the fact is the Sharks were back on their heels early in Game One and ended up digging themselves into a 2-0 hole in the first period. San Jose did respond with a solid second period to tie up the game entering the third and ended up losing the game late with just a couple minutes left when Pittsburgh got the deciding goal. As San Jose coach Peter DeBoer alluded to, the fact his that the Sharks spent too much time standing around and watching and they turned pucks over too often which led to odd-man rushes and breakaways. The point is that it was NOT a good effort overall and San Jose perhaps had too much time off between games. That won't be the case in game two and one of the Sharks players summed it up best when talking to reporters after the game: "We obviously weren't prepared," Sharks center Logan Couture said. "It doesn't take me to say that. You guys saw it yourselves. It was ugly. Tough to explain. We need to be better than that." With that said, I believe you should fully expect that the Sharks WILL be better than that in Game Two after still narrowly missing out on stealing Game One despite not playing well in two of the three periods. The Sharks will rally around that point too and this is a San Jose team that has won 23 of 32 road games this season with a posted total of 5 goals or less. Also, the Sharks have only lost back to back games ONCE since late MARCH! This is a team that has proven they know how to respond off of a loss and I look for tremendous energy from San Jose in game two. The fact that they are on the road again here actually favors them as the Sharks have played so well on the road all season and will be playing with an "us against the world" mentality on Wednesday. The Penguins have lost 7 of 13 games when leading in a playoff series and that has result in a money burning -4.1 net units as they were favored in many of those games just as they are favored again here. Grab the underdog value and look for the best road team in the NHL to come up with their best game of the postseason Wednesday. Goalie Matt Murray has played well for the Penguins but the Sharks know they certainly did not test him in Game 1 the way they NEED to (and are FULLY capable) of testing the young goalie. I'll take goalie Martin Jones and a fired up Sharks team over Murray and the Pens for a BIG play in Game Two Wednesday. *10* SAN JOSE |
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05-30-16 | Sharks +137 v. Penguins | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -100 | 77 h 52 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL *10* San Jose Sharks Money Line +137 @ Pittsburgh @ 8:05 ET Monday - The Penguins go from facing a Lightning team without their starting goalie (Bishop) and with two hurt star players (Stralman wasn't 100% and Stamkos only played in Game 7), to now taking on a Sharks team that is healthy and is arguably the best road team in hockey. San Jose has their # 1 goalie (Jones) while the Penguins continue to go with their back-up goalie (Murray) as their #1 goalie (Fleury) faltered when called upon in this series. Murray is going to be far more tested by the dangerous (and speedy) Sharks then he was by the injury-impacted Lightning. I like the value of having the road dog in Game One after a bit of a layoff here for each club. San Jose won 2 of their 3 road games against St Louis and Pittsburgh did drop 2 of their 4 home games against the Penguins. With that said, the over-compensation by the markets for home ice really helps in a match-up like this where, also, in Game One there will be a lot of "feeling out" from each of the teams early on. In other words, the fact that the Penguins have the last line change (because of playing on home ice) may not matter quite as much in a Game One setting because the coaches don't even know yet what the best match-ups will necessarily be! These teams rarely see each other since the play in opposite conferences and that further adds to the value of a road dog that has the element of surprise coming into Game One of this series. It is my belief that the Penguins weren't fully tested in the Eastern Conference finals (even though it went 7 games) because the Lightning were well short of being at 100%. Now the Pens face a healthy Sharks team that many thought would not get out of the first round of these playoffs (dominated a tough Kings team) and then whom many thought would falter against the powerful Blues who had the home ice edge in that series. The Sharks are "the real deal" and they show that by notching the upset win in Game One of the Stanley Cup Finals. *10* SAN JOSE |
