ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Tampa Bay Lightning Puck Line (-1.5 goals +165) over Dallas Stars, Monday at 8:05 PM ET

We sense a blowout here.  The Lightning are well aware that they let a great opportunity pass them by in Game 5 Saturday when they played too conservatively with a 2-1 lead and went on to lose 3-2 in double overtime. Tampa Bay will be much more aggressive in Game 6 Monday and that means when they get the lead they will keep their foot on the gas and keep expanding that lead throughout the game in our opinion.  Rather than lay the -165 price on the money line (too pricey for our liking) we can flip that to a +165 by taking the Lightning on the puck line.  Yes, that means TB must win the game by more than a 1 goal margin for us to win our bet but with the way they've outplayed the Stars for much of the past four games and considering how Game 5 played out, a Game 6 blowout seems imminent.  Tampa Bay is 6-0 when off a loss in this post-season.  The Bolts last 10 wins have come by an average margin of 2.4 goals per game.  The Stars have 11 losses in this post-season and the average margin of those defeats is 2.3 goals.  8 of the 11 Dallas defeats in the bubble in Edmonton have come by a margin of 2 or more goals.  Prior to a bit of a "miracle win" in Game 5 of this series, the Stars were only 7-7 in their 14 prior games.  You can see from all of the above why we expect the Lightning to win this game and why we expect the victory to be by a big margin.  Dallas has been held to just 1 power play goal in this series while Tampa Bay has scored 6.  Don't be surprised if special teams play a role again Monday as the Lightning win the game big and, in doing so, win Lord Stanley's Cup as well in their second opportunity to close out the series and complete the season with the ultimate prize!  Laying the 1.5 goals (and getting a big plus money return, currently in +165 range) with Tampa Bay is the value play here.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Tampa Bay Lightning versus Dallas Stars, Friday at 8:05 PM ET

The Stars are down 2 games to 1 in this series and have to respond.  They have talent and skill up front but those guys just haven't produced yet.  However, we've seen them skate circles around the Lightning for stretches within this series.  They just haven't been able to sustain it.  The key to the value here with this total is that it is available at 5 goals and only 4 of Tampa Bay's last 15 games have totaled less than 5 goals.  We just don't see the Stars going away quietly in this series but they will again struggle to limit the chances of a talented Lightning team that has really taken it to them in the last two games.  Bet the OVER in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals in NHL evening action Friday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON UNDER: Tampa Bay Lightning versus Dallas Stars, Monday at 8:10 PM ET

It would be nice to get a 5.5 rather than a 5 but keep in mind the under 5 is available at plus money here and that has us going to our highest level with this one.  The fact is that only 5 of Tampa Bay's 20 games in the post-season have totaled more than 5 goals.  Saturday's Game 1 of these Stanley Cup Finals was actually quite fortunate to even get to 5 goals as the Stars scored very late in the 2nd period.  The game could have easily been just 2-1 going to the 3rd.  The only thing that pushed the total to a 5 was an empty net goal and we also feel strongly that Lightning netminder Vasilevskiy will respond off the loss with a great game here!   Keep in mind Lightning games have not seen many power plays ever since game two of the Islanders series.  Also, the Stars have allowed an average of only 1.5 goals per game their last 6 games.  The Stars have won 6 of their last 7 games and they are using defense and strong goaltending from Khudobin to do it!  Look for TB to respond off a loss but Dallas is not going to allow much and this one should turn into a real grinder.  Per our computer math model, it looks like goals will absolutely be at a premium in this high-stakes game two setting.  Bet the UNDER in Tampa Bay in NHL evening action Monday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Tampa Bay Lightning versus New York Islanders, Thursday at 8:10 PM ET

With this total moving from a 5.5 on Tuesday's game to a 5 on Thursday's game we have additional value with the over in this game and won't hesitate to step in.  Yes we used the under (successfully) in Game 5 on Tuesday but, as we expected, the Lightning (with a 3-1 series lead) played that game very conservatively.  Ultimately that led to a tight loss for the Bolts in that one and we know the last thing they want is a Game 7 with this scrappy Islanders hockey club.  In other words, look for TB to come out flying in this one and try to use their skill and speed up front to take the Isles off their game.  That will lead to a much higher scoring game than we saw on Tuesday.  Getting the added value of having this total at 5 goals is the key and we're grabbing it!  Bet the OVER in Tampa Bay in NHL evening action Thursday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON UNDER: Tampa Bay Lightning versus New York Islanders, Tuesday at 8:10 PM ET

With this total moving from a 5 to a 5.5 we have additional value with the under in this game and won't hesitate to step in.  These teams are combined 1 for 16 on the power play the last 3 games.  When special teams are not producing goals in playoff action, games tend to be lower-scoring.  Speaking of low-scoring games, 12 of Tampa Bay's 17 games in this post-season have totaled 5 or less goals.  Andrei Vasilevskiy has been fantastic in goal for the Lightning throughout this post-season.  Can the Islanders stave off elimination tonight?  If they do they will turn to their typical brand of defensive-minded back-checking hockey and note that in their 12 post-season wins they have allowed an average of only 1.3 goals per game!  As for the Bolts, they have allowed 3 or less goals in all but 2 of their 17 post-season games.  Per our computer math model, it looks like goals will absolutely be at a premium in this elimination game setting.  Bet the UNDER in Tampa Bay in NHL evening action Tuesday

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on Dallas Stars Money Line (+) over Vegas Golden Knights, Thursday at 8 PM ET

There is simply no way to justify this money line being this high and we like this situation so much we are going to a top play rating in Game 3 between the Stars and Golden Knights.  Vegas is simply over-valued here.  Yes they won Game 2 but now Dallas is the designated home team in Game 3 and, as such, gets the last line change.  The biggest key is how well the Stars have performed when off a loss here in this post-season.  The last 6 times that Dallas was off a loss they have gone 5-1 - winning 83% of the time!  Much has been made of the Stars struggling to score in this series but they got the early 1-0 lead in Game 1 and then played a different style the rest of the way.  Basically a defensive, preventative type of game and it worked and Dallas won Sunday.  But now, after Tuesday's loss, look for Dallas to turn back to their offensive firepower.  The last 4 wins they have in that aforementioned 5-1 mark have seen the Stars end up with 5 goals each time!  Also, speaking of struggling to score goals, Vegas had struggled prior to winning Game 3 by a final 3-0 score.  The Golden Knights are a team that had scored only four goals, two into an empty net by the way, in their previous four games.  That was during a time when they were being frustrated by the Canucks and a red hot goalie.  As for Stars goalie Khudobin, he has been playing very well and is fully capable of another strong start just like he had in Game 1 of this series.  When Khudobin enters a start off losing his prior start, he is a perfect 3-0 L3.  He has not lost back to back starts since the first two games of the Flames series (and played well in those actually) and that was nearly a month ago!  Khudobin and the Stars, per our computer math model, put forth a fantastic game here in Game 3.  Bet the Dallas Stars on the money line in evening action Thursday.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Vegas Golden Knights versus Dallas Stars, Sunday at 8 PM ET

Vegas put plenty of pressure on Thatcher Demko in the series win over Vancouver but he was phenomenal between the pipes.  Dallas certainly has not been getting that kind of goaltending and that means the Golden Knights offense should pot plenty of goals here.  However, the Stars have been fantastic in the offensive zone throughout this post-season and will pressure Vegas in their D zone in a way they haven't been pressured in these playoffs.  The Golden Knights are facing their toughest test yet and also will be without enforcer Ryan Reaves (suspended) for this game.  The Stars find the open ice but the Knights do too.  The result, per our computer math model, is plenty of scoring in a highly entertaining game one.  Bet the OVER in Vegas in NHL evening action Sunday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Vancouver Canucks Puck Line (+1.5 goals) over Vegas Golden Knights, Friday at 9 PM ET

Thatcher Demko has stepped in between the pipes for the Canucks in the absence of Jacob Markstrom and what a job he has done.  He is the reason there is a Game 7 in this series and there is no way we're stepping in front of this Vancouver hockey club right now.  They believe. They absolutely believe they can win and head to the Western Conference finals.  Confidence goes a long way toward winning games and right now Demko and the Canucks have momentum and confidence on their side.  Even with getting heavily outshot in each of the last two games (and really throughout this series) Vancouver is still standing because of Demko stopping 90 of 91 shots in his two starts.  Per our computer math model this will be a very tight game likely decided by a single goal and so we're going to lay the price to have the +1.5 goals on our side with the Canucks in this one.  Vancouver got a big boost with some late scoring in Game 6.  Do not underestimate the importance of that as the Canucks now feel they can get it done in the offensive zone too.  Plus, despite two capable netminders in the form of Lehner and Fleury, how confident can those guys be the way this series has turned on a dime?  This Game 7 could be epic.  We look for a tremendous game that could even go into OT which is why we're grabbing the goal and a half with the team that has momentum on their side too!  Grabbing the 1.5 goals (and getting a very fair price, currently in -130 range) with Vancouver is the way to play this one.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON UNDER: Vegas Golden Knights versus Vancouver Canucks, Thursday at 9:45 PM ET

Thatcher Demko came up huge for the Canucks in Game 5 and that led to a 2-1 win for Vancouver.  Look for another low-scoring game here as the Canucks only managed 17 shots on goal Tuesday.  Vancouver simply hasn't been able to generate much offense in this series.  Other than the 5-goal explosion in Game 2 of the series, the Canucks have scored a total of only 5 goals in the other 4 games in this series.  At the same time though, one must respect the fact that Vancouver has held their opponents to 3 goals or less in regulation time in 12 of their 15 games in the bubble in Edmonton.  With the Golden Knights also having two red hot goalies in Marc-Andre Fluery and Robin Lehner plus the fact that the simulation report is calling for another strong game between the pipes for the Caniucks netminder in this one, it looks like goals will again be at a premium in this elimination game setting.  Bet the UNDER in Vegas in NHL late night action Thursday

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) over New York Islanders, Tuesday at 7 PM ET

For the first time since a 4-game losing streak that straddled the New Year (Dec 2019-Jan 2020) the Flyers have lost back to back games.  Even with the loss in Sunday's Game 4, Philadelphia is 11-1 the last 12 times they have entered a game off a loss.  Also, #1 goalie Carter Hart will be back between the pipes for the Flyers after back-up Brian Elliott started Game 4 since it was the 2nd game of a back to back.  There are no more back to backs the rest of this series and the Flyers are well aware of that.  In other words, it is a game at a time approach as they look to battle back from the 3-1 series deficit but that is a positive for Philadelphia as they take it one at time knowing their young talented goalie Hart will be back between the pipes the rest of the series for as long as they can extend it.  Hart was in goal for the Game 3 loss and will be ready to respond.  The Flyers are a perfect 7-0 the last 7 times he has been in the crease and coming off a loss in his prior start.  The Islanders are 0-2 in the post-season in their first shot at eliminating a team and we look for that trend to continue here.  They were up 2-0 on the Panthers in the qualifying round best of five series and then lost game 3 before closing out Florida in the 4th game.  The Islanders were also up 3-0 on the Capitals in the first round best of seven series and then lost game 4 before closing out Washington in the 5th game.  Per our computer math model, the Flyers will once again (just like Game 4) hold the edge in shots on goal and the edge in hits in this one.  Look for that physical play to help lead the way to some great scoring chances for the Flyers and this time it leads to victory for Philly as the Islanders drop to 0-3 in this post-season when they have their first shot at a close out while Hart improves to 8-0 the last 8 times he has entered a start off a loss.  Bet the Philadelphia Flyers on the money line in early evening action Tuesday.

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on Colorado Avalanche Money Line (-) over Dallas Stars, Monday at 9:45 PM ET

Opportunities to take a very good team off an ugly loss are generally few and far between and so when that opportunity arises you want to take full advantage.  This is one of those cases as the Avalanche entered the post-season as absolutely one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year.  However, they came out flat in Game One of this series and the Stars blitzed them early and Colorado never fully recovered in that game.  After responding in Game Three after dropping the first two games of this series, the Avs again have found themselves in a bounce back spot.  As surprising as it is to see Colorado in this elimination game situation, there is no surprise in finding that the Avalanche have won 5 of the last 6 times when off a loss.  This is still a highly talented and proud team and, while coming back from a 3-1 series deficit may be too much to ask, extending this series to a Game 6 is not too much to ask.  Per our computer math model, the Avalanche "rally the troops" here and improve to 6-1 the last 7 times they have entered a game off a loss.  Based on this low money line on the Avs in this one, the fact is that the Stars are getting a little too much respect at this point!  We'll take advantage and grab the value...lay it!  Bet the Colorado Avalanche on the money line in late night action Monday.  

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Vegas Golden Knights versus Vancouver Canucks, Sunday at 10:30 PM ET

Game 1 stayed just under the total as Vegas erupted for 5 goals but Vancouver was uncharacteristically held to a goose egg.  9 of the last 11 times the Canucks had been shutout or held to just one goal in a game, they had scored 3 or more goals in their next game.  Sure enough Vancouver responded with a 5-goal outburst in Game 2.  We used the over in that game and we'll use it again here in Game 4 after the Canucks were again shutout in Game 3.  Our computer math model is forecasting a 4-3 game here.  Vegas just continues to pile up goals and has scored at least 3 goals in all but 3 of its 11 games in the bubble.  The Canucks have scored at least 3 goals in all but 4 of their 12 games in the bubble.  There is so much talent in terms of scorers in this series and we give the experience edge to Vegas of course but the young and speedy talent of Vancouver continues to be a lot for the Knights to deal with.   The Canucks made adjustments to increase the quality of their scoring chances in Game 2 and will do the same in Game 4 after falling short in Game 3.  The expectation Sunday is that both teams will be successful in testing the other teams' goalie early and often as this is a back to back situation and that puts pressure on the d-men in front of the goalies as they play extra minutes in a 24 hour window.  Look for an exciting game with a lot of great looks at the net and potential for breakaways with all the speed on the ice for this one and how these teams match up.  Though it didn't work out in Game 3 (Canucks shut out) we're sure of a Game 4 response from Vancouver.  That said, this one is likely to play out similar to the first three games of the other 2nd round match-up in the West and that one has seen the Stars and Avalanche combine for an average of 8.3 goals per game thus far.  Bet the OVER in Vegas in NHL late night action Sunday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Vegas Golden Knights versus Vancouver Canucks, Saturday at 9:45 PM ET

Game 1 stayed just under the total as Vegas erupted for 5 goals but Vancouver was uncharacteristically held to a goose egg. 9 of the last 11 times the Canucks had been shutout or held to just one goal in a game, they had scored 3 or more goals in their next game. Sure enough Vancouver responded with a 5-goal outburst in Game 2. We used the over in that game and we'll use it again here though this time the total is posted at 6 goals by the odds maker. That said, we need 7 goals here but the Golden Knights have seen 6 of their 10 games in the bubble in Edmonton total 7 or more goals. The Canucks have seen 6 of their last 9 games total 7 or more goals. Not surprisingly given the above, our computer math model is forecasting a 4-3 game here. Vegas just continues to pile up goals and has scored at least 3 goals in all but 3 of its 10 games in the bubble. The Canucks have scored at least 3 goals in all but 3 of their 11 games in the bubble. There is so much talent in terms of scorers in this series and we give the experience edge to Vegas of course but the young and speedy talent of Vancouver continues to be a lot for the Knights to deal with. The Canucks made adjustments to increase the quality of their scoring chances in Game 2 and will build on that in Game 3. However, you know the Golden Knights will respond off the Game 2 loss! The expectation Saturday is that both teams will be successful in testing the other teams' goalie early and often. Look for an exciting game with a lot of great looks at the net and potential for breakaways with all the speed on the ice for this one and how these teams match up. This one is likely to play out similar to the first three games of the other 2nd round match-up in the West and that one has seen the Stars and Avalanche combine for an average of 8.3 goals per game thus far. Bet the OVER in Vegas in NHL late night action Saturday

