darrell,

2-1 yesterday and 66% since start of the year. Three picks today.

Keep your head up and stick on the ice, darrell!

*St. Louis +250 over EDMONTON (4:05 Eastern)

Edmonton shouldn't be laying 250 here. They've dropped six of eight at home including a 3-6 loss last game out vs. Minnesota. St. Louis on the other hand is coming on, having won three of their last four and four of six including wins at +180, +250 and +310. Edmonton is 10-14 this year vs. losing teams and their defense is serious cause for concern. Home teams allowing 2.85+ goals/game on the season off 2 straight blowout losses by 3 goals or more are just 27-63 (30%) since 1996 during the second half of the season. I like St. Louis here as a big dog for one star.

*Buffalo +156 over CAROLINA (5:05 Eastern)

Carolina seems to be letting up before the Olympic break. They have dropped two straight including an inexcusable loss to Pittsburgh the other night as a -480 favorite. In contrast, Buffalo comes in on fire having won eight of their last night games. They are 11-5 this season as a road dog of +100 to +200 and in matchups between two good teams (60% to 70%), road underdogs of +100 to +200 revenging a loss of 2 goals or more are 24-10 (71%) over the last 5 seasons. Buffalo is scoring 3.1 per game on the road this year and holding opponents to 2.2 over their last five games. Carolina can score with the best of them but their defense has been lackadaisical all season and worse as we approach the break. One star on Buffalo.

****ANAHEIM -284 over Chicago (8:05 Eastern)

Chicago has lost seve on nine and Anaheim will be pumped for this game as they honoro Teemi Selanne as the seventh European player to record 1,000 career points. Selanne leads the Ducks this season with 53 points and should lead them to an easy victory over the struggling Blackhawks. Chicago is just 1-13 this season on the road vs. teams that average 30+ shots on goal per game (Anaheim averages 32.1). Anaheim scores 3.3 per game at home and should get plenty of goals against a Chicago team allowing 4.0 per game on the road. And get this... Road underdogs of +200 to +300 that have been outscored by their opponents by 0.3+ goals/game, after 2 straight close losses by 1 goal are just 1-24 since 1996 during the second half of the season. Four stars on Anaheim.