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05-26-16 | Lightning +186 v. Penguins | 1-2 | Loss | -100 | 22 h 47 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL *8* Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line +185 @ Pittsburgh @ 8:05 ET - There is simply not enough edge in this match-up for the Penguins to be such a large favorite in this huge Game 7 match-up. In 5 of the last 7 meetings between these clubs (including 4 of the 6 in this postseason) the road team has gotten the win. Tampa Bay lost their first road game of the playoffs but they've never looked back as they have since won 5 of their 6 playoff road games. These road warriors also carry huge "calming" experience into this situation because of what happened last season. They got drilled by the Rangers on home ice in a Game 6 in the Eastern Conference finals and the Bolts lost that game 7 to 3. The Lightning responded by going on the road for Game 7 and getting a big win on enemy ice to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. While much has been made of Andrei Vasilevskiy being between the pipes (since # 1 goalie Ben Bishop is hurt), the fact is that Pittsburgh tried to go back to their #1 but Marc-Andre Fleury faltered and I feel Matt Murray (as much as credit as he certainly has earned for what he has done in this post-season) is still quite susceptible to a potent Tampa Bay attack. In my mind, the Lightning have the goalie edge (in watching the way these two guys have played) and they also have the experience edge for a situation like this. Of course there is no denying the Penguins have the home ice edge but, as noted above, is that really that huge of an edge when you look at how these playoffs have played out? On top of all this, the Lightning are nearly an underdog paying at 2 to 1 odds. This is simply way too much value being offered to the dangerous, potent road team in this one and the Lightning are fully capable of spoiling the party in Pittsburgh Thursday night. When off of a loss by 2 goals or more this season, the Bolts won 17 of 24. As for the Pens, when off of a game where they've scored 4 goals or more the past three seasons, Pittsburgh has lost 55 of 100 games resulting in a negative 34.1 units! The Penguins are overpriced here. *8* TAMPA BAY |
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05-25-16 | Blues +140 v. Sharks | Top | 2-5 | Loss | -100 | 24 h 28 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play St Louis Blues Money Line +140 @ San Jose @ 9:05 ET - A lot of line value being offered here to a Blues team that will respond to the goalie change back to Brian Elliott as well as the fact they are now in a elimination setting. In the Blues last 9 playoff games, the road team has been victorious in 7 of the contests! 5 of those 7 road wins have been by a margin of 3 goals or more so it's not like all those games have been squeakers either. With that said, there is simply tremendous line value here as we can grab the Blues off of a loss and making a goalie change back to the guy who got them here (Elliott). With both these teams having such a long of history of playoff struggles (neither has won the Stanley Cup and the Sharks have never even made it to the Stanley Cup Finals) the pressure is often felt even moreso by the home team than the road team. The Sharks want so badly "to do this" for their fans and for their organization and feel the pressure of having never been the Western Conference representative. Right now, St Louis still stands in their way. The Sharks have lost 17 of 30 home games this season that had a posted total of 5 goals or less. The Blues won 29 of 45 road games this season that had a posted total of 5 goals or less. St Louis has also won 15 of 23 games this season when off of a loss by a margin of two goals or more. Look for the dominance of the road team in St Louis games to continue and look for the Blues to improve to 3-0 this postseason when trailing in a playoff series as they force a Game 7 by winning Wednedsay night. *10* ST LOUIS |
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05-24-16 | Penguins -130 v. Lightning | 5-2 | Win | 100 | 25 h 25 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL *8* Pittsburgh Penguins Money Line -130 @ Tampa Bay @ 8:05 ET - The Penguins began this NHL season with three straight losses all the way back in October. The only other time this entire season that the Pens have lost more than two in a row was when they lost five straight and that was over five months ago during a rough stretch in mid-December. The point is that Pittsburgh has bounced back from a single loss all season long and, on the rare occasion where the Penguins lost two straight, they was even a higher probability of a bounce back. Playing the odds here per se but the point is that this is a very small price to lay when you consider that the Pens were a 2 to 1 favorite on their home ice and