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line (+) over Boston Bruins, Wednesday at 8 PM ET

The Lightning got their wake up call in game one of this series after falling behind 3-0 in that game.  Since then they have outscored the Bruins by a count of 6-3.  In their game two overtime win by a final of 4-3, the Bolts scored 4 even strength goals while the Bruins scored just 2 even strength goals.  Boston also had just 25 shots on goal while Tampa Bay had 40 shots on goal.  Keep in mind the Lightning also outshot the Bruins in game one and the Bruins had a power play goal in that game as well.  The point is that the Lightning have been the much better team in 5 on 5 hockey and this has been particularly true ever since the first period of game one.  Tampa Bay has outshot the Bruins by 26 shots on goal starting with the second period of game one.  Boston would bully the Lightning in the past but the Bolts are now built much better for playoff hockey and that showed in game two.  They have more physicality now and the resiliency of Tampa Bay was on full display in the evening of this series with the game two win.  The ultra impressive effort in overtime gives them a ton of momentum for this Game 3 match-up.  Bet the Tampa Bay Lightning on the money line in evening action Wednesday.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Vegas Golden Knights versus Vancouver Canucks, Tuesday at 9:45 PM ET

Game 1 stayed just under the total as Vegas erupted for 5 goals but Vancouver was uncharacteristically held to a goose egg.  9 of the last 11 times the Canucks have been shutout or held to just one goal in a game, they have scored 3 or more goals in their next game.  We need 6 goals here and the Golden Knights, prior to this series, had seen 5 of their 8 games in the bubble in Edmonton total 7 or more goals.  The Canucks entered this series having seen 5 of their last 7 games total 7 or more goals.  Not surprisingly given the above, our computer math model is forecasting a 4-3 game here.  Vegas just continues to pile up goals and has scored at least 3 goals in all but 2 of its 9 games in the bubble.  The Canucks have scored at least 3 goals in all but 3 of their 10 games in the bubble.  There is so much talent in terms of scorers in this series and we give the experience edge to Vegas of course but the young and speedy talent of Vancouver is going to be a lot for the Knights to deal with.   The Canucks undoubtedly will make adjustments here to increase the quality of their scoring chances in Game 2.  The expectation Tuesday is that both teams will be successful in testing the other teams' goalie early and often.  Look for an exciting game with a lot of great looks at the net and potential for breakaways with all the speed on the ice for this one and how these teams match up.  This one is likely to play out similar to the first two games of the other 2nd round match-up in the West and that one saw the Stars and Avalanche combine for an average of 7.5 goals per game thus far.  Bet the OVER in Vegas in NHL late night action Tuesday 

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on Colorado Avalanche Money Line (-) over Dallas Stars, Monday at 9:45 PM ET

Opportunities to take a very good team off an ugly loss are generally few and far between and so when that opportunity arises you want to take full advantage.  This is one of those cases as the Avalanche are absolutely one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year but came out flat in Game One of this series and the Stars blitzed them early and Colorado never fully recovered in that game.  They also saw goalie Philipp Grubauer suffer a leg injury and he is expected to miss some time now. That is part of what is impacting this line but Pavel Francouz now gets the call between the pipes and he was excellent this season (21-7 with a .923 save percentage).  Also, in his first two starts of this post-season he has allowed a total of just 2 goals in 2 games.  One of those starts was in the round robin against this Dallas team and he shut out the Stars in a 4-0 Avalanche win!  Backing up Grubauer is a veteran in Michael Hutchinson so we are comfortable with the Avs goal-tending situation entering this game.  The Stars are still without Ben Bishop so it has been Anton Khudobin between the pipes.  He has allowed 3 or more goals in 5 of his 8 post-season appearances.  He is a solid goalie but the Avalanche have scored 7 goals on 71 shots against him in this post-season (he was on the wrong end of the aforementioned 4-0 round robin game).  The Avalanche have now lost 3 games in the Edmonton bubble.  After the first two losses they responded with a win each time and those two victories came by a combined score of 10 to 1.  The loss to the Stars in Game 1 of this series will actually prove to be a good thing for Colorado as it is the wake up call they needed to know that things will not come easy in the post-season.  While only about half the players "showed up" in the assessment by their head coach in Game 1, you can expect "all hands on deck" for a very motivated Avs team that can't wait to get back on the ice to make up for Saturday's poor effort.  There is excellent line value with the Avalanche here as a moderately priced favorite after the line moved from the -160 range to as low as -140 this morning.  The fact is that the Stars are getting a little too much respect at this point!  We'll take advantage and grab the value...lay it!  ASA TOP PLAY 10* Colorado Avalanche on the money line in late night action Monday.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Vegas Golden Knights versus Vancouver Canucks, Sunday at 10:30 PM ET

We need 6 goals here and the Golden Knights have seen 5 of their 8 games in the bubble in Edmonton total 7 or more goals.  The Canucks have seen 5 of their last 7 games total 7 or more goals.  Not surprisingly given the above, our computer math model is forecasting a 4-3 game here.  Vegas just continues to pile up goals and has scored at least 3 goals in all but 2 of its 8 games in the bubble.  The Canucks have scored at least 3 goals in all but 2 of their 9 games in the bubble.  There is so much talent in terms of scorers in this series and we give the experience edge to Vegas of course but the young and speedy talent of Vancouver is going to be a handful for the Knights to deal with.  In other words, both teams will be successful in testing the other teams' goalie early and often in this contest.  Look for an exciting game with a lot of great looks at the net and potential for breakaways with all the speed on the ice for this one and how these teams match up.  This one is likely to play out similar to Game 1 of the other 2nd round match-up in the West and that one saw the Stars and Avalanche combine for 8 goals last night.  Bet the OVER in Vegas in NHL late night action Sunday 

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on St Louis Blues Money Line (-) over Vancouver Canucks, Friday at 9:45 PM ET

The Blues blew a 3-1 lead in losing 4-3 to the Canucks on Wednesday.  Of course that was a key swing game in the series as they were tied at 2 games apiece entering that one.  However, the Blues didn't win the Stanley Cup last season without plenty of resiliency and the core group of that hockey club remains in St Louis.  The Blues will be ready to fight back hard in a win or go home situation in Game 6.  St Louis had defensive breakdowns and, to an extent, quit skating as well after they got the 3-1 lead.  They'll play the full 60 minutes in Game 6 after what happened in Game 5 and their toughness, physicality and experience will pay off for them in staving off elimination.  The Canucks are talented but they're still young and, per our computer math model, this is a series that is going to go the full seven games!  Lay the small price here.  Bet the St Louis Blues on the money line in late night action Friday.

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on Calgary Flames Money Line (+) over Dallas Stars, Thursday at 10:30 PM ET

It is hard enough to beat a team back to back in the playoffs let alone three straight!  That is part of the reasoning here for backing the hungry dog in this spot.  The Stars have won 2 straight in the series to now take a 3-2 series lead and this is a win or go home game for the Flames.  We expect Calgary to respond accordingly.  The Stars haven't had a 3-game winning streak since mid-February and we don't expect that to change here.  Dallas wrapped up the regular season on a 6-game losing streak.  Also, in the bubble in Edmonton the Stars had lost 4 of the first 6 games before scoring a couple of very tight victories in Games 4 and 5 of this series.  The Flames haven't lost 3 straight games since early February and had won 14 of their last 22 games prior to losing back to back tight games to the Stars.  The odds favor this series going 7 games and, per our computer math model, the Flames have high probability for an upset win here.  Bet the Calgary Flames on the money line in late night action Thursday.

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on Carolina Hurricanes Money Line (+) over Boston Bruins, Wednesday at 4:00 PM ET

The Hurricanes have been alternating goalies in this post-season and Petr Mrazek is likely to get the start in Game 5. In our opinion he has been the better of the two goalies and James Reimer's poor decision-making that led to the Bruins first goal in Game 4 helped spark the amazing Boston comeback. Carolina was up 2-0 in the third period of Game 4 when all hell broke loose and the Bruins scored 4 straight goals in a span of under 7 minutes! The Hurricanes are now down 3-1 in the series after letting that game slip away but head coach Rod Brind'Amour has strong team chemistry with this hockey club and we know they will be ready to respond in this must win game on Wednesday. The Canes also got good news yesterday as Jordan Staal, their team captain, was able to practice. He had taken a big hit and exited Monday's game but appears fine and ready to go here for this Game 5 must win situation. Factoring all of the above as well as our computer math model and the fact we have a solid underdog price here, we're grabbing the dog in this one! Bet the Carolina Hurricanes on the money line in afternoon action Wednesday.

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on New York Islanders Money Line (-) over Washington Capitals, Tuesday at 8:00 PM ET

The Islanders took 3 of 4 from the Panthers in the qualifying round to eliminate Florida from the post-season in convincing fashion.  In fact, even in the game they lost to the Panthers, the Islanders were the better team.  This hockey club has been "in the zone" ever since they got to the bubble it seems.  The Islanders are well-coached under Barry Trotz and, of course, this is the same Trotz that led the Capitals to a Stanley Cup Championship season in 2018 when they beat the Golden Knights to win it all.  After not being brought back by the Caps, Trotz went to the Islanders.  Now he is showing the Capitals how it is done once again and you know he is itching for the sweep here to put an exclamation point on it.  We see him getting it as the Islanders have won 6 of 7 post-season games while Washington has won just 1 of 6 games under the bubble in Toronto.  The Capitals are a good team and will be giving it their all once again but the Islanders continue to stifle and frustrate them.  Not only has Varlamov been great between the pipes but also the Islanders held the Caps to just 20 shots on goal in regulation time of Game 3.  Per our computer math model, the Isles finish off the Capitals here.  Bet the New York Islanders on the money line in evening action Tuesday.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Colorado Avalanche Puck Line (-1.5 goals) over Arizona Coyotes, Monday at 5:30 PM ET

The Avalanche are nearly a $2.00 favorite on the money line here so the value, if you want to play Colorado (like we do!) in this one, is definitely with utilizing the puck line.  By laying the 1.5 goals with the Avs, you can get a plus money return in the +150 range.  We look for a dominating win from Colorado here.  They outshot the Coyotes 51 to 21 in Game 3 but ended up on the wrong end of a 4-2 final.  Game 2 was a 3-2 Avalanche win that easily could have ended 4-2 and Game 1 was a 3-0 Avs win.  The point is that expecting this game to end up decided by a margin of 2 or more goals is certainly not expecting too much and we love the big plus money being offered with one of the best teams in the NHL looking to bounce back off a loss.  Again, the Avalanche dominated that game but fell short on the scoreboard.  In Monday's Game 4 it is payback time.  Laying the 1.5 goals (and getting a fantastic return, currently in +150 range) with Colorado is the value play here.

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on St Louis Blues Money Line (-) over Vancouver Canucks, Sunday at 10:30 PM ET

The Blues are the defending Stanley Cup Champions but are down 0-2 in this series.  We are expecting a huge response from St Louis on Sunday night.  The Blues have actually outshot the Canucks by a combined margin of 68 to 47 in the first two games of this series.  The problem has been that Vancouver has actually scored 3 special teams goals in EACH game!  The Blues simply must stay out of the penalty box (and be better on the penalty kill as needed) and this is a Cup winning team that certainly knows that fact.  Additionally, St Louis might switch to goalie Jake Allen for this one.  He looked fantastic in his lone appearance in this post-season when he faced the Stars in the round robin last week and nearly got a shutout in the eventual 2-1 shootout loss.  The fact is that Blues netminder Jordan Binnington wasn't really to blame for the OT loss in Game 2 and certainly the St Louis net is in good shape whether it is Binnington or Allen between the pipes.  Allen would give the Blues a spark here but they'll be "sparking" either way in our opinion.  They had a great chance to win Game 2 but fell just short.  Give Canucks credit as they have been playing very well and Bo Harvat has been playing fantastic hockey.  However, the gritty Blues are trending the right direction and played a very strong game on Friday.  With another strong game on Sunday, this time they will be rewarded for their efforts.  Keep in mind the first game between these teams was tied at 2 heading to the third period and the second game went into overtime.  The Blues have played better than what they have to show for it and they know it.  They will simply be relentless in Game 3 here and refuse to be denied.  Look for the defending Stanley Cup Champions to put it all together tonight and get right back into this series.  There is excellent line value with the Blues here as a small favorite as the Canucks are getting a little too much respect at this point!  We'll take it and grab the value...lay it!  ASA TOP PLAY 10* St Louis Blues on the money line in late night action Sunday.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON UNDER: 5 goals +120 in Columbus Blue Jackets versus Tampa Bay Lightning, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET

We were hoping to see 5.5 come up on this total but it still a great value at under 5 and plus money.  These teams continue to play "grudge match" games and we just don't see either team having a breakout game here.  These teams even played a 5 OT marathon in Game 1 and so there have been many periods without goals throughout this series in just the first two games alone.  The fact is that none of Tampa Bay's 5 games played under the bubble in Toronto have totaled more than 5 goals.  The Blue Jackets, in regulation time of their games, have averaged scoring only 2.2 goals per game and are allowing just 1.7 goals per game.  Both clubs are getting fantastic goaltending and Columbus (3-1 winners in Game 2) knows they must continue to force the Bolts to play their style and the Blue Jackets love the physical, tight, low-scoring games.  With such a strong defensive pairing in Zach Werenski and Seth Jones, look for more of the same here on Saturday.  Bet the UNDER in Columbus in NHL evening action Saturday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Colorado Avalanche versus Arizona Coyotes, Friday at 2 PM ET

Under the bubble in Edmonton the Coyotes scored well when they faced the Oilers.  In fact, dating back to the regular season, Arizona entered this series against the Avalanche having seen 7 of their last 10 games total at least 6 goals.  The Coyotes are facing the Avs on the same sheet of ice on which they faced the Oilers of course.  But the problem for Arizona is they were "back on their heels" in game 1 against Colorado and were not aggressive at all.  The Coyotes mustered only 14 shots on goal for the game as a result.  Of course that won't cut it and they are well aware of that.  Look for Arizona to open things up a bit here in game two.  The Coyotes don't have a choice.  They know the Avalanche have so much firepower and skate so well and Arizona has to try and match them and just continue to trust Darcy Keumper in goal.  We see this series as a similar match-up to the Vegas/Chicago match-up.  In that one in game 1 the Blackhawks weren't aggressive enough and came out and lost a low-scoring game.  Sure enough, yesterday's game 2, though the Hawks still lost, played out much differently as the game had 6 goals (tied 3-3) through the first two periods.  Look for a similar result here and our computer simulation report is forecasting at least 6 goals to be scored in this one.  Bet the OVER in Colorado in NHL afternoon action Friday 

ASA PLAY 7* on Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line (-) over Columbus Blue Jackets,Thursday at 3:00 PM ET

As a general rule we shy away from this price range (-165/-170) in money line sports but in the post-season the edges are sometimes so strong that the value is there even in a price range like this.  Columbus is at a severe disadvantage here after Game 1 of this series went 5 overtimes on Tuesday!  The Blue Jackets are the only team in this post-season that had to win a Game 5 in the qualifying round just to get here.  Columbus was very resilient in knocking off a talented Maple Leafs team Sunday to make up for their inexcusable collapse in Game 4 of that series on Friday.  However, as a result of playing so many games and now Game 1 of this series going 5 overtimes, the Blue Jackets have averaged nearly a game of hockey per day over the past 8 days!  That makes recovery tough and the Lightning situation is much better as they only had to play in the round robin last week and so just had 3 games and they were much less intense than what Columbus had.  When you factor all that in as well as the fact that the Blue Jackets lost Game 1 of this series in the multi-overtime thriller, Columbus could be spent both physically and mentally heading into this one.  Look for the Lightning, still stinging from last year's playoff sweep ouster at the hands of the Blue Jackets, to take full advantage and win Game 2 in convincing fashion.  ASA PLAY Tampa Bay Lightning on the money line in afternoon action Thursday.  

