We rate each pick 1 to 5 units with 5 being the strongest play (read about units).
Risk 1% of your bankroll per unit (never risk more than 5% of total bankroll on any pick).
Game: Pittsburgh at Ottawa (7:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: 3 units on Ottawa -214 (risk 3 to win 1.4)
Ottawa should close out the series here against the outmatched Penguins. Ottaw is 4-0 lifetime in series in which they have a 3-1 lead. Nothing is going right for Pittsburgh right now but they are having extraordinary trouble on the power play (they are 0-9 in the last two games). Not even Crosby could help last game as he was held scoreless on Tuesday. Pittsburgh hasn't played defense all season long and that's holding to form in this series (allowing 3.7 per game). They scored enough during the regular season (3.3 per game) to win games but against a team like Ottawa, that's not happening. Pittsburgh has averaged just 2.4 goals per game in the series.
Game: Detroit at Calgary (9:30 PM Eastern)
Pick: 3 units on Detroit -130 (risk 3 to win 2.3)
Yes, Calgary took care of business on Tuesday. But, this doesn't erase the fact that they were outshot 97-35 and outscored 7-2 in the two games prior. It was Calgary's first win in seven games and the first time they held an opponent to less than 3 goals over that span. We aren't going to overreact to that lone Flames victory. NHL road favorites off a road loss are 67-22 (75%) over the past decade when well rested (having played five or fewer games in the past two weeks). The Red Wings are 27-11 vs. winning teams in second-half play the past two seasons and we look for Detroit to take this one on the road.
Game: Dallas at Vancouver (10:00 PM Eastern)
Pick: 3 units on Vancouver -134 (risk 3 to win 2.2)
Vancouver looks to close out its series with Dallas here at home. Since a 5-4 victory in game one, the Canucks haven't scored more than two goals in a game but they haven't need to. Dallas has managed just 4 total goals int he past three games as Luongo has shut them down. He's saved 152 of 160 shots in the series. Dallas' strength is defense and they just don't have what it takes to break out of this offensive rut. The fact is, this is just an excellent matchup for the Canucks whoa re now 9-3 this season vs. good defensive opponents (averaging under 27 shots on goal per game). Dallas has lost 14 of its last 22 games while Vancouver has won 32 of their last 47. We like Vancouver with the momentum tonight.
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