that Pittsburgh lost Game 5 on home ice in overtime. In their last visit to Tampa (in Game 4), the Penguins were down 4 to 0 going to the third period and still battled back with 3 third period goals as they very nearly stole that game from the Lightning. The point is that the potency of this Penguins offense is such that they are going to be very hard to put away in this series and I don't see it happening in Game 6 when the Penguins are going to be more fired up than they've ever been all season long. Both teams have had some injury issues, both clubs have had some goaltending concerns, but this one comes down to motivation, grit, and determination. The Penguins have the edges in those departments Tuesday and that has me laying the reasonable road price (currently as low as -130 the evening before the game). The Pens won 13 of 18 this season when off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. The Penguins also are a perfect 2-0 in this post-season when trailing in a playoff series. *8* PITTSBURGH |
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05-23-16 | Sharks +113 v. Blues | Top | 6-3 | Win | 113 | 13 h 47 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line +115 @ St Louis @ 8:05 ET - I rode the Blues to victory in Game Four of this series as they bounced back from back to back shutout losses in this series. Now it is the Sharks turn to bounce back after getting absolutely throttled on Saturday. St Louis simply hit the ice with a full head of steam in Game Four and the Sharks got down big very early in that game and then couldn't recover. It would not surprise me if the same thing happened Monday in Game Five but this time the Sharks will be on the right side of the blowout. The Blues are dealing with a few injury issues that raise some concerns for Monday's game. San Jose will take advantage and the Sharks have been "road warriors" all season long including winning 22 of 31 road games with a posted total of 5 goals or less. Additionally, San Jose has won 20 of their last 26 games overall against teams with a winning record. When playing with home loss revenge the Sharks have won 16 of 24 this season. When tied in a playoff series, San Jose is a perfect 3-0 so far this post-season. Additionally, the Sharks have won 15 of 23 games this season when off of a loss by a margin of 2 two goals or more. In St Louis' postseason action, the road team has won 6 of the last 8 games. The Blues have a losing record overall at home in this postseason and they also have lost 3 of their last 4 home games heading into this one. Value with the road dog once again. *10* SAN JOSE |
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05-21-16 | Blues +135 v. Sharks | 6-3 | Win | 135 | 33 h 42 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL *8* St Louis Blues Money Line +135 @ San Jose @ 7:15 ET Saturday - The Blues held the Sharks to only 16 shots on goal Thursday but still came up on the wrong end of the score board in a 3-0 shutout loss. This season, when the Blues are off of a game where they held their opponent to 19 shots or less, they have gone 7-2 in the next game. Additionally, this system has a tightener to it. If St Louis held their opponent to 19 shots or less plus the Blues lost that game, they are a PERFECT 3-0 in the next game. This only has happened once so far for the Blues in the playoffs when they lost to Dallas 3-2 despite outshooting them 37-14. St Louis responded to that defeat by crushing the Stars 6-1 in the very next game. Certainly the Sharks are playing very well right now but the Blues know they can't afford to fall behind 3-1 in this series and I look for St Louis to play their "game of the year" on Saturday. The last 3 times the Sharks were held to 22 shots or less but managed to win the game, San Jose has lost the next game all 3 times and the combined scored of those defeats was 13 to 6. So we have a PERFECT 3-0 going against the Sharks here and a PERFECT 3-0 situation in favor of the Blues here for a combined 6-0 ANGLE. The Blues ranked 3rd out of 30 teams for road wins in the regular season and the Sharks had the fewest home wins in the regular season out of all 16 teams that made the playoffs. This is the game the Blues put it all together and get back into this series. After the embarrassment of back to back shutout losses, the Blues are poised to play their most complete game of this series on Saturday and I'll grab the underdog value. *8* ST LOUIS |