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on New York Islanders Money Line (+) over Washington Capitals, Wednesday at 3:00 PM ET

We'll take the teacher over the pupil in this one.  The Islanders are coached by Barry Trotz.  He led the Capitals to the Stanley Cup Championship two years ago.  Then that summer Washington wouldn't give him the contract he wanted (and, arguably) had earned via leading the Caps to win it all!  Trotz ended up with the Islanders and his assistant, Todd Rierden, is now the Capitals coach.  The Islanders are off a fantastic effort against the Panthers in which they dominated Florida throughout much of the series which lasted only 4 games.  New York plays a defensive style that stifles and frustrates opponents and that will be the key again here.  The Capitals were not very impressive in their level of play in the round robin that preceded this series for them.  Trotz certainly knows many of the Washington players and their tendencies very well and he is a very good coach.  Additionally, the Islanders have won 6 of the last 8 playoff series between these teams but lost the most recent one between these teams in 2015.  Per our computer math model, payback begins here with a Game One upset win for the underdog in this one.  ASA PLAY New York Islanders on the money line in afternoon action Wednesday.  

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on Calgary Flames Money Line (+) over Dallas Stars, Tuesday at 5:30 PM ET

The Stars scored a total of only 4 goals in regulation time of their 3 games in the round robin.  This is a Dallas team that has just one win in its last nine games and that win came in the shootout Sunday against St Louis.  The Stars only sent it to the shootout courtesy of a very late goal with just a minute left in the game.  The last win in regulation time for Dallas came all the way back on February 25th.  Calgary comes into this game surging and already in playoff mode as, while the Stars were playing round robin games, the Flames were playing in a best of five qualifying round series against Winnipeg.  Not only did Calgary close out the Jets in 4 games, they scored an average of 4 goals per game!  Yes, the Flames have averaged 4 goals per game since action resumed while the Stars have totaled only 4 goals since action resumed.  Big difference and, per our computer math model, the Flames skill in the offensive zone proves to be the difference maker as they take Game One of this series.  ASA PLAY 10* Calgary Flames on the money line in early evening action Tuesday.

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on Boston Bruins Money Line (-) over Washington Capitals, Sunday at 12:00 PM ET

This is a game in the round robin for seeding purposes and if Boston loses they play Carolina and if they win they play the Islanders in the first round of the post-season.  While neither of those teams is particularly appealing to face the Bruins would likely rather avoid a Carolina team that swept the Rangers out of the playoffs.  Not only that, Boston simply needs (and is hungry) for something positive to take out of this round robin and this is their last chance to get a positive before the true playoff pressure begins.  While the Capitals have earned a point in the post-season, the Bruins are still without a point in this round robin.  Also, Washington saw Nicklas Backstrom miss practice Friday plus John Carlson missed the most recent game and could still be out again here as well.  Additionally, the Capitals Lars Eller left the bubble for the birth of a child.  All in all, the Bruins are set up better here in terms of healthy bodies and also have the motivational factor as well.  Boston won the most recent meeting between these teams by a count of 7-3, and per our computer math model, the Bruins are poised to dominate this one as well.  ASA TOP PLAY 10* Boston Bruins on the money line in very early action Sunday.

ASA TOP PLAY 10* on New York Islanders Money Line (-) over Florida Panthers, Friday at 12:00 PM ET

The Islanders took the first two games of this series and, including regular season action, that made it 6 straight wins for the Islanders in meetings with Florida.  The Panthers finally got a win in Wednesday's game as they took advantage of a couple of mistakes by New York.  Florida potted two power play goals in the game but, once again, anyone watching that contest as well as having watched this entire series would agree that the Islanders have a "next level" that the Panthers just don't.  The reason for the dominance the Islanders have in recent meetings with Florida is because their system frustrates the Panthers and that is why Florida scores so few goals in meetings between these teams.  The problem in Game 3 was the Islanders, up 2-0 in the series, relied on that a bit too much and didn't show their "next level" for stretches during that game.  Note that this is the first time we have seen these 5-game series in the NHL post-season in about 35 years.  They are only being used because of how the pandemic impacted the finish to the regular season.  The key point about the 5-game series though is that NHL teams are 56-1 when they take a 2-0 lead in the series.  In other words the odds strongly favor the Islanders winning this series and we know they don't want this to go to a winner-takes-all game 5.  With that being said, the Islanders bring their "A game" from the opening drop of the puck and that leads to a solid game 4 win.  The Panthers have only won one playoff series in franchise history and that was 24 years ago when they made a run all the way to the Stanley Cup finals before falling to the Avalanche in a sweep.  Florida has been one and done in the playoffs ever since then and have only scored 1 even strength goal per game so far in this series.  The Islanders let Game 3 get away from them but won't make the same mistake here.  Even though Jonahan Huberdeau, Florida's leading scorer, will likely find a way to play in this game, his leg injury could absolutely impact his effectiveness.  The Islanders are such a frustrating team to play against and they again stifle the Panthers here but you'll also see a little more from New York in the offensive zone in this one too.  Before that loss in Game 3, the Islanders had won 6 straight meetings with the Panthers by a combined score of 15 to 8.  Per our computer math model here a 3 to 1 win in the forecast for the small money line favorite in this one.  ASA TOP PLAY New York Islanders on the money line in very early action Friday.

ASA PLAY 10* on Edmonton Oilers Money Line (-) over Chicago Blackhawks, Wednesday at 10:30 PM ET

As expected, the Oilers bounced back strong in Game 2 to knock off the Blackhawks. This followed a Game 1 win for Chicago in which power play opportunities and loose play resulted in a very high-scoring upset win. While the win was impressive and the Blackhawks do have a nice mix of veteran talent and some young up and comers, the problem for the Blackhawks is they are still short of the level of team (and coaching) that Edmonton has. Lets not forget that the Hawks were a #12 seed for this qualifying round so this is one of the biggest mismatches on the board and the Oilers are starting to establish their will after a rough start in Game 1. Now the Oilers take it up yet another notch for this crucial "swing game" in Game 3. Yes in a 5-game series that is tied at 1 game apiece Game 3 becomes critical. The only reason that the NHL is using these 5-game series again (for the first time since the mid-80s) is because of this special qualifying round for this season's playoffs. History in NHL shows that over 80% of the time that a 5-game series is tied 1-1 the team that wins Game 3 goes on to win the series. In other words this game is critical. Both teams are aware of that fact of course but Edmonton is the team that can raise their game to the higher level. That is why this is a #5 vs #12 match-up. We would recommend playing this one early in the day as the price has dropped some this morning but we believe that was a set up per se and this price will now be rising as the day goes on. ASA PLAY 10* Edmonton on the money line in late night action Wednesday.

ASA NHL PLAY 7* Carolina Hurricanes money line (-) over New York Rangers, Tuesday at 8:00 PM ET

Not only are the Rangers down 2-0 in this best of five series, they appear disinterested.  The Rangers are realizing they are out-classed in this one.  The Hurricanes have been in playoff mode since the drop of the puck in Game One and simply have proven to be too much for the Rangers.  Carolina is so strong in terms of their defensemen that they're not allowing the Rangers to get anything going in the offensive zone.  Historically teams that are down 2-0 in a five game series are toast with only 1 in 55 ever having come back.  The Rangers are aware of this and we just don't see them having enough fight here to get past a Hurricanes team that seems bound and determined to close this out as quickly as possible.  The Canes long playoff run last season appears to be benefiting them greatly in this post-season and they are ready to advance from the qualifying round while the Rangers get ready to take a shot at the first pick in this year's draft.  New York just hasn't been able to rise to the level that the Canes have and, with no rest between games (these teams played yesterday) we don't see that changing here.  Bet Carolina on the money line in Tuesday evening hockey action.

ASA NHL PLAY 6* Pittsburgh Penguins money line (-) over Montreal Canadiens, Monday at 8:00 PM ET

With this line moving up into the -170 range as of gameday morning it is a little higher number than we would normally lay in a money line sport but post-season hockey is a different animal and we love the Penguins in this spot. One could argue that Pittsburgh should be a $2.00 favorite in this one. This is a #5 seed versus #12 seed in the NHL's unique 2020 postseason set-up and is arguably the most lopsided match-up of them all though credit is certainly owed to the Canadiens for stealing Game 1. The Penguins are healthy and are well-coached and, as the designated home team for this one, they have the "last change" advantage too. So even though this game is being played on "neutral ice" in Toronto, there is still an edge for the Pens. The Canadiens have had a rough season and we can't see Pittsburgh letting this game slip away and falling into an 0-2 deficit in a 5-game series! Carey Price, Montreal's goalie, would have to play out of his mind for the Habs to steal this game. After facing nearly 40 shots in Game 1 Price is really going to be under fire in Game 2 as well and look for this veteran Pens team to make sure they get plenty of screens in front of Price in this one. The Canadiens aren't overly impressive in the offensive zone and simply won't be able to score enough to keep up with Crosby and Malkin - the latter of whom is sure to bounce back huge after a poor Game 1 effort - and an angry Penguins team in this one. Bet Pittsburgh on the money line in Monday evening hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Toronto Maple Leafs versus Columbus Blue Jackets, Sunday at 8 PM ET

The Blue Jackets like to play tight defensive-minded hockey but the Maple Leafs won't allow for that.  The strength of Toronto is their speed and their skilled forwards.  Columbus head coach John Tortorella already announced some lineup changes to try and infuse more speed into his lines.  That said, we're looking for a fast-paced and a bit of a helter-skelter type game in the opener of this 5-game series.  The Maple Leafs are known for early exits from the post-season as it has been over a decade since they won a playoff series.  That said, if they again fall short here it is because their goal-tending lets them down.  We look for a high-scoring game here in game one regardless of who proves victorious.  We simply don't trust the play of the Maple Leafs in their defensive zone but we know that the forwards of Toronto are going to give the Blue Jackets a lot of trouble at the other end of the ice!  Yes, 4 of the 5 games yesterday totaled 5 or less goals but there is a reason this total is set at 6 goals and we won't let the bigger number keep us away.  This one has the makings of a game that will see the lamp lit early and often behind each netminder!  Bet the OVER in Toronto in NHL evening action Sunday 

ASA NHL PLAY 6* Pittsburgh Penguins money line (-) over Montreal Canadiens, Saturday at 8:00 PM ET

With this line dropping into the -150 range as of gameday morning it has fell well within our price range compared to the value being offered here.  One could argue that Pittsburgh should be a $2.00 favorite in this one.  This is a #5 seed versus #12 seed in the NHL's unique 2020 postseason set-up and is arguably the most lopsided match-up of them all.  The Penguins are healthy and are well-coached and, as the designated home team for this one, they have the "last change" advantage too.  So even though this game is being played on "neutral ice" in Toronto, there is still an edge for the Pens.  The Canadiens have had a rough season and to win Game 1 of a 5-game series is a huge edge.  That said, we can't see Pittsburgh letting this game slip away.  Carey Price, Montreal's goalie, would have to play out of his mind for the Habs to steal game one and we just don't see that happening.  His head may not even be in it as he was a bit reluctant to even play in this post-season with the pandemic raging on.  The Canadiens aren't overly impressive in the offensive zone and simply won't be able to score enough to keep up with Crosby and Malkin and a well-coached Penguins hockey club.  Bet Pittsburgh on the money line in Saturday evening hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Colorado Avalanche versus New York Rangers, Wednesday at 10:05 PM ET

The Avalanche ran into a red hot Kings team that has been playing the role of spoiler and stifling teams.  That resulted in a 3-1 loss for Colorado at Los Angeles Monday but that ended a streak of 3 straight games that totaled at least 7 goals.  Per our computer math model, this total being set at 6 is offering substantial line value on the over because of the situation.  Colorado should bounce back in the offensive zone now that they are back home and facing a Rangers team playing the 2nd night of a back to back.  Also, New York should match the production of the Avalanche here as the Rangers come into this game having scored at least 4 goals in 3 straight games.  The Rangers are off a 4-2 win at Dallas.  While that game totaled 6 goals, the Rangers entered that contest with 8 of 10 games totaling 7 or more goals.  High-scoring games continue to be the norm for the Rangers in recent weeks and we see that trend continuing tonight as the Avalanche will be extra aggressive off a 3-1 loss.  Bet the OVER in Colorado in NHL early late night action Wednesday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Nashville Predators money line (+) over Montreal Canadiens, Tuesday at 7:05 PM ET

Both these teams battling hard as they make a push for the playoffs.  However, only one team (the Predators) has been getting the job done.  Juuse Saaros, Nashville netminder, is coming off back to back shutouts in his last two starts and he has a 1.84 GAA and a sizzling hot .948 save percentage which has led the way to him winning 5 of his last 7 starts.  Overall, the Predators have won 8 of 13 games including key back to back games over the Stars which gives Nashville a ton of momentum heading into this game.  On the other hand, Montreal is falling apart.  The Canadiens are off back to back losses and have been defeated in 9 of their past 13 games.  Montreal has allowed 3 or more goals in 11 of 13 games.  The Predators Saros has allowed a total of just 10 goals in his last 6 starts!  The Canadiens Carey Price has allowed 4 goals in 3 of his last 4 starts.  Nashville has won 4 straight meetings with Montreal and outscored them 7-2 in last season's series sweep.  Of course home is priced into this line which is why get a very small price on a Predators team that would be a large favorite if they were the home team in this one.  With that being said, Montreal has won only 8 of its last 27 games on home ice so there is tremendous value in fading the Canadiens here.  Our computer math model also notes the recent power play struggles of the Habs and strong recent success for the Preds as being another key edge in what should be a road rout.  Bet Nashville on the money line in Tuesday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Florida Panthers money line (+) over St Louis Blues, Monday at 8:05 PM ET

The Blues are in a back to back spot and off a shutout win on the road at Chicago in divisional action last night.  The scheduling advantage goes to a rested Panthers team in this one.  St Louis started Jake Allen in goal last night and he got the shutout win.  Jordan Binnington will get the start here and he is off a loss and allowed 3 goals in his most recent start.  That was the 2nd time in 4 starts that he has allowed 3 or more goals - he allowed 5 in the other one!  Binnington will be opposed by Florida's Chris Driedger in this one.  He has been fantastic in the crease since he returned from injury.  Driedger has allowed a total of just 3 goals in his 2 starts since coming back.  The Panthers were off yesterday and now Driedger and his teammates will look to build off Saturday's 4-1 win versus Montreal.  Florida has been playing well in their own zone and has allowed a total of only 7 goals in regulation time of their last 4 games.  The Blues have allowed 10 goals in regulation time of their last 3 home games.  Per our computer math model, the Panthers score the upset over the defending champs and get payback for getting swept by St Louis last season.  Bet Florida on the money line in Monday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Chicago Blackhawks money line (+) over St Louis Blues, Sunday at 7:35 PM ET

