Cappers Sports Picks

The Avalanche are a far superior team and should win handily. This is a huge line, so I will be playing the puck line in this one.  Colorado has scored the 14th-most goals in the NHL and the Avs' defense has allowed the seventh-fewest goals. The Coyotes have allowed the tenth-most goals in the NHL while scoring the fifth-fewest goals.  The Avs easily won the last game and covered the puck line and I expect that to happen again today.

Play on Colorado on the puckline.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had won three of their last four games before falling to Carolina yesterday.  They had also won three of their previous four on the road until last night.  The Predators have been struggling, going 2-4 in their previous six, and losing 7-2 to Seattle yesterday. Toronto has been getting it done on the offensive end, scoring 18 goals in their previous four games. On the other side, Nashville has only tallied 13 goals in their previous five games. In the last 10 matchups between the two, Toronto is 7-3. Toronto is the superior team in all areas. Take the Maple Leafs for an easy win.

Play on Toronto.

I am looking for a low-scoring game as you have the best two defenses in the NHL going against each other. Four of the past six regular-season games between the Bruins and the Hurricanes have gone under, averaging 3.75 goals a game. Also,  12 of the last 17 games Boston has played against opponents with a winning record have gone under. The Canes have gone under in 7 of the last 10.  I don't see a lot of goals in this game despite it being the second game of back-to-back for both teams.

Play on the UNDER.

The Bulls are 4-1 ATS in their last five games and when coming off a .  win they are 19-12-3 ATS. The Lakers will likely be missing James and Russell in the lineup. The Bulls could see the return of DeRozan to the lineup and I would expect him to have a big game coming home. Chicago needs this one as they are fighting for the playoffs.

Play on Chicago

The Oklahoma City Thunder are 43-28-3 against the spread this season. The Blazers are 18-22 ATS off a loss. Portland has won just once over their last eight games and in those seven losses, they were 1-6 ATS. What is even more troubling is that in those that they did not cover, they lost by 14 or more points. In their last four home games, the Blazers have lost by double digits. The Blazers are ranked 27th-ranked in Defensive Efficiency. Portlands' four best players are questionable and they didn't play in their last game. Portland has nothing to play for and you may not see their best players as the season is basically over for them. OKC is still in a battle for the playoffs and playoff positioning so I like them to come out and make a statement in this one.

Play on OKC.