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05-20-16 | Penguins v. Lightning +133 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 133 | 30 h 57 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line +133 vs Pittsburgh @ 8:05 ET Friday - The Lightning have been outplayed so far in this series. There is no doubt about that. However, when you look closely at what's transpired so far it makes sense that Tampa Bay bounces back here after a battle with "complacency" in Game 3 of this series. What happened is that that Tampa certainly took advantage of catching the Penguins "flat footed" in Game One of this series and they jumped ahead for the series lead. Then, even though they lost Game Two of this series, the Lightning very nearly won it. It was decided in overtime. After that game, the attitude of Tampa Bay was that they were heading back home for Game 3 and they had earned the split in Pittsburgh. It was almost a "satisfactory" feeling and then "complacency" setting in because they now had Game 3 at home, they very nearly had a 2-0 series lead, etc. What transpired next is that, other than the first 7 minutes of the game against the Penguins Wednesday, the Lightning got absolutely drilled in Game 3. The problem is not the goalie either. Though Bishop has been out, Andrei Vasilevskiy has done a fantastic job filling in and game two was scoreless (despite TB being outplayed) until finally the Pens got on the board with 10 seconds to go in the second period. That was a huge momentum swing and the Lightning could not recover in what ended up being an ugly third period. What I see happening now in Game 4 is Tampa Bay playing their best game of the entire postseason. The Lightning know how they can play when they play "the right way" like they did in the Game One victory. They also know they can't afford to go to Pittsburgh down 3 games to 1 in this series. I look for the Lighting to play their "Game of the Year" Friday and that is why this is my Eastern Conf "Game of the Year" as well. Tampa hadn't lost 2 straight games since early April and they have won 47 of 72 (+17.4 net) when off a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. The Penguins have lost 54 of 99 (-32.6 net) after scoring 4 goals or more. *10* TAMPA BAY |
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05-19-16 | Blues +135 v. Sharks | 0-3 | Loss | -100 | 14 h 36 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL *8* St Louis Blues Money Line +135 @ San Jose @ 9:05 ET - We are more than month into the postseason and only once have the Blues lost back to back games. In fact, dating back to late February, the longest losing "streak" that St Louis has had was only 2 games and it's happened only twice. The point is that coach Ken Hitchcock will have his Blues ready to go tonight at San Jose after an embarrassing home shutout in Game 2 of this series. The Sharks actually lost more home games than they won in the regular season. Certainly San Jose has "picked up the slack" in the postseason but also note that the Sharks enter this game having not won consecutive games since they won the first two games of their series against Nashville on April 29th and May 1st. The Sharks had lost 4 of 6 games since that stretch before coming up with the big win at St Louis on Tuesday. The Blues are 5-0 in this postseason when a playoff series is tied. Also, the Blues have won 28 of 44 road games with a posted total of 5 goals or less while the Sharks have lost 16 of 28 home games with a posted total of 5 goals or less. Considering this home/road dichotomy there is absolutely value with the good-sized road dog in this match-up. The Blues had allowed a total of just 17 goals in their last 9 games before they fell apart against a hungry Sharks team Tuesday. Goalie Brian Elliott and his teammates have shown the ability to bounce back throughout the regular season and postseason when off of a dismal performance. Look for them to do it again here. I fully expect the Blues to improve to 6-0 in this post-season when they are tied in a playoff series as they get the road win here to go up 2 games to 1 in this series. *8* ST LOUIS |
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05-18-16 | Penguins v. Lightning +115 | Top | 4-2 | Loss | -100 | 12 h 16 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line +120 vs Pittsburgh @ 8:05 ET - Tremendous line value for the home dog in this one. Yes, Pittsburgh outplayed the Lightning in Game Two but the Pens still had to go to overtime and very easily could have ended up being down 2 games to none in this series. This line, in my opinion, has a lot to do with the absence of #1 goalie Ben Bishop for Tampa Bay. I will take advantage of this "free value" because honestly, has everyone forgotten that Matt Murray is still in net for the Penguins? He's earned his spot but who is to say that he is playing better than Andrei Vasilevskiy right now? Vasilevskiy has turned aside 71 of the 75 shots he's faced in this post-season! Murray (now staying in goal even with Marc-Andre Fleury healthier) hasn't