The Blackhawks Corey Craword has been fantastic ever since the calendar hit 2020.  He has had one bad start in 18 starts and, ironically, it came at St Louis!  Now Crawford gets a shot at revenge on home ice against a Blues team that potted 6 goals against him last month.  In Crawford's other 17 starts in 2020 he has allowed a total of only 37 goals.  He has not allowed more than 3 goals in any of those 17 starts.  With him playing well between the pipes and Chicago coming off an upset loss to the Red Wings, this is the perfect spot in which to back the Blackhawks as a home dog.  St Louis also will be hungry here as they enter this game off a 4-2 loss at New Jersey.  However, the home ice and the revenge factor are keys in this game.  Chicago had won 4 in a row prior to the loss at Detroit and the Blackhawks simply ran into a hungry Original Six rival that got the best of them in a spoiler role in that game.  This situation is much different and the Blues loss to the Devils was their 10th road loss in their last 14 games away from home.  Per our computer math model, the road struggles continue here.  Bet Chicago on the money line in Sunday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Philadelphia Flyers Puck Line (-1.5 goals) over Buffalo Sabres, Saturday at 7:05 PM ET

Carter Hart, barring any unforeseen circumstances, is the confirmed goalie for the Flyers tonight and that is a key.  Hart has been incredible on home ice all season long and did it again in Philadelphia's 4-1 win over the Hurricanes on Thursday.  Hart is 19-2-2 with a 1.64 GAA on home ice this season.  The Sabres counter with Carter Hutton.  Buffalo's Hutton has allowed 17 goals in his last 5 road starts.  He has been respectable in most starts but the Flyers Hart has been out of this world spectacular in his home starts.  Not only that but 14 of Philadelphia's last 15 wins have come by a multiple-goal margin.  That is why there is a comfort level here with laying the 1.5 goals on the Flyers and getting a plus money price (currently +120) back in return.  This is a suburb value on a 2 to 1 money line favorite that enters this game on an 8-game winning streak and generally always wins by 2 or more goals.  The Sabres have lost 5 straight games and each of the last 4 defeats have been by 2 or more goals.  Buffalo has gone 6 straight games without scoring more than 2 goals.  The Flyers have scored 4 or more goals in regulation time of all but 1 of their victories during this 8-game winning streak.  Per our computer math model, you can expect a home blowout in this one!  Laying the 1.5 goals with Philadelphia is the value play here.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Buffalo Sabres versus Pittsburgh Penguins, Thursday at 7:05 PM ET

The Penguins finally are getting healthier again and it already paid off with a 7-3 win over Ottawa Tuesday.  Pittsburgh now seeks to avenge a 5-2 home loss to the Sabres less than two weeks ago.  Still fresh in their minds, that loss insures that the Penguins won't let up in this game either.  Even with a big lead the Pens will keep the hammer down.  Pittsburgh scored 5 goals in their last visit to Buffalo.  The Sabres are expected to start Jonas Johansson in this one.  The Buffalo netminder has allowed 3 or more goals in 3 of his last 4 starts and is still very inexperienced.  The 24 year old goalie has made only 4 NHL starts and is only up with the Sabres because of the Linus Ullmark injury.  The now-healthy Penguins will pepper him with shots in this one.  In Pittsburgh's crease tonight it will be Matt Murray.  The Pens netminder has allowed 14 goals in his last 4 starts.  In all 4 games Murray has allowed at least 3 goals.  With Johansson also consistently allowing at least 3 goals per start in his limited action it was not surprising to see that our computer math model is calling for each team to get to 3 goals in a game that should get to at least 4-3 tonight.  There have been only 3 unders in the Sabres last 11 games against teams with a winning record.  They are known for struggling in their D zone when facing top tier competition.  The over is 3-0 in Pittsburgh's last 3 games against Eastern Conference teams.  Bet the OVER in Buffalo in NHL early evening action Thursday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Vancouver Canucks versus Arizona Coyotes, Wednesday at 10:35 PM ET

13 of the Canucks last 15 games have totaled at least 6 goals.  The total in this game was set at 5.5 goals.  This is even with Vancouver being without their top goaltender, Jacob Markstrom.  The Coyotes have a tendency toward lower-scoring games but have exploded for 12 goals in the two victories they have had during their current 2-1 stretch entering this game.  Arizona is out for revenge after a 3-1 loss in their visit here in mid-January.  The Coyotes had scored an average of 4 goals in 4 games against the Canucks prior to that one.  Per our computer math model, each team shows high statistical probability for reaching the 3-goal mark in this one.  The Canucks O/U is 6-1 this season in home games with a total set at 5.5 goals.  Bet the OVER in Vancouver in NHL late night action Wednesday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Boston Bruins money line (+) over Tampa Bay Lightning, Tuesday at 7:35 PM ET

This will be the Bruins final trip to Tampa Bay this season (these teams meet again in Boston Saturday).  The Bruins have been patiently waiting for this revenge game as they lost the first two games to the Lightning this season including their most recent match-up nearly 3 months ago here in Tampa.  This is a divisional match-up and Boston knows they need this game to maintain a solid position at the top of the Atlantic as well as to prove they can get beat their nemesis.  The Bolts knocked the Bruins out of the 2018 playoffs in the second round and Boston hasn't forgotten.  The Bruins enter this game playing some of their best hockey of the season in recent weeks.  There have been a couple hiccups along the way but Boston has won 13 of 16 games ahead of this divisional showdown.  The Bruins Tuukka Rask got back on track with a shutout against the Islanders in New York in his most recent start.  On the other hand, Tampa's Andrei Vasilevskiy is struggling badly of late.  Vasilevskiy has allowed 22 goals in his last 5 starts!  The Lightning netminder has a poor .854 save percentage during this stretch and he will be facing a revenge-minded Bruins team that is sure to pepper him with shots in this one!  Another key in this game is that Steven Stamkos is out for the Bolts.  These factors are why Tampa Bay is such a small home favorite here and don't be fooled by the low money line on the home team.  Per our computer math model, the road team pulls away for a comfortable win here as Vasilevskiy's struggles continue and the Lightning lose for the 5th time in their past 6 games!  Bet Boston on the money line in Tuesday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Edmonton Oilers money line (+) over Nashville Predators, Monday at 8:05 PM ET

The Oilers have won 3 of the last 4 meetings between these teams.  The Predators use to be tough to beat at Nashville but that certainly hasn't been the case this season.  As a result, Nashville is truly over-priced here.  The Predators won 6 of their first 8 home games this season but they have since lost 15 of 25 on home ice!  The Oilers have lost their two most recent road games but have been a solid road team this season.  Edmonton had gone 18-12-2 on enemy ice before the back to back losses (one in a shootout).  The Predators have oushot the Oilers only once in the past 5 meetings between these clubs.  Per our computer math model, Edmonton will control puck possession and again have more shots on goal in this match-up.  Some of the recent losses for the Oilers were when Connor McDavid was out.  In games in which he has played, the Oilers have gone 12-4-2 the last 18.  Also, he has 4 goals and 8 assists in his last 10 games against the Predators.  Bet Edmonton on the money line in evening Monday hockey action.

ASA NHL PLAY 8* ON New Jersey Devils money line (+) over Anaheim Ducks, Sunday at 8:05 PM ET

The Devils have been playing their best hockey of the season but are off back to back OT losses which makes this a great spot to back them. New Jersey has been getting great goaltending from both Schneider and Blackwood.. In the last 9 games started by either of those netminders, the Devils have allowed a total of just 11 goals (not including overtime of course). This is the ideal spot to look for an upset from New Jersey as they face Anaheim off back to back tight wins including knocking off the Penguins in their most recent game. The Ducks had lost 4 straight (and 7 of 9) prior to securing back to back very tight wins. Prior to the 3-2 win over Pittsburgh, Anaheim had allowed an average of 4 goals over a 6-game stretch of home games. Home ice is over-rated here and the Devils have been getting the better goaltending. Bet New Jersey on the money line in evening Sunday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Minnesota Wild money line (+) over Washington Capitals, Sunday at 8:05 PM ET

Alex Stalock is expected to get the start for the Wild here. He has allowed 2 or less goals in 9 of his last 13 starts. Minnesota has been surging and that has them right back in the playoff race in the West. As for the Capitals, they are slumping badly and now have the Flyers nipping at their heels for the top spot in the Metro Division. Washington has lost 7 of 10 while the Wild have won 5 of 6. The Capitals have lost 4 straight road games and, per our computer math model, the slump for the road team continues here. Bet Minnesota on the money line in evening Sunday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Montreal Canadiens versus Carolina Hurricanes, Saturday at 7:05 PM ET

The Canadiens are expected to have Charlie Lindgren between the pipes.  He is Carey Price's back-up and has been used sparingly.  He has made 3 starts in 2020 and he allowed 4 goals in each of the 3 starts.  As bad as the Montreal goalie situation is for tonight, the Hurricanes situation is even worse.  Carolina recently lost both Petr Mrazek and James Reimer to injury in the same game.  That is why Anton Forsberg was called up from the minors and got the start in last night's loss to Colorado.  Now the Hurricanes options include using Forsberg again in a back to back spot (never easy) or turning to Alex Nedeljkovic.  Carolina's Nedeljkovic has made just 3 NHL starts in his career and in his only one this season (Tuesday) he allowed 4 goals.  The Hurricanes have lost 3 of 4 games and allowed 3.8 goals in those games.  The Canadiens have lost 7 of 9 games and allowed 3.7 goals per game (not including OT goals) in those 7 defeats.  Per our computer math model, this game totals 7 or 8 goals and it is posted at only 6 goals so this one easily gets the call for us.  Bet the OVER in Montreal in NHL early evening action Saturday 

ASA NHL PLAY 8* ON Philadelphia Flyers money line (-) over New York Rangers, Friday at 7:05 PM ET

Alexandar Georgiev is expected to start again tonight for the Rangers.  He was great last night for New York in their win at Montreal.  However, the only reason he is getting this back to back start is because Henrik Lundqvist has been so ineffective the Rangers don't trust him.  Their 2nd trusted goalie behind Georgiev is Igor Shesterkin but he suffered a rib injury in a car accident and is currently out.  Georgiev has fared well in his only 2 back to back situations this season.  However, this is still not the norm for him.  He is not use to making back to back starts and in his two seasons prior to this one he allowed 14 goals in 3 starts in this situation.  It is plain to see this is not a favorable situation for Georgiev.  Also, prior to his strong start against the Canadiens last night, Georgiev had given up 3 or more goals in 4 of his last 6 starts.  That doesn't bode well for tonight as the opposing goalie is Carter Hart and the Rangers are facing a red hot Flyers team that has dominated on home ice this season.  Philadelphia is 22-5-4 at home this season.  The Flyers Hart is 17-2-2 with a 1.65 GAA and .941 save percentage at home this season.  Per our computer math model, he dominates again and Philly's dominance at the Wells Fargo Center continues.  Bet Philadelphia on the money line in early evening Friday hockey action.

ASA NHL PLAY 8* ON OVER: Boston Bruins versus Dallas Stars, Thursday at 7:35 PM ET

Getting an NHL total at 5 is rare and is a great value.  This over 5 comes at a price of -135 but the value of getting a 5 rather than a 5.5 is exceptional.  The Stars, since mid-December, have played 31 games and only 5 of those games have totaled less than 5 goals.  In fact, since mid-January, 17 of 18 Dallas games have totaled at least 5 goals.  The Bruins, since early December, have seen 27 of their 36 games total at least 5 goals.  This game has playoff race implications of course but the potency of these two clubs in terms of offensive production is being underestimated.  Boston has allowed 17 goals their last 3 games.  The Bruins, before an ugly home loss to Calgary Tuesday, had scored 4 or more goals in 6 of 7 home games!  Dallas has won 6 of 8 road games and scored 3.5 goals per game during this stretch.  Per our computer math model, both teams produce well in the offensive zone in this one.  Bet the OVER in Boston in NHL early evening action Thursday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Nashville Predators Puck Line (-1.5 goals) over Ottawa Senators, Tuesday at 8:05 PM ET

This is a fantastic situation.  Ottawa is playing the 2nd night of a back to back.  The Senators were involved in the only game on the NHL schedule last night as they lost at Columbus in OT.  It was another deflating loss for Ottawa and also their 20th defeat in their last 25 games!  While the Senators are wrapping up a miserable season, the Predators are in the middle of a sprint to the finish over the last six weeks of the regular season as they are very much alive in the playoff race.  Nashville has a big scheduling edge here as they were off both Sunday and Monday.  The Predators also have revenge here as they lost at Ottawa 5-4 in December.  With Marcus Hogberg having gotten the call against the Blue Jackets last night, Craig Anderson is expected to get the start in goal for the Senators tonight.  Anderson is 4-8-1 with a 3.57 GAA in his 15 road games (14 starts) this season.  The Predators will have a huge edge in goal whether they use Pekka Rinne or Juuse Saros.  Both have been great recently and that is why Nashville has allowed only 2.5 goals per game in its last 11 games.  The Predators have averaged nearly 4 goals per game in their last 8 victories.  The Senators have averaged about 1.5 goals per game in their last 16 losses.  Based on the huge edges here it comes as no surprise that the Predators are a -330 favorite on the money line.  Where the value lies in a situation like this is the puck line and with Ottawa likely to be held to just 1 or 2 goals and the Predators likely to score 4 or more goals (see recent averages noted above), we have no hesitation in investing in the puck line (-1.5 goals) in this one.  Per our computer math model, this one is forecast to be a revenging home blowout Tuesday.  Laying the 1.5 goals with Nashville is the value play here.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Minnesota Wild money line (-) over St Louis Blues, Sunday at 7:35 PM ET

The Wild lost their first game on home ice after the coaching change but they then went on a quick 2-game road trip to western Canada and won both games.  Now, back on home ice again, Minnesota is hungry to give their new head coach his first home win.  The Wild are catching the Blues at the right time too.  St Louis is off a huge 5-1 win at Dallas Friday.  Prior to that road win, the Blues had lost 9 of their last 10 games away from home!  In other words, home ice absolutely does mean something here.  That plus the situational edge (Blues were in revenge mode against the Stars) has us siding with the home team here.  Per our computer math model, a dominating home win is on tap here as the Wild are now the team playing with revenge and they get payback tonight for having lost each of the first two meetings between these clubs this season.  Bet Minnesota on the money line in evening Sunday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Nashville Predators money line (-) over Chicago Blackhawks, Friday at 8:35 PM ET

This is a classic case of hot versus not.  The Blackhawks have lost 7 of their past 8 games.  The Predators are off a loss but had won 7 of 10 games preceding that defeat.  Nashville was left for dead in terms of playoff picture as of a few weeks ago but they have battled all the way back and won't let one loss slow them down.  After a home loss to a desperate Carolina team, look for the Preds to bounce right back here.  Nashville has won 2 of 3 match-ups with the Blackhawks this season and those two wins came by a combined score of 8 to 2.  The Predators have won their last two visits to Chicago by a combined score of 9 to 5.  The Blackhawks have lost 5 of their last 7 home games.  The Preds have won 7 of their past 10 road games.  Per our computer math model, the home ice "edge" will play out as no "edge" in tonight's meeting so take advantage of the line value with the short road favorite.  Bet Nashville on the money line in late evening Friday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Washington Capitals Puck Line (-1.5 goals) over Montreal Canadiens, Thursday at 7:05 PM ET

The Capitals are angry off back to back losses.  Only once this season have the Caps lost when they entered a game off consecutive losses.  Since that lone 3-game losing streak this season, Washington is a perfect 5-0 when they enter a game off back to back losses.  Of course it is not surprising to find out then that the Capitals are a very large money line favorite here.  Where value lies is with the puck line.  By laying the 1.5 goals with the Caps we get plus money on the puck line in the +135 range.  Per our computer math model, this win will come by a margin of 2 or more goals.  The slumping Canadiens are off a loss at Detroit!  The Red Wings are the worst team in the league and the Habs let a 2-goal lead slip away in that one!  Montreal has lost 16 of their past 25 games and that includes 5 straight defeats entering this match-up at DC.  The Canadiens have allowed 4 goals per game in their last 10 defeats.  The Capitals have scored an average of 4.4 goals per game in their last 10 victories.  Look for the Caps to get to 4 or 5 goals here while Montreal - averaging just 2 goals per game in their last 7 games - continues to struggle to score goals. The final kicker is that the Capitals did lose at home to the Canadiens earlier this season.  They then got some revenge with a 4-2 win at Montreal in the next meeting but they still want payback for a rare home ice loss handed to them by the Habs here way back in November.  This one is forecast to be a home blowout Thursday.  Laying the 1.5 goals with Washington is the value play here.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON St Louis Blues Puck Line (-1.5 goals) over New Jersey Devils, Tuesday at 8:05 PM ET

The Devils are expected to start Louis Domingue here.  When Mackenzie Blackwood has started between the pipes New Jersey has been very competitive.  However, in Dominque's last 4 starts the Devils are 0-4 and he has allowed 14 goals in his last 3 starts!  St Louis allowed a late goal at Nashville Saturday and that was the deciding goal in a tough 2-1 loss.  The Blues need to snap their losing streak and this is the perfect opportunity to do it.  St Louis is facing a struggling goalie and they are on home ice and Jordan Binnington is expected to get the start in the crease for the Blues.  Binnington is 16-4-5 with a 2.29 GAA in his home starts this season.  Of course St Louis is a very price-heavy fave in this spot but we get around that by utilizing the puck line in this match-up.  The Blues must win by 2 or more goals but then there is no juice to lay in this match-up.  14 of the last 20 wins for St Louis have come by 2 or more goals.  20 of the Devils last 28 losses have come by 2 or more goals.  Laying the 1.5 goals with St Louis is the value play here.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Washington Capitals money line (+) over Vegas Golden Knights, Monday at 6:05 PM ET

The Capitals are on the road here but have been playing great hockey overall away from home.  Additionally, Washington is off a loss and they are 8-0 the last 8 times they have entered a road game off a loss.  Suffice to say, we're happy to take the +120 underdog line value here with the Capitals sporting an 8-0 run when in this situation.  While it is true that Vegas enters this game off back to back home wins, both victories came by the slimmest of margins.  Also, this was preceded by an 0-4 run for the Golden Knights in home games and they lost those 4 games by an average margin of 2 goals per game.  The Knights have lost 7 of 11 games this season when they are off a game in which they held their opponent to 1 goal or less.  Including post-season action, the Capitals have won 6 of the last 7 meetings between these teams.  Per our computer math model, that series dominance continues here in the form of a road rout.  Bet Washington on the money line in early evening Monday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Buffalo Sabres versus Toronto Maple Leafs, Sunday at 7:05 PM ET

Jack Campbell has been playing well between the pipes for the Maple Leafs since they got him from Los Angeles.  However, the former Kings netminder was in between the pipes at Ottawa last night and that means Toronto will turn to Frederik Andersen in this back to back situation.  He only recently returned from a neck injury and, though he allowed "only" 3 goals versus Dallas, he faced only 19 shots.  Andersen giving up 3 goals only 19 shots is not a good sign.  In his last 4 road starts he has allowed an average of 3 goals per game but here he will face much more than 19 shots against a desperate Sabres team that is off consecutive wins and trying to make an upward trek through the standings.  Buffalo is well-rested here too and they will pepper Andersen with shots early and often in this one.  While Toronto was in action last night, the Sabres haven't played since Thursday, a 4-3 OT win versus Columbus.  That was the 4th time in 5 games that Buffalo has scored at least 3 goals.  The issue for the Sabres right now is in goal.  They are still without their #1 goalie, Linus Ullmark.  That has meant Carter Hutton has seen plenty of work but now even he is listed as questionable for playing in this one.  In fact the Sabres called up a goalie from the AHL in case they need another netminder for this one this evening.  The starter for Buffalo could be Jonas Johansson tonight and he has made just 2 NHL starts in his career.  The goalie Buffalo called up from Rochester is Andrew Hammond and he made only 5 NHL starts the past 3 seasons (and 0 last season).  The Sabres muddled goalie situation is particularly concerning when you consider that the Maple Leafs are one of the highest scoring teams in the league and enter this game having averaged 4 goals per game in their last 11 meetings with the Sabres.  Those match-ups have gone 8-3 to the over and, per our computer math model, the odds are very high in our favor that this one totals at least 7 or more once again!  Bet the OVER in Buffalo in NHL early evening action Sunday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Colorado Avalanche versus Los Angeles Kings, Saturday at 8:05 PM ET

As we mentioned in our write-up on the over involving the most recent Los Angeles game, opponents will take advantage of a Kings team willing to take risks in their game as they're going for more speed in their game even if that leads to some odd man rushes going the other way on turnovers.  When you have the worst record in the Western Conference you're willing to take risk.  Los Angeles, even after the win versus the Flames Wednesday, has lost 10 of 12 games and the Kings have given up an average of 3.9 goals in their last 8 defeats.  This total is set at only 6 goals and offers strong value for the over.  The total is set low because Los Angeles has not scored well in recent weeks but their win (5 to 3) over the Flames Wednesday gives them some momentum heading into this outdoor game taking place in Colorado Springs Saturday.  The weather is confirmed to be ideal for this early evening game in Colorado and the Avalanche are ready to explode on the ice after a 3-2 home loss to Washington Thursday.  The Avalanche had scored an average of 4 goals per game in their 9 games preceding the loss to the Capitals.  3 of the last 5 games between these teams saw the winning team tally 7 goals.  Per our computer math model, these teams are certainly expected to at least combine for 7 goals here!  Bet the OVER in Colorado in NHL early evening action Saturday 

ASA NHL PLAY 8* ON Winnipeg Jets money line (-) over San Jose Sharks, Friday at 7:05 PM ET

Both teams off disappointing losses but there is a big difference here.  For the Sharks this has been a recurring pattern but for the Jets it has certainly not been the case.  Winnipeg outshot the Rangers by solid margin in their Tuesday home loss.  This was preceded by a 4-0-1 stretch for the Jets as they earned at least a point in the standings in 5 straight games.  Winnipeg entered Tuesday's game having allowed 2 or less goals in 6 straight games.  The Sharks have lost 19 of their past 28 games.  San Jose has allowed 3 or more goals in 7 of their last 9 games.  In 5 of those 7 games the Sharks allowed at least 4 goals.  The Jets have certainly been getting better goaltending than San Jose.  Also Winnipeg has won 10 of 13 games this season when they are off a game in which they scored just 1 goal or were shutout.  The Jets have won 5 of last 7 meetings between these teams including both meetings this season.  That makes this a revenge game for the Sharks but the recent series dominance is expected to continue per our computer math model.  San Jose has lost 19 of 29 games this season when playing with revenge.  The simple fact?  The Jets are the better team and are playing the better hockey and they have the Sharks number!  Bet Winnipeg on the money line in early evening Friday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Arizona Coyotes money line (-) over Ottawa Senators, Thursday at 7:35 PM ET

The Coyotes have struggled but they have played much better in their last two games and had the game winning OT goal taken away in their OT loss at Toronto Tuesday.  Suffice to say, Arizona will be ready to go as they continue to fight to move up the standings in their quest for a playoff spot.  The Coyotes feel cheated that they didn't get the full two points against the Maple Leafs.  While Arizona was already in Canada on Tuesday, the struggling Senators were south and west in Colorado getting pounded by the Avalanche in a 3-0 loss.  Ottawa has now lost 16 of 18 games.  As a result, we see huge line value here with the Coyotes as a small road favorite.  Per our computer math model, Arizona will earn the lions share of the quality scoring chances in this game.  The Coyotes have picked up at a least a point in the standings in 5 of their past 7 games.  Arizona has averaged 2.6 goals per game in their last 5 games while the Sens have averaged scoring only 1.2 goals per game in their last 5 games.  Ottawa has lost 10 of its past 11 home games.  The Coyotes roll to a road win here.  Bet Arizona on the money line in early evening Thursday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Los Angeles Kings versus Calgary Flames, Wednesday at 10:05 PM ET

The Flames are off back to back 6-2 wins and should keep rolling at Los Angeles tonight.  The Kings are wanting to get a little more speed in their game and, though that hasn't translated to many goals yet, there could be a breakthrough tonight now that they are back on home ice after a road trip back east.  LA will take advantage of a Flames team that has allowed an average of 3.8 goals per game in regulation time of its 8 games since mid-January.  Calgary has scored an average of 5 goals per game in its last 3 road games and will take advantage of a Kings team willing to take risks in its game as they're going for more speed in their game even if that leads to some odd man rushes going the other way on turnovers.  When you have the worst record in the Western Conference you're willing to take risk.  Los Angeles has lost 10 of 11 games and the Kings have given up an average of 3.9 goals in their last 8 defeats.  This total is set at only 5.5 goals and offers strong value for the over.  The total is set low because Los Angeles has not scored well in recent weeks but they're going to take advantage of the Flames D-zone in a clear let-down spot after back to back dominating road wins by a count of 6-2 each in their last two games.  Not only is the over 3-1 in he last 4 meetings between these teams but those 3 games all totaled 7 or more goals.  Per our computer math model, a similar result of 7 goals is expected here and we only need 6 to end up with a winning ticket!  We'll take it!  Bet the OVER in Los Angeles in NHL late night action Wednesday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: New Jersey Devils versus Florida Panthers, Tuesday at 7:05 PM ET

The Devils Mackenzie Blackwood has been on fire between the pipes.  However, New Jersey is expected to start Louis Dominque between the pipes for this one and save Blackwood for Thursday's game against the Red Wings.  That is noteworthy to say the least because Dominque has gone 0-4 in his last 4 starts and allowed an average of 3.5 goals in those appearances.  Also, he and the Devils are facing an angry Panthers team that wasted a number of great scoring chances in their 4-1 loss at Philadelphia last night.  Indeed Florida should score plenty tonight in a bounce back game.  The problem for the Panthers tonight will be keeping the puck out of their own net though.  That's because their choices in goal are Sergei Bobrovsky in a back to back or using their current #2 goalie Samuel Montembeault.  Neither of those two options is appealing as Bobrovsky should not play in a back to back as he is only recently back from injury himself.  As for Montembeault, he has struggled this season and has only made 5 starts among his 9 appearances at the NHL level this season.  Not only have the last 3 meetings between these teams all gone over the total, they averaged a total of 8 goals scored per game.  Per our computer math model, another high-scoring match-up between these clubs is likely tonight.  Per the above, it is the perfect situation for a wild one in New Jersey.  Bet the OVER in New Jersey in NHL early evening action Tuesday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Montreal Canadiens versus Arizona Coyotes, Monday at 7:05 PM ET

This is a great spot for the Coyotes to get back on track.  They catch the Canadiens off a key divisional win (versus Maple Leafs) and with another key divisional game (versus Bruins) on deck.  However, while we do look for Arizona to take advantage of facing Montreal in a situation where defensive focus may not be at its best, the Coyotes goal-tending situation is a major concern.  Considering that as well as the fact that the Habs are hot right now and playing with confidence, this one very easily could turn into a back and forth battle with more goals than most are expecting.  The Coyotes had to turn to Adin Hill in their game Saturday at Boston because Antti Raanta got hurt.  Raanta is dealing with a lower body injury and that also is what has kept goalie Darcy Kuemper on the shelf too as he has been out since December.  Kuemper has been upgraded to questionable for tonight's game but he'll be rusty if he plays.  If Raanta plays he is not 100% after the injury he suffered.  Also, since Kuemper went down with injury neither Raanta or Hill truly "emerged" either.  In the last 6 starts made by Hill the Coyotes ended up allowing 3 or more goals in each.  Raanta has allowed 3 or more goals in each of his last 5 road starts.  The over is 3-0 in Arizona's last 3 road games.  The Canadiens have rival Boston on deck and this season they have allowed 14 goals in 3 games when they have the Bruins up next.  It is a clear look-ahead spot and should lead to plenty of goals here as the Coyotes are seeking to avenge a 4-1 home loss to Montreal earlier this season.  Even though Canadiens goalie Carey Price has been playing well, he has struggled too in this situation (Bruins on deck) this season.  Also, Montreal is 9-5 to the over when on a winning streak of 3 or more games.  Arizona is 10-5 to the over this season when they are off a game in which they allowed at least 4 goals.  Bet the OVER in Montreal in NHL early evening action Monday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Colorado Avalanche money line (-) over Minnesota Wild, Sunday at 7:35 PM ET

Double revenge game for the Avalanche as Pavel Francouz and the Avs lost at home to the Wild 6-4 in December which followed a 3-2 Colorado loss at Minnesota in November.  The Avalanche are now one of the hottest teams in the league for a long-time and Francouz has been dominant between the pipes in road games all season long.  Francouz is 6-2 with a ridiculous .947 save percentage in his 8 road starts this season!  The Wild are starting Devan Dubnyk in this one.  Dubnyk has an .862 save percentage in his last 4 starts and has been charged with 17 goals in those 4 appearances.  Compare that to Francouz who has allowed just 14 goals in 9 road games (8 starts) this season!  Huge edge in between the pipes here and, per our computer math model, Colorado is set to win this one in a road rout and avenge that December home loss!  In road games with a total set at 6 or more goals, the Avalanche have won 15 of 23 games this season.  Even though this is a back to back spot for the Avs, the revenge angle and goalie edge key this game.  Plus the Wild are off a tight divisional win and Minnesota has lost 10 of 15 this season when off a divisional game.  Bet Colorado on the money line in early evening Sunday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Philadelphia Flyers money line (+) over Washington Capitals, Saturday at 7:05 PM ET

The Flyers are off a very unusual game.  For one thing it was a shutout home ice loss which is very rare.  However, the result was quite surprising too when you consider that Philadelphia lost 5-0 despite a 46-19 edge in shots on goal.  Per our computer math model, the Flyers are poised to bounce back here and get a better end result for their efforts at Washington.  The Flyers are 4-0 their last 4 when they are entering a game off a loss.  Also, Philadelphia had won 7 of 10 games prior to their home loss to the Devils.  While Philly is off an ugly loss the Capitals are off a game in which they (in particular Alex Ovechkin) rallied for a 4-2 win over the Kings.  Los Angeles actually looked like the right side for much of that game.  Washington was able to come back against a bad LA team but they won't be so fortunate against a highly motivated division rival in this one.  The Capitals have lost 4 of their past 7 divisional home games and are over-priced here.  As a result, the big dog Flyers are offering value here that is too strong to ignore when one factors in the situation leading into this game as well.  Bet Philadelphia on the money line in early evening Saturday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Toronto Maple Leafs versus Anaheim Ducks, Friday at 7:05 PM ET