faced the barrage of shots yet in this series that he's about to face tonight. The Lightning were outshot by a combined 76 to 41 margin in Pittsburgh but a lot of that had to do with key factors. Tampa Bay jumped on the Penguins in game one so they then took their foot off the gas and just focused on protecting the lead and playing defensive-minded hockey. Then in Game Two, of course the Pens came out fired up and outshot the Lightning by a big margin. That was no surprise as Pittsburgh had just lost on home ice and need to respond. Now the roles are reversed. The Lightning have lost just one game in each playoff series thusfar. In fact, they entered Monday's game on a 5-game winning streak. That said, coming off of a loss and having been outplayed in Game 2 in Pittsburgh, the Lightning are going to pepper Murray with shots. Additionally, let's not forget that Tampa Bay is healthier (other than Bishop) now than what they were earlier in the post-season. Everyone says that OT goal will change everything for Sidney Crosby and the Pens. I say Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and company better be ready tonight because I expect the Lightning to play one of their best games of the entire post-season tonight. The Pens have lost 2 of their last 3 road games. The Lightning have won their last 2 home games by a combined score of 8-1. *10* TAMPA BAY |
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05-17-16 | Sharks +115 v. Blues | Top | 4-0 | Win | 115 | 13 h 33 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line +115 @ St Louis @ 8:05 ET - The Sharks outshot the Blues by a 32-23 count in Game 1 but lost a tight one 2-1 despite having more scoring chances and better scoring opportunities. Sometimes "puck luck" can definitely be a factor in a game but, rest assured, the Sharks will playing with even more energy and more resolve tonight. San Jose won 2 of the 3 regular season meetings between these clubs and even though they lost Game 1 of this series, the Sharks have now outshot the Blues in four straight games by an average count of 33.5 to 25.5 shots on goal. When you "carry the play" like that it is eventually going to translate to victories on the scoreboard too! San Jose has won 31 of their last 46 games when playing with revenge. Also, the Sharks have won 21 of 30 road games with a posted total of 5 goals or less this season. Additionally, San Jose has won 18 of their last 23 games against teams with a winning record. The Blues don't handle success too well. When they are leading in a playoff series the Blues are 1-5 this spring and have gone 2-7 the past three years combined. The Sharks even this series up and there is excellent line value here with the best road team in the conference again getting plus money on the money line in game two. *10* SAN JOSE |
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05-15-16 | Sharks +120 v. Blues | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -100 | 14 h 2 m | Show |
Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL *10* San Jose Sharks Money Line +120 @ St Louis @ 8:05 ET - Two great teams match-up here and both are coming off of hard fought 7-game series. A couple of keys here favor the Sharks however. For one thing, both of the Blues first two series went 7 games. The wear and tear (physically and mentally) has to have taken a toll on St Louis at this point. I am also more impressed with who the Sharks have beaten to get to this point. I know the Blackhawks were the defending champs but it is so hard to repeat and they just didn't have that same hunger that they had last year. Then the Stars knocked off a Stars team that had a great regular season but whose goaltending was always a question mark and that proved to be their undoing in the playoffs ultimately. As for the Sharks, they have knocked off a Kings team that many expected to challenge for the Cup this season and they then knocked off a gritty Predators team that had a "playoff style" of play which made Nashville a very tough "out". With all this said, I look for San Jose to steal Game One in St Louis. San Jose was a top road team in the regular season. The Sharks have won 21 of 29 road games with a posted total of 5 goals. San Jose has also won 18 of their last 22 games against teams with a winning record. The Sharks have won 4 of the last 5 meetings with the Blues in St Louis and the road team has taken 6 of the last 9 meetings between these clubs. The home team, of course, continues to have extra "juice" in the line for the home ice "edge" but that simply gives even more line value to a "road warrior" like the Sharks in a spot like this. *10* SAN JOSE |