The Maple Leafs are without their #1 goalie Frederik Andersen due to injury and that is part of the reason they just acquired Jack Campbell from the LA Kings.  Of course that puts Campbell in a high-pressure spot here.  By no means is he the #1 guy here in Toronto nor has he ever been the #1 guy in his young NHL career.  However, now he goes from playing for a Los Angeles team that is wrapping up a disappointing season as the worst team in the Western Conference to suddenly being thrust into a playoff-pressure situation in hockey-crazed Toronto.  Campbell will have a ton of pressure on him in this home ice start tonight because the Leafs certainly are not known for being solid in terms of their defense in front of their netminders.  The sub-par Maple Leafs defensive work is part of the reason that Toronto has allowed an average of 4 goals per game in their last 11 games.  The Ducks also are familiar with facing goalie Jack Campbell because he was in his 4th season with Los Angeles.  Anaheim will turn to Ryan Miller tonight in goal because they used their #1 guy, John Gibson, last night at Montreal.  That means we have a match-up of back-up goaltenders here and Miller has a history of struggling badly against the Maple Leafs.  In fact, in his last 4 starts at Toronto Miller has allowed at least 4 goals in all 4 starts including 6 in each of his last two starts there!  With the Maple Leafs off back to back 5-3 losses, they won't take their foot off the gas in this one and they should put plenty past Miller.  The Leafs have scored an average of 4.1 goals per game in regulation time their past 21 games!  This is the Ducks 4th straight road game and 9 of 11 Anaheim games this season have gone over the total when they enter a game having played each of their 3 prior games on enemy ice.  Speaking of a 9-2 totals run, the Maple Leafs last 11 games have resulted in only 2 unders and 9 overs.  Per our computer math model, this one sees at least 7 pucks find the back of the net!  Bet the OVER in Toronto in NHL early evening action Friday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Pittsburgh Penguins money line (+) over Tampa Bay Lightning, Thursday at 7:05 PM ET

This one is all about the value.  The line value here with the big dog Penguins is simply too strong to ignore.  There are a dozen games on a busy Thursday night slate of NHL action.  8 of the 12 games have big lines.  However, 6 of the 8 big dogs are teams at or very near dead last in their divisions.  We're talking about teams like Ottawa, Detroit, San Jose, Anaheim, Los Angeles, New Jersey, and Winnipeg.  The ONLY exception is Pittsburgh.  The Pens have 71 points on the season to rank among the top teams in the NHL.  Of course the Lightning are at home for this game and, just like the Penguins, the Bolts have also been red hot.  However, Tampa Bay's home ice record is only slightly better than Pittsburgh's road record.  This line is simply priced too high because Andrei Vasliveskiy has indeed been hot between the pipes for TB but note that the Pens have also been getting solid goaltending.  Matt Murray was spectacular in the win over the Capitals on Sunday.  Having been off for 3 straight days, the Penguins hold the rest edge here as the Lightning will be playing for the 4th time in 7 days.  Pittsburgh has won 15 of 21 when playing with 3 or more days of rest between games.  Also, the Penguins have won 17 of 25 this season when playing with revenge.  Additionally, while the Pens have won 14 of 23 games against teams with a winning record this season Tampa Bay Bay has lost 14 of 26 games against teams with a losing record on the season.  Upset alert down in Tampa!  We'll gladly grab the +150 price with the dangerous dog in this one.  Bet Pittsburgh on the money line in early evening Thursday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON UNDER: Tampa Bay Lightning versus Vegas Golden Knights, Tuesday at 7:05 PM ET

Marc-Andre Fleury and Andrei Vasilevskiy - the expected goalie match-up for this one and it should be quite the duel.  The Golden Knights have been playing a much more defensive-minded, conservative game since Peter DeBoer took over for Gerard Gallant as head coach a few weeks ago.  Vegas allowed just 19 shots on goal (and Fleury stopped all 19) in a dominating win at Nashville on Saturday.  Fleury has allowed 3 or less goals in 5 of his last 6 starts.  Speaking of strong goal-tending, Vasilevskiy was the most dominant netminder in the NHL in the month of January.  He went 9-0-1 with a 1.58 GAA and a .948 save percentage.  He is the most dominant goalie in the game right now and he is back on home ice.  Vasilevskiy has not lost a game in regulation in 16 straight starts and has held opponents to 3 or less goals in 10 straight starts.  Last season he compiled a 1.92 GAA in his two starts against Vegas.  Fleury has allowed a total of only 11 goals in his last 5 starts against Tampa Bay.  The Knights, as noted above, have been a different team with DeBoer at the helm.  The total set on this game is a 6.5 and yet Vegas has seen 5 of their past 7 games total 6 or less goals.  7 of Tampa Bay's last 10 games have totaled 6 or less goals.  It is getting to that time of year when teams are starting to play a little more defensive-minded hockey as playoff races are heating up.  Tampa Bay is in a battle with the Bruins for the top spot in the Atlantic Division while Vegas is in a fierce battle to retain a top 3 spot in the Pacific Division.  Look for goals to be at a premium in this game as Fleury and Vasilevskiy continue their strong play between the pipes.  When Vegas is off a shutout win the under has cashed in their very next game 14 of 21 times!  The Lightning are also off a shutout win at San Jose Saturday.  When Tampa Bay is off a shutout win the under has cashed in their very next game 13 of 16 times!  Also, the under has cashed in 5 of 6 times this season when the Lightning are playing with 2 days of rest between games.  Bet the UNDER in Tampa Bay in NHL early evening action Tuesday   

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Washington Capitals versus Pittsburgh Penguins, Sunday at 12:35 PM ET

With their OT win over the Flyers on Friday, the Penguins have now allowed at least 3 goals in 3 straight games.  The Capitals are off a high-scoring win at Ottawa Friday.  The Capitals have now allowed an average of 3.5 goals per game their last 4 games.  Washington has scored an average of 4.8 goals per game their last 5 games and are loaded with firepower.  Of course the Penguins are well known for their firepower up front too.  This is especially true now that Sidney Crosby is back after an extended absence.  It is a divisional battle, it is Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals hosting Crosby and the Penguins.  Entertainment value off the charts for this early TV game on Super Bowl Sunday and, per our computer math model, there will be goals aplenty in this one.  Both hockey clubs have been a little weak between the pipes in recent games and there are plenty of sharpshooters to take advantage in this key Metro Division battle.  Look for the lamp to be lit early and often in this one.  Pittsburgh's games are on a 6-3 run to the over.  Washington's games are 19-7 to the over this season when the Capitals are off a game in which they scored 4 or more goals. Bet the OVER in Washington in NHL action early Sunday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Vancouver Canucks money line (+) over New York Islanders, Saturday at 1:05 PM ET

This is a great spot to back Vancouver and a horrible spot for the Islanders even though New York is on home ice.  While Vancouver has already played twice since the All Star break, this is the Islanders first game since Tuesday January 21st.  Also, New York does not have another game until Tuesday which means this is their only game in a span of two weeks.  The Islanders are sure to be rusty as a result.  As for the Canucks, there is no rust here as they have come roaring right out of the All Star break with back to back wins by a combined score of 7 to 3.  Vancouver has now won 4 straight games and 13 of 16.  This is in stark contrast to the recent performance of the Islanders as they have been enduring an overall losing stretch including, surprisingly, losing 7 of their past 9 home games!  Home ice means very little in this one and the Canucks are in the much better situation plus offering plus money odds in the 120 range for this one.  We'll take it!  Bet Vancouver on the money line in early afternoon Saturday hockey action.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Tampa Bay Lightning Puck Line (-1.5 goals) over Los Angeles Kings, Wednesday at 10:05 PM ET

Teams that have played a game after the All Star break have a big edge over teams that haven't played.  We saw that last night with St Louis off a loss in their first game back and then winning at Calgary (a team that hadn't played).  Also Ottawa upset the Sabres last night and the fact that Buffalo hadn't played and was rusty was a big factor as the Senators had played the night before and it showed.  That makes this situation a particularly strong one because one of the best teams in the league (Tampa Bay) is taking on one of the worst teams in the league (Los Angeles).  The Kings have not played since Saturday the 18th so this is a span of more than a week and a half off!  As for the Lightning, they played Monday at Dallas and suffered an overtime loss against the Stars.  As their coach noted, Tampa Bay was sloppy in their first game back and made mistakes.  This has been a key theme for all the teams coming back from extended time off.  We expect it to be no different for the Kings tonight and Tampa Bay, already having a game under their belts, will take full advantage.  Los Angeles has lost 11 of its past 14 games!  The Kings scored an average of only 1.6 goals per game in those 11 defeats.  Now the rusty Kings will be tasked with trying to stop an angry Tampa Bay team that had won 12 of 14 games prior to the loss to the Stars.  The Lightning have scored an average of 4.5 goals per game in those 12 victories!  You can see this is a mismatch and, of course, that is why Tampa Bay is a 2 to 1 favorite on the money line.  Where we get the value is by playing the Lightning on the puck line and laying the 1.5 goals for a plus money price in return!  4 of Tampa's last 6 road wins have come by a margin of 2 or more goals.  4 of the Kings last 5 home losses have come by a multiple-goal margin.  Also, Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy had won 10 straight starts prior to the OT loss at Dallas.  The Lightning have been getting fantastic goal-tending.  Laying the 1.5 goals (and getting a comeback price, currently in +120 range) with Tampa Bay is the value play here.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Nashville Predators versus Toronto Maple Leafs, Monday at 8:05 PM ET

The Maple Leafs rank in the top 5 in the league for goal scoring this season.  However, Toronto also ranks among the bottom 5 in the league when it comes to goals against average!  As a result, we look for a very high-scoring game at Nashville Monday evening.  In the first game after the All Star break, teams can be a little sloppy with the puck.  This results in turnovers which can lead to odd man rushes and, overall, better scoring opportunities than usual in a game.  That certainly helps the cause here and we like the fact that the Maple Leafs have scored an average of 4.3 goals per game in their last 19 games!  Toronto also has allowed an average of 5 goals per game in its last 6 games.  The total has gone 5-1 to the over in the Maple Leafs last 6 games.  That is not surprising given those numbers.  Both of these teams have struggled badly on the penalty kill this season.  The Leafs are out for revenge as they were shutout in both meetings withe Predators last season.  While Toronto has a great shot at getting revenge here, we don't trust their play in front of their own net and expect the Preds to match them goal for goal in this one.  Per our computer math model there is high likelihood that each team gets to 3 goals in this one.  With the total set at 6.5 goals that would guarantee that this one turns into a winning ticket.  The Predators enter this game having lost 7 of their past 11 games and they allowed 4 or more goals in all 7 of those defeats.  The O/U is 3-1 this season when Toronto is playing with 3 or more days of rest between games.  The O/U is 4-0 this season when the Preds are playing with 3 or more days of rest between games.  Look for those trends to hold true again tonight on Monday.  Bet the OVER in Nashville in NHL action Monday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Chicago Blackhawks versus Florida Panthers, Tuesday at 8:35 PM ET

Fantastic set-up here.  Both these teams have been piling up wins and goals and we're certainly in for a spirited battle Tuesday.  That's because Panthers coach Joel Quenneville is making his return to the United Center.  He led the Blackhawks to 3 Stanley Cup Championships during his tenure in Chicago and ranks 2nd on the all time list of NHL wins.  Quenneville has done a great job in Florida and the Panthers enter this game surging as they won again last night.  However, Florida has a goalie issue tonight because Sergei Bobrovsky was in between the pipes last night and Chris Driedger is out with an injury.  That means that Bobrovsky, whom did allow 4 goals at Minnesota last night, or Sam Montembeault - whom is the #3 goalie - will be between the pipes tonight.  Neither option is a good one as Bobrovsky just got back from injury and rarely ever starts in back to back games.  As for Montembeault, he allowed 3 goals in a back-up role in his most recent appearance.  Prior to that, in his last 3 starts Montembeault allowed 5 goals in each start.  The Panthers will be trying to contain a red hot Blackhawks team.  Chicago has won 5 straight games and scored 4 or more goals in 4 of the 5 wins.  Florida has also won 5 straight games and they have scored at least 4 goals in all 5 games  Per our computer math model a 5-4 game has a solid probability of occurring.  Of course it only takes a 4-3 win to make this play a winner as the total is currently 6.5 goals as of mid-day Tuesday.  The two meetings between these teams last season each totaled 9 goals!   In non-conference games the Panthers are 45-25 to the over including 12-3 this season.  Blackhawks home games are on a 3-0 run to the over.  We see every reason to believe that streak reaches 4-0 tonight.  Bet the OVER in Chicago in NHL action Tuesday 

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Winnipeg Jets over Chicago Blackhawks, Sunday at 7:05 PM ET

Fantastic set-up here.  The Jets are off an ugly 7-1 home loss to the Lightning Friday.  The Blackhawks are off a huge 6-2 win at Toronto last night.  Winnipeg has the rest edge as a result and they also come into this one angry just like the Bolts were angry when they crushed the Jets on Friday night.  Now Winnipeg turns the tables and is on the right end of a blowout against a Blackhawks team they've dominated.  The only recent exception was the last game between these two clubs when Chicago prevailed 4-1 even though it was the 4th straight game in which the Jets outshot the Blackhawks.  Prior to that Chicago win, Winnipeg had won 6 straight meetings between these teams.  The Jets have won each of their last three meetings with the Blackhawks in Chicago.  Also, Winnipeg had averaged scoring 4.5 goals per game in that 6-0 run against Chicago.  The Jets have won 8 of 9 games this season when off a game in which they were held to 1 goal or less.  The Blackhawks have lost 9 of 14 divisional games this season.  Bet Winnipeg in NHL action Sunday  

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON San Jose Sharks over Vancouver Canucks, Saturday at 10:05 PM ET

The Sharks had been rolling prior to this road trip.  San Jose was back on track with wins in 6 of 9 games.  Now the Sharks have begun this road trip by losing a pair of games by a combined score of 10 to 3.  After those ugly losses, and with this being their final game prior to the All Star break, San Jose will respond with one of their best games of the season tonight.  If Dell gets the start between the pipes, he has a .927 save percentage in his last 4 starts.  If Jones is in the crease, the Sharks are 6-3 in his divisional starts this season.  The teams have split their first two games this season and that makes San Jose 8-3 in their last 11 games against Vancouver.  The Canucks are off a 3-1 win over the Coyotes but, prior to that strong effort on defense, Vancouver had allowed an average of 4.4 goals in 5 games.  The Sharks have the better penalty kill in this match-up and the Canucks power play has been in an extended slump.  San Jose has won 56 of their last 92 divisional games.  With the Sharks off back to back ugly losses and Vancouver off a big divisional win, another strong trend comes into play here.  When the Canucks are off a divisional game they have lost 46 of 71 times!  Per our computer math model, the road dog gets the upset win here as Vancouver proves unable to duplicate the effort they just had versus Arizona Thursday.  Bet San Jose in NHL action Saturday  

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Los Angeles Kings at Florida Panthers, Thursday at 7:05 PM ET

The Kings have been instructed by their head coach to play faster and with more aggression.  The result has been 2 of their 3 games on this road trip totaling 7 goals.  With Los Angeles facing one of the highest scoring teams in the league - and also a team that currently has a goalie issue - another game with plenty of scoring is likely on Thursday.  Florida is expected to again be without starting goalie Sergei Bobrovsky tonight.  The means Sam Montembeault (5 goals allowed in each of his last 3 starts) or Chris Driedger (4 goals allowed in 3 of his last 4 starts) are the two options here for the Panthers.  Neither of those options yield much in the way of confidence in the Florida crease   However, what does yield confidence for the Panthers is the way they've been playing in the offensive zone.  Florida's offensive production has been particularly lethal on home ice.  The Panthers are 6-1 in their last 7 home games and Florida has averaged scoring 5.4 goals per game in its past 7 home games.  The Panthers have allowed an average of 4 goals per game in their past 6 home games.  Our computer math model is projecting this game to end with 8 goals with projections ranging from a 4-3 to a 5-4 game.  Either way, seeing 7 or more goals in this one seems quite likely and the over is 7-0 in Florida's last 7 games as a host.  We look for the high-scoring trend to again hold true tonight  as the over streak reaches 8 in a row.  Bet the OVER in the Florida Panthers game in early evening NHL action Thursday.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Minnesota Wild at Pittsburgh Penguins, Tuesday at 7:05 PM ET

The Penguins will have Sidney Crosby back in the lineup tonight for the first time in two months.  Look for him to provide a huge spark for the Pens on home ice.  Note that already, even without Crosby, Pittsburgh games have featured plenty of scoring of late. The Penguins last 3 games have all reached a total of 7 goals and those were on the road.  Now Pittsburgh is back on home ice where their last 5 games have averaged 7.2 goals per game.  The Penguins have allowed 3 or more goals in 4 straight games.  The Wild have had one shutout win in their last 10 games but in the other 9 games they have allowed an average of 4 goals per game.  Per our computer math model, each team has a high probability of getting to at least the 3 goal mark in this one.  With a total set at 6 goals for this one, Crosby coming back, and strong odds of a no less than a 4-3 final...this is a situation that earned our top game rating.  The first meeting between these teams this season totaled 11 goals and the Penguins have averaged scoring 4.5 goals per game in their last 4 games against the Wild.  Pittsburgh is 19-11 to the over when on a winning streak of 3 or more games.  This season the Penguins are a perfect 3-0 to the over when they enter a game having played each of their 3 prior games on the road.  They are going to make the most of this opportunity on home ice and Crosby is coming back to a rousing celebration here at PPG Paints Arena.  The result will be plenty of scoring in this non-conference match-up.  Bet the OVER in the Pittsburgh Penguins game in early evening NHL action Tuesday.

ASA NHL PLAY 9* ON Carolina Hurricanes over Washington Capitals, Monday at 7:05 PM ET

Lot of value with the road dog here.  The Capitals finally got revenge for last season's playoff ouster the last time they met the Hurricanes.  Now this is the final meeting between these clubs this season and, of course, that has Carolina seeking revenge after they lost 4-3 to Washington in the most recent meeting.  This is a classic case of hot versus not as Carolina has won 3 straight games and also has been getting strong goal-tending.  As for Washington, they are off B2B losses by a combined score of 8-3.  Also, going further back, the Capitals have lost 4 of their past 7 games and have allowed an average of nearly 4 goals per game during this 7-game stretch.  The Hurricanes have been at their best against top competition this season as they have won 12 of their 17 games played against teams with a winning record.  Washington has lost 4 of its last 5 divisional games.  The lone exception was when the Capitals won at Carolina on the 3rd of this month.  That Washington victory was preceded by 4 straight Hurricanes wins in meetings between these teams and, per our computer math model, they resume that dominance here.  Bet Carolina in NHL action Monday  

ASA NHL PLAY 9* ON Buffalo Sabres over Detroit Red Wings, Sunday at 5:05 PM ET

We successfully used Detroit on Friday as they gutted out a shootout win over Ottawa.  However, they go from facing a struggling Senators team to now facing an angry Sabres team that has shown plenty of potential at times this season.  Buffalo has been up and down and was playing roughly ".500 hockey" for a 4 week period prior to getting roughed up in their last two games.  Losing those games by a combined score of 11 to 4 has the Sabres fully focused here and they have won each of their last 3 visits to Detroit including thrashing the Red Wings by a combined score of 9 to 1 in the past two meetings in Detroit.  The Red Wings enter this game off back to back wins and that is certainly worthy of note as Detroit has managed 3 straight wins just ONCE this entire season and we're now in the 4th month of the season.  Keep in mind, prior to these back to back wins Detroit had gone through a long stretch that had seem them lose 33 of 40 games from October 12th to January 5th.  In other words, the Sabres are offering great line value here as a rather short road favorite.  Given the situation with a focused and fired up Sabres team, we'll lay the price!  Bet Buffalo in NHL action Sunday  

ASA NHL PLAY 9* ON Detroit Red Wings over Ottawa Senators, Friday at 7:35 PM ET

The Red Wings hold a big edge in goal tonight as Jonathan Bernier is expected to get the start.  He has a .923 save percentage at home this season and also a .936 save percentage in his last 4 starts.  The Senators, on the other hand, have had issues in goal without Anders Nilsson (out with a concussion).  Ottawa has not found an answer between the pipes with either Marcus Hogberg or Craig Anderson.  This is why, even though both these teams have struggled recently and it may seem tough to back either one, the reality is that the  Red Wings have Bernier and a home ice edge here and that will prove to be the difference.  Detroit has allowed an average of 2.6 goals per game in its last 5 games.  Ottawa has allowed 4 or more goals in 9 of its last 10 games.  That is an incredible run of futility for the Senators in their own zone. Per our computer math model, Ottawa struggles again in that regard here and loses its 6th straight game.  Bet Detroit in NHL evening action Friday  

ASA NHL PLAY 9* ON Nashville Predators over Chicago Blackhawks, Thursday at 8:35 PM ET

We successfully played against Nashville with a Top Play on Tuesday as it was a horrible situation for the Predators and, indeed, they would go on to get rolled by the Bruins.  Part of the bad situation was the coaching staff was in a state of flux with little time to prepare for the Boston game.  Now, with the coaching change having been completed and extra time to prepare for this game, this one falls into the category of a "play on situation" following a coaching change.  Teams often respond in a game immediately following a coaching change but on Tuesday, the time was too short after the Laviolette firing followed a West coast road trip and the Preds had little time to prepare.  Nashville will be ready to go tonight with Tynes behind the bench for this one and they'll take advantage of facing Chicago.  The Blackhawks have lost 8 of their past 12 home games.  The Predators have won 6 of their past 11 road games.  The Preds are favored on the road at Chicago for a reason and they will attract the sharp money tonight and that includes ours!  Lay it!  Bet Nashville in NHL evening action Thursday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Boston Bruins over Nashville Predators, Tuesday at 8:05 PM ET

This is a horrible spot for Nashville.  The Predators not only fired their head coach, Peter Laviolette, last night they also fired associate coach Kevin McCarthy.  Nashville just hired their new head coach, John Hynes, today.  This is a team in disarray coming back from a road trip out west as they just played Sunday evening in Anaheim also.  So they are on short rest with travel, the coaching staff is being shuffled, and they are facing a Bruins team that is angry off just their 2nd home regulation loss this season and seeking revenge too.  Yes Boston has not forgotten the 4-3 OT loss that Nashville handed them just before Christmas on home ice.  Now the Bruins look to return the favor on enemy ice at Nashville.  The Predators also have a divisional game on deck at Chicago while Boston has another non-conference game on deck.  The Bruins are off their first regulation loss in over 3 weeks and it was an ugly 4-1 defeat.  That is the type of loss that gets a team refocused and Boston gets a shot at revenge here too.  The Bruins power play has converted 27.3% this season while the Predators have converted only 16.8% this season.  On the penalty kill Boston has allowed opponents to convert only 14.2% while Nashville has allowed opponents to convert 25.8% with the man advantage.  The Bruins have won 33 of 46 when playing with 2 or more days of rest between games.  Boston has also won 21 of 30 after being held to 1 goal or less in their prior game.  The Predators have lost 9 of their last 13 games.  The Bruins rate the special teams edge and the situational edge here and the coaching situation for Nashville for this game is a mess.  Bet Boston in NHL evening action Tuesday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Anaheim Ducks over Nashville Predators, Sunday at 10:05 PM ET

The home team has dominated this series of late as the host had won 5 straight meetings entering this season and the first meeting of this season as well.  The average margin of victory in the last 6 games has been 2.2 goals and our computer math model is calling for another blowout win for the home team in this one.  Perfect situation as Anaheim enters this game off a loss Thursday while the Predators are off a road win Saturday.  Nashville is in a back to back spot while the Ducks are in a bounce back spot and have a significant rest edge.  The Ducks have struggled early this season but the Predators actually have lost 12 of 19 games against teams with a losing record this season.  In a home games with the total set at 5.5 goals by the bookmakers, the Ducks have won 52 of their last 84 games in this situation.  Bet Anaheim in NHL late night action Sunday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Detroit Red Wings at Dallas Stars, Friday at 8:35 PM ET

The Stars intensity on defense could be down a few notches for this one and how could you blame them?  Dallas is off a huge outdoors win in the game played at the Cotton Bowl on New Years Day.  A huge comeback win for the Stars and it was a highly anticipated game.  Now the Red Wings, having one of the worst records in the league, are paying a visit to Dallas.  This classic flat spot, in our strong opinion, is going to lead plenty of goals.  The Stars have been the comeback kids of late and, given the situation, don't be surprised if the Red Wings get out to an early lead here but then Dallas battles back for the win as that has been their "M O" of late.  Per our computer model this game is projected to get at least 6 goals and likely 7 before all is said and done.  With this total set at 5.5 goals there is great value on the over.  The Stars have seen 5 of their last 6 games totals 6 or more goals.  The Red Wings are off a shutout win but previously allowed an average of 4.2 goals per game their 6 prior games.  Though Detroit has struggled this season they have been more competitive recently and have not lost by a multiple goal margin in any of their past 3 games.  The over moves to 5-2 when the Red Wings enter a game off a shutout win.  The over moves to 6-1 in the Stars last 7 games.  Bet the OVER in the Dallas Stars game in evening NHL action Friday.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Arizona Coyotes over St Louis Blues, Tuesday at 9:05 PM ET

The early line move here is on Arizona.  That is sharp money.  How do you know?  That is the case because St Louis has won 8 straight games and the Coyotes have lost 3 straight games and yet it is Arizona that is getting wagering attention.  We like the Coyotes here as they are ready to bounce back strong on home ice.  Arizona has lost each of its past two home games and they have not lost 3 consecutive home games this season.  Their overall 3-game losing streak is also unlikely to continue as they have never lost 4 straight games this season.  The Blues have big games on deck at Colorado and Vegas and might overlook the Coyotes here.  Per our computer math model, St Louis is going to drop to 1-3 this season when playing with home loss revenge.  Yes, Arizona beat the Blues earlier this season and that was actually the 5th Coyotes win in the last 6 meetings between these teams.  By the way, the last 6 meetings between these teams have had an average margin of 3.5 goals so look for a home blowout here.  The Coyotes are 7-1 this season after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game. Bet Arizona in NHL evening action Tuesday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Arizona Coyotes over Dallas Stars, Sunday at 8:05 PM ET

The Stars are off a big win over the Avalanche last night in the shootout.  The Coyotes lost at Vegas last night 4-1.  That sets this one up perfectly for a play on Arizona.  The Coyotes are back at home off a loss while the Stars are back on the road after an emotional home win over a Colorado team that is among the best in the NHL this season.  The home team has won each of the last 3 meetings between these teams and, per the simulation report, that streak will reach 4-0 with another win by the host here.  The Coyotes have outshot the Stars in each of the last 3 games between these clubs.  The Stars had lost 4 of 6 prior to last night's win.  The Coyotes loss to the Golden Knights last night was the first time they have lost back to back games this month!  Dallas has lost 15 of 19 Sunday games including all 4 this season!  The Coyotes are a perfect 7-0 this season when off a loss by a multiple goal margin.  Bet Arizona in NHL evening action Sunday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning, Monday at 7:05 PM ET

Tampa Bay ready to respond after a 3-1 loss at Washington Saturday.  However, the Lightning are likely to be challenged by the high-scoring division rival Panthers in this one.  The last meeting between these clubs was a tight 2-1 Bolts win but low-scoring games like that have been the exception rather than the norm in this series.  In fact, prior to that low-scoring win, the over was on an 8-1 run in match-ups between these rivals.  The Lightning did register 48 shots on goal in that 2 to 1 win and they'll be blasting pucks on net throughout this one as well.  Prior to their 3-1 loss at Washington Saturday, Tampa Bay's last 3 games had all totaled 7 or more goals.  The Panthers last 3 games have averaged a total of 8 goals.  Florida is one of the highest scoring teams in the league and the Lightning rank right behind them.  Both these hockey clubs rank in the top 5 in the league for goals per game.  Per our computer math model, 8 goals likely here and we're expecting a very high-scoring battle in this one.  Bet the OVER in the Lightning game in early evening NHL action Monday.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Colorado Avalanche over Carolina Hurricanes, Thursday at 9:05 PM ET

The Avalanche are offering tremendous line value here. This is a classic over-reaction by the marketplace based on situational viewpoint. This is a back to back spot for the Avalanche but they enter this game on a 9-1-1 run. Included in the 9-1-1 run is a perfect 2-0 mark when playing the 2nd game of a back to back. On deck for Colorado is the same Blackhawks team that they just beat so there is no lookahead here. In fact the Avalanche are going to be very focused here. Why? The Avs moved into the Pepsi Center for home games 20 years ago. Since that time they had NEVER lost to the Hurricanes in regulation of a game. That is, until last season! The Hurricanes not only beat the Avalanche but shut them out 3-0 at the Pepsi Center. The Avalanche haven't forgotten and they are one of the best teams in the NHL this season and are particularly dangerous again with all key players back on the ice. Keep in mind Gabriel Landeskog and MIkko Rantanen had missed quite a bit of a time. With those guys back the Avs are as strong as they have been all season and that showed again in last night's 4-1 win at Chicago. While the Hurricanes are also playing well of late this is the final game of a 5-game road trip. Sometimes you'll see a team slip up in a spot like this because they've already had a successful trip and they're already thinking ahead to getting back home and facing an Eastern Conference foe rather than this non-conference match-up tonight. A big key here is likely to be the netminding also. The Hurricanes are likely to go with Petr Mrazek and he has a losing record on the road this season and has allowed 3 or more goals in 6 of his past 8 starts away from home. The Avs used their back-up goalie last night so that means Philipp Grubauer will get the start tonight. He had a rare tough start in his last game (versus the Stanley Cup champion Blues) and can't wait to get back on the ice. Grubauer has allowed an average of just 2 goals per start this season when off a game in which he allowed 4 or more goals. Also, at home this season he allowed 3 goals in his most recent start (a 7-3 win) and 2 or less goals in 4 of 6 home starts that preceded that one. Grubauer and the Avalanche are very tough on home ice and are being undervalued here. Per our computer math model, Colorado gets payback for the rare home shutout they were handed by Carolina late last season in March. In home games with a total set at 6 or more goals, the Avalanche have won 9 of 12 games this season. When the Hurricanes are off B2B wins by a multiple goal margin this season they have gone 0-3. After B2B blowout wins, that is the situation Carolina is in here and we look for the Canes to remain winless in that situation on the season. Bet Colorado Avalanche for a Top Play in NHL action Thursday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON New York Islanders over Nashville Predators, Tuesday at 7:05 PM ET

The Predators are in a tough back to back spot here.  Also, they used Juuse Saros between the pipes in last night's win over the Rangers.  He actually has been playing better than Pekka Rinne of late but it will be Rinne getting the start tonight most likely since this is a back to back spot.  Rinne has allowed 4 goals in back to back starts and, in fact, has allowed 4 or more goals in 7 of his last 10 starts.  In those 7 starts Rinne has allowed an average of 4.6 goals per game!  The Islanders play a very controlled-type game that tends to frustrate opponents.  It was very early last season when the Islanders had both their meetings with the Predators and that was when head coach Barry Trotz was still working in his systems with New York in the earliest stages of his first season as the new head coach.  Of course as the season went on the Islanders got stronger but they did suffer an early season sweep at the hands of Nashville and they are looking for payback here.  The Islanders have a big rest edge here as they enter this game having had 2 days off while the Predators are in a back-to-back.  The Islanders have won 3 straight games and they have won 9 of 11 this season when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 or more games.  Also, the Islanders have won 6 of 7 this season when playing with 2 days of rest between games.  In home games with a total set at 5.5 goals, the Islanders are on a 25-8 run!  The stingy defense of the Islanders is why they lead the league with fewest goals allowed at 72 on the season.  The next closest team has allowed 80 goals.  The Predators, on the other hand, had allowed 3 or more goals in 5 of 6 games preceding last night's 5-2 win over the Rangers.  Nashville is 0-3 the last 3 times they've entered a game after allowing 2 or less goals in their prior game.  Not only a home ice edge and situational edge for the Islanders here, they also hold an edge in terms of special teams play as they have the better penalty kill and much better power play stats so far this season in comparison with the Predators.  Bet New York Islanders for a Top Play in NHL action Tuesday