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05-13-16 | Lightning +161 v. Penguins | 3-1 | Win | 161 | 12 h 30 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL *8* Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line +160 @ Pittsburgh @ 8:05 ET - This is simply too much line value being given to Tampa Bay here. The Lightning match up well with the Penguins as this is a "speed on speed" match-up. That said, Game 1 truly could go either way but there are a couple of key reasons to like Tampa Bay here in addition to the attractiveness of getting a big return on your investment. The Lightning won all 3 regular season match-ups. Tampa Bay also has the goal-tending edge with Ben Bishop between the pipes. Also, the Penguins are off of a bruising, physical series as they faced the bruising, big-hitting style of play the Capitals love to employ. The Pens could still be relishing knocking off the top regular season team in the league while also still licking some wounds from that series. As for the Lightning, they are rested and also getting healthier. From what was evident at their most recent practice it looks like a couple of players are likely to return to the ice tonight. The Lighting are 8-2 in this post-season and have won 6 of their last 7. Tampa Bay has been off since Sunday and the Bolts are 7-1 this season when playing with 3 or more days of rest between games. I am not big on day of the week trends but it still bears mentioning that the Lightning have won 9 of 12 Friday games this season while the Penguins have lost 6 of 9 Friday games. I certainly do respect the Pens but based on the factors noted above, I fully expect the Bolts to surprise the Penguins and get the upset win to open up this series. *8* TAMPA BAY |
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05-12-16 | Predators +163 v. Sharks | 0-5 | Loss | -100 | 13 h 7 m | Show | |
Rickenbach NHL *8* Nashville Predators Money Line +163 @ San Jose @ 9:05 ET - There is insane line value here with the Predators as a big dog considering that there certainly is no dominating factor in this game. Sure the Sharks have home ice and they have done well on home ice in the postseason. But San Jose actually lost 23 of their 41 home games in the regular season. The Sharks also have past postseason disappointments hanging over their heads. Remember the Ducks and their history of playoff failures as I outlined when I played on the Preds and against Anaheim in Game 7 and cashed in with Nashville as a big dog then? The fact is that this situation is eerily similar for the Sharks. In this case, the extra rest between games favors Nashville in my opinion. After losing in overtime at Nashville on Monday, the Sharks would have loved nothing more to get right back on the ice after traveling back to San Jose. Instead, there has been an extra day off this time in the scheduling and that favors the Predators. It gave the Preds an extra day to come off of the emotional high of staving off elimination in overtime in Game 6 and now Nashville is fully prepared for Game 7. Their emotions are right where they need to be and coach Peter Laviolette is 5-1 in Game Sevens in his career. As for Sharks coach Peter DeBoer, he has very little postseason experience as this is just his 2nd appearance in the playoffs since entering the NHL coaching ranks 8 seasons ago. With the Blues burial of the Stars last night, home teams in Game 7 in this postseason have won only 1 of 3. This has been a fantastic series and the value in Game 7 based on coaching, the mental aspect of past postseason failures hanging over some Sharks players, and based on the extra day between games all combines to lead me to a play on the underdog here. Even though they don't have home ice here, the Predators having won 3 of the last 4 games in this series after dropping the first two has given the Preds a ton of confidence heading into Game 7. *8* NASHVILLE |
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05-11-16 | Blues +101 v. Stars | Top | 6-1 | Win | 101 | 13 h 8 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play St Louis Blues Money Line +101 @ Dallas @ 8:05 ET - The road team has won 4 of the last 5 games in this series and I look for that trend to continue in Wednesday's winner take all Game 7. Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock is 4-2 in Game Sevens while Stars head coach Lindy Ruff is 0-3 in Game Sevens. There is more than just a coaching edge here though. The Blues are built better for playoff hockey. They gutted out a series win over the mighty Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs and they did it with their strength and grittiness. Yes, the Stars have great speed and skill but they won't see the open ice they saw in Game 6 in my opinion. This is a "gut check" game and the type of game where the team that can grind a little better, be stronger along the boards and win the puck possession battles is likely to ultimately prevail. That team is St Louis and while I credit the Stars Kari Lehtonen for a fantastic performance in Game 6, I also feel that Brian Elliott is going to deliver a bounce back performance for the Blues in Game 7 between the pipes. Admittedly he has been their best player in this post-season and after an early exit in Game 6 look for a huge effort from Elliott in Game 7. If the Blues do decide to go with Jake Allen here between the pipes, it's hard to argue against him either given the performance he gave on Monday as the Blues very nearly came back to win after digging themselves into an early 3-0 hole. The Stars are 0-3 the past three postseasons when they are tied in a playoff series. The Blues are 4-0 this postseason when tied in a playoff series. *10* ST LOUIS |
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05-10-16 | Capitals +120 v. Penguins | Top | 3-4 | Loss | -100 | 13 h 32 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Washington Capitals Money Line +120 @ Pittsburgh @ 8:05 ET - The Capitals have turned the tide in this series. Not only did they stave off elimination in Game 5, they also cast some self doubt into the Penguins. Give credit to Pens goalie Matt Murray for playing over his head for much of the post-season thusfar but the fact is the Caps are starting to get to him. Undoubtedly Washington has the edge in goal with Braden Holtby between the pipes. They also have the momentum edge now after getting that crucial Game 5 win. The Capitals know that with one more win today they get the luxury of having Game 7 on home ice. That was something they earned as they were the top team in the NHL regular season. Washington's Alex Ovechkin is so hungry for post-season success and a shot at the Stanley Cup and he has already earned more points in this series than Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby combined! The Capitals will get a boost in Game 6 Tuesday with the return of Brooks Orpik as well. His physicality makes him a key contributor for the Caps and they'll be glad to have the defenseman back on the ice tonight. The Capitals, over the past three seasons combined, are 3-1 when trailing in a playoff series. The Penguins are a money-burning 5-6 (-3.6 net units) when they are leading in a playoff series the past three seasons. When playing with two days of rest between games Washington won 8 of 13 games this season while the Penguins won just half of their 22 games and cost backers 2.8 units. In the two games in Pittsburgh so far in these finals, the Capitals outshot the Penguins 49 to 23 in one of them and then lost the other game 3-2 in overtime. It's time for the roadie to take another game in this series and the set up is perfect for the Capitals to do just that as a road dog and force a Game Seven. *10* WASHINGTON |
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05-09-16 | Stars +145 v. Blues | Top | 3-2 | Win | 145 | 12 h 18 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL *10* Top Play Dallas Stars Money Line +145 @ St Louis @ 8:05 ET - The Stars are still without Tyler Seguin for Game 6 on Monday but there is a chance they will get Patrick Eaves back for this critical game as the winger did travel with the team to St Louis. Speaking of traveling, the road team has won 4 of the last 6 meetings between these teams and that includes 3 of the last 4 games in this series. While I certainly respect the Blues (and did use them again in their Game 5 win) I also feel that the Stars played much better than the 4-1 final score from Saturday would lead you to believe. By the way, Dallas has won 17 of 20 (85%!) this season when they are off of a loss by a multiple goal margin. The Stars are one of the most potent offenses in the league and, not surprisingly, have won 9 of 11 (82%) when off of a game where they were held to 1 goal or less. As strong as the Blues are, they have struggled in this situation in the past. St Louis is 1-4 this season (and 2-6 the past 3 seasons) when leading in a playoff series. They entered this series on a 9-16 run in 2nd round playoff games and I fully expect this series to end up going 7 games and feel great line value is being offered here with Dallas as a big dog. The Stars have outshot the Blues in 4 of the 5 games in this series and while a lot of credit deservedly goes to St Louis for being up 3-2 in this series it also goes without saying that, as Dallas coach Lindy Ruff stated, some "puck luck" has played a role in that. The Stars play their best game of the series with their season on the line and I expect that to result in the upset win at a nice underdog price here. *10* DALLAS |
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