ASA NHL PLAY 9* ON New York Rangers over Anaheim Ducks, Saturday at 4:05 PM ET

The Rangers are playing quite well now and getting solid goaltending from both Georgiev and Lundqvist.  The result since mid-December has been a solid stretch in which New York has gone 8-4-1 in its past 13 games.  While the Rangers are feeling good and have a positive atmosphere evident with their hockey club right now, the Ducks are at the other end of the spectrum.  Anaheim's struggles have continued and they have lost 13 of their past 17 games.  That makes the opportunity to get the Rangers at plus money in this spot a "must play" situation as the Ducks just can't get any consistency going while, in comparison, the Rangers have been the much better team the last 3 to 4 weeks.  Anaheim has scored an average of only 2.6 goals per game their last 15 games.  The Rangers are averaging 4.3 goals per game their past 7 wins.  Per our computer math model, look for another big win for New York here as Anaheim continues to struggle to find the back of the net.  Bet New York Rangers money line in NHL action Saturday  

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON St Louis Blues over Vegas Golden Knights, Thursday at 8:05 PM ET

The St Louis Blues have endured their first streak of 3 consecutive regulation losses.  But things are about to change in a hurry.  The Blues are the defending Stanley Cup champs and they have been dealing with injuries and are now getting healthier.  Alexander Steen and Oskar Sundqvist both are likely to return tonight.  Also, Zach Sanford could be back on the ice for St Louis tonight as well.  On top of all that, the Blues are back on home ice where they are known for being particularly tough to beat.  Certainly Vegas knows all about that as they have never won here.  The Golden Knights are 0-3 all-time in games played at St Louis.  Vegas also might end up being a little flat here too emotionally.  Marc-Andre Fluery made his first start after a lengthy absence for bereavement leave and he had a great outing against the Blackhawks Tuesday night.  Everyone on the Golden Knights pulled together for that emotional win.  Now it is the hungry Blues that are likely to have the emotional edge in this one as they are emotionally charged up after the 3 straight regulation losses (only 1 was here in St Louis).  Look for a very strong effort from the Blues here.  They beat Malcom Subban and the Golden Knights 3-1 the last time these two clubs squared off.  The other two most recent wins (St Louis has beaten the Knights 3 straight times overall) came when Vegas had Fleury between the pipes and he allowed 9 goals in those two starts. In terms of the Blues netminding situation, they have allowed just 1 goal to Vegas in each of the last two meetings and that was once with Jake Allen and once with Jordan Binnington.  The point is that they are in good shape either way here.  The Golden Knights are 0-3 this season in road games with a total set at 5.5 goals by the odds makers.  Per our computer math model, the Blues improve to 4-0 all time when hosting the Knights.  Bet St Louis for a Top Play in NHL action Thursday  

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Winnipeg Jets Puck Line (-1.5 goals) over Detroit Red Wings, Tuesday at 8:05 PM ET

The Red Wings are having a horrible season and now have lost 11 straight games.  That being said, the biggest fear in playing the Jets here is that they might overlook Detroit.  However, that is not going to happen in this case because this is the front end of a home and home set between these clubs.  Knowing their next game is on the road, Winnipeg (on a 6-1-1 run as a host) wants to make sure they take advantage of home ice here.  Knowing their next game is against the Red Wings, the Jets will of course be fully focused on Detroit in this one.  That is bad news for the Red Wings and that is a key reason as to why Winnipeg is a -250 money line favorite in this match-up.  That price is very high with good reason and the value with this match-up, as a result, is the puck line!  The Jets at -1.5 goals are priced close to break even or at -105.  This is a great value considering that each of the Red Wings last 7 games have been losses by a margin of 2 or more goals.  In fact, those 7 defeats have come by a an average margin of 3.6 goals per game.  The Jets most recent win came by just a single goal but their three preceding wins all came by 3 or more goals.  Per our computer math model, this will be another win by a multiple-goal margin for the Jets as the Red Wings suffer a 12th straight loss - and 8th straight defeat by 2 or more goals.  Laying the 1.5 goals (and laying a very fair price, currently in -105 range) with Winnipeg is the value play here.

ASA NHL PLAY 9* ON Arizona Coyotes over Chicago Blackhawks, Sunday at 7:05 PM ET

The Blackhawks are back home after back to back road wins that each came after regulation on Thursday and Friday.  That being said, Chicago may not have enough left in the tank to get past a scrappy Arizona team here.  The Coyotes are fired up off a rare shutout loss (2-0) at Pittsburgh on Friday.  Arizona entered that game with a 10-3-3 record on the road this season.  The Blackhawks enter this game having lost 9 of their 16 home games this season.  That is why this pick'em line, though it may seem enticing to back the home team, is actually telling you that the road team is the play here.  There is a reason that the Coyotes are not an underdog in this match-up and it is because the odds makers are expecting the same thing we are in this one - an Arizona win.  The Coyotes are 4-0 this season when off a loss by a multiple goal margin in their prior game.  The Blackhawks have lost 64 of their past 99 games (including 11 of 17 this season) when they are facing a team with a winning record.  Bet Arizona in early evening NHL action Sunday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON OVER: Vegas Golden Knights at New York Islanders, Thursday at 7:05 PM ET

Marc-Andre Fleury is back with the team after time away due to the passing of his father.  However, Fleury just arrived back with the team and is only going to serve as the back-up tonight.  Malcom Subban is expected to get the start again.  In the Golden Knights 4-3 win at New Jersey Tuesday, Subban allowed 3 goals which marked the 5th time in his last 6 road games that he has allowed at least 3 goals.  He is a respectable back-up but Subban is the back-up for good reason...he is no Fleury when it comes to his play between the pipes.  That being said, we're going to take advantage here and go over the low total of 5.5 goals set for this game.  While the Golden Knights have a high probability of allowing at least 3 goals they also have a high probability of scoring at least 3 goals too.  Vegas has begun to heat up again on this road trip and has scored at least 3 goals in 4 of its last 5 road games!  The Knights will take advantage of an Islanders team that has stumbled a bit of late.  New York has lost 4 of its past 6 games and their play in their D-zone has not been what it was earlier this season.  The Islanders have allowed 3 or more goals in 7 of their past 10 games.  New York struggled to score goals recently but most of those games were on the road.  In home games the Islanders have been a different team and have scored an average of 3.8 goals per game in their past 9 games on home ice!  With the Islanders looking to bounce back at home after a road loss Tuesday and the Golden Knights riding hot momentum on the road and looking to close out a perfect road trip, the set up here is perfect for this one to see 6 or more goals scored.  Bet the OVER in the Islanders game in early evening NHL action Thursday

ASA NHL PLAY 9* ON Los Angeles Kings over Washington Capitals, Wednesday at 10:05 PM ET

The Capitals are in a tough back to back spot here as they were at San Jose last night.  Washington is having a great season but this is one of those situations that looks like the ideal spot in which to fade a good team.  Los Angeles is coming off a loss but has won 7 of its last 9 home games.  Getting the Kings as a sizable home dog here means excellent line value.  The Capitals won the most recent meeting but Los Angeles entered that match-up having won 3 of the last 4 meetings between these teams.  This will be the 5th back to back situation for Washington this season.  So far they have managed a 2-0 sweep in back to backs just one time in four tries.  After winning at San Jose last night, our computer math model is calling for the Capitals to fall short tonight at Los Angeles and, per the above, the odds certainly favor that outcome.  Look for the Kings improve to 8-2 in their last 10 home games.  LA has won 5 in a row in non-divisional home games.  Make that 6 in a row with tonight's result!  Bet Los Angeles in late night NHL action Wednesday

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Tampa Bay Lightning over Nashville Predators, Tuesday at 8:05 PM ET

The Predators are off a 3-0 shutout loss and are now 0 for 16 on the power play their last 5 games.  Nashville has lost 10 of its last 14 games and now faces a Lightning team off a 3-2 loss and ready to bounce back.  Tampa Bay was the #1 team (by a large margin) in the league in the regular season last year.  The Bolts were then promptly swept out of the playoffs in the first round and that means they are back on a mission here this season.  Now that the Lightning are getting healthier (Stamkos recently came back and Killorn should be back on the ice tonight), it is time for Tampa Bay to make another huge move up the standings.  Tampa Bay has lost 3 straight (all by a single goal) for the first time since March of last season!  Prior to this tough string of tight losses, the Bolts had won 6 of their past 8.  Getting the Lightning at a pick'em price here is a great bargain considering the situation.  The past two seasons this has been the time of year when the Bolts kick things into high gear.  Tampa Bay has won 24 of 27 games in the month of December the past two seasons.  The Lightning have been off since Saturday and they have won 21 of 31 when playing with two days of rest between games.  Nashville has lost 7 of 11 home games with a total set at 6 or more goals and the Predators won't be able to keep with the high-scoring Bolts in this one.  Tampa Bay's power play has been red hot this season (one of the best in NHL) and the Predators haven't scored a power play goal in their past 5 games.  Tampa has scored an average of 4.1 goals per game its past 10 games.  The Predators have scored an average of only 2.3 goals per game their past 10 games.  Bet Tampa Bay in evening NHL action Tuesday

ASA NHL PLAY 9* ON Vegas Golden Knights over Nashville Predators, Wednesday at 8:05 PM ET

Perfect situational set up here. Vegas is off a loss and looking for a breakout game and catches the Predators at the perfect time to execute.  Additionally, we get line value because this game is at Nashville and that is why the Golden Knights are an underdog in this match-up.  We'll take the plus money with Vegas as the Predators are off back to back home and away wins over the Stanley Cup Champion Blues.  Not only is St Louis the defending champs, they also are a big division rival of Nashville.  The Predators, prior to those key back to back wins, had lost 6 straight games and 8 of their last 9 games!  That makes this the ideal spot for the Golden Knights to bounce back after catching an earful from head coach Gerard Gallant following their 4-2 loss at Dallas.  The Knights schedule has been tough recently but prior to losses to the Oilers and Stars (a pair of very tough teams) Vegas showed signs they were turning things back around with a 3-game points streak in which they outscored the opposition 11 to 4.  The cherry on top here is that the Golden Knights led Nashville 2-1 in Vegas earlier this season before they came unglued in the 2nd period making mistakes that led to 3 goals.  The Knights haven't forgotten that game and now it is payback time.  Perfect situation for a fired up Golden Knights team to exact revenge as the Predators get caught still celebrating their back to back big wins over the Blues.  The Predators #1 goalie Pekka Rinne has struggled so badly that Juuse Saros is getting another start here.  Both netminders have GAA above 3.00 this season.  Even without Marc-Andre Fleury between the pipes tonight, look for strong play in front of the Knights crease and on the other end in the offensive zone to lead to a big road win.  Bet Vegas in evening NHL action Wednesday

ASA NHL PLAY 9* ON Philadelphia Flyers over Carolina Hurricanes, Thursday at 7:05 PM ET

The Flyers beat the Hurricanes earlier this month in Philadelphia.  Even though this meeting is at Carolina, note that prior to Philadelphia's win at home earlier in the month, the road team had won 6 of the last 9 meetings between these teams.  The Flyers are in a fighting mood and will be ready to go here as they are off an ugly 5-2 loss at Florida that was preceded by 3 straight tight one-goal losses.  Per our computer math model, Philadelphia is set to improve to 3-0 the last 3 times they have entered a game off a loss by a margin of 3 or more goals.  The Hurricanes enter this game on a hot streak but they have struggled this season in divisional action with losses in 5 of 7 games and that continues here.  When on a winning streak of 3 or more games, the Hurricanes have lost 15 of 27 to cost their backers 7.7 net units when in that situation that past 2+ seasons.  Bet Philadelphia in early evening NHL action Thursday

ASA NHL PLAY 8* ON OVER: Washington Capitals at New York Rangers, Wednesday at 8:05 PM ET

The Capitals are the highest scoring team in the league this season and the Rangers are allowing more goals than all but one team in the league this season.  This one sets up well for the Capitals to do some damage against New York and goalie Henrik Lundqvist.  The Rangers veteran netminder has allowed an average of 5 goals in his last two starts against the Capitals and Washington is rolling strong so far this season.  The Capitals are expected to have Braden Holtby between the pipes for this one and the O/U is 12-4 in his 16 starts on the season.  The over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these teams and, per our computer math model, another one is expected to fly over the total here.  The Capitals, after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game, have seen the over go 61-37 (including 10-2 this season).  The Rangers have lost 3 of 4 games and allowed 19 goals in those 3 defeats.  New York will battle hard on home ice to hang around in this game but they'll have to score plenty of goals to do so and that is precisely what we expect in a 5-4 or 4-3 type game with this one.  Bet the OVER in the Rangers game in NHL evening action Wednesday.

ASA NHL TOP PLAY 10* ON Tampa Bay Lightning over St Louis Blues, Tuesday at 8:05 PM ET

We have had our eyes on this match-up for awhile.  Last season the Bolts were the #1 regular season team and yet then got swept right out of the playoffs in the first round!  That was a shock!  It also was a shock when St Louis was dead last in the NHL standings pretty deep into the NHL season and then yet improbably rallied in an amazing run that led them to the ultimate prize when they hoisted the Stanley Cup in June!  In other words, the Lightning have had this game circled in red as a "barometer game"...the type of game that will prove the Cup can be theirs!  The Blues did beat the Bolts in both meetings last season but only by a goal each time.  Also, the meeting in St Louis saw Tampa Bay out-shoot the Blues by a heavy margin even though they came up a goal short on the scoreboard.  The set up here is perfect as the Lightning come into this game scoring a lot of goals and playing very well while St Louis enters this contest struggling to score goals and on a losing streak.  The Blues have lost 3 straight games and have managed a total of just 5 goals in the process. The Lightning have won 4 of their last 6 games and have scored an average of 5 goals per game during this hot streak.  Tampa Bay will prove to be the hungrier more motivated team here and are off a regulation loss (4-3) to the Jets.  Not only have the Lightning not had back to back losses in regulation this season, they also are 50-18 (including 5-2 this season) when off a game in which they allowed 4 or more goals!  Bet Tampa Bay in evening NHL action Tuesday

ASA NHL PLAY 9* ON Calgary Flames over Vegas Golden Knights, Sunday at 7:05 PM ET

We have had our eyes on this line all morning and it has simply been pushed too far.  Vegas has gone from the -125 money line range to the -155 range.  This is a Golden Knights team that continues to blow late leads in games and simply can't be trusted right now as their losing streak continued yesterday with the loss at Los Angeles.  Calgary will come into this one angry as they are are off a shutout loss at Arizona yesterday.  Though the Flames lost 3-0 (including a late empty net goal), Calgary outshot the Coyotes 37 to 24.  Also, Calgary has a revenge from a 6-2 loss at Vegas last month.  The Flames led in the shots on goal category in that lopsided defeat as well.  Calgary has won 5 of 7 this season when off a loss by a multi-goal margin.  The Golden Knights once vaunted home ice has seen them much more beatable there this season.  Vegas has actually lost 6 of last 9 games played on home ice.  Per our computer math model that trend will continue as the Knights lose for the 6th straight time and 8th time in 9 games with a home ice loss to a fired up Calgary team coming off a shutout loss and seeking revenge!  Bet Calgary in early evening NHL action Sunday.