Winter Classic Prediction

Take the Capitals to win the Winter Classic over Pittsburgh

The Pick: Washington +120

After all the hype it's finally here, even if it will be starting seven hours later then planned. Both teams are relatively healthy, and both are playing well entering this years Classic. Since struggling badly in mid-December, the Capitals have won 4 of 5 and are playing much better defense. As a matter of fact, they have given up only seven goals in those five games. If Washington continues to commit to defense and receives solid goaltending from Semyon Varlamov they're a very difficult to beat. Pittsburgh is coming off a loss at the NY Islanders on Wednesday, but has won 3 of their last 5 games. There is an outside chance that Jordan Stall will make his first appearance of the season for the Pens which will bolster the already explosive offense. It's a very hard game to pick, especially with the uncertainty of the condition of the ice. It may prove to be slow and sluggish which may lead to a low scoring game. We like how Washington has played lately, and the fact they they will be looking to avenge an earlier shootout loss to the Penguins on December 23rd.

New Years Eve..

There are several games on tonight's schedule. Since we are both in New Year's mode, we really didn't go into depth on any games.

One that jumps off the page is Detroit at home versus the Islanders. The odds are -300 for Detroit and +250 for NYI. It's funny, the last two meetings have both gone to the Islanders. A 6-0 win at the Coliseum last season and a 2-0 win at Joe Louis the season before. The Isles are 5-1-1 in their last 7 and come off an impressive 2-1 shootout win at home over Pittsburgh where they stopped Crosby's streak. I wouldn't bet on Detroit simply because the odds are ridiculous and the Islanders have won the last 2 meetings and are playing well.

We like Atlanta over the Devils. Atlanta is actually +110 in this game and could give you a nice return.

We like Vancouver over Dallas tonight -120.

Have a happy and safe new year. We will see you tomorrow.

Colorado at Edmonton

Two teams both in slumps will get together in sunny Edmonton tonight. Combined losers of 7 in a row, something will have to give. The Avs currently sit in 6th place in the West but only 4 points clear of 13th place Minnesota. The Oilers are probably the only team in the Western Conference (Calgary soon as well) that you can count out of playoff contention.

With everyone in the west getting points almost every game, the Avs will step up tonight and beat a team they are better than to keep their playoff pace going.

Pick: Colorado -150

Parlay Wednesday

Pittsburgh at New York Islanders -200

New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils -130

Pittsburgh heads into Long Island tonight to face the Islanders. The Isles had won 3 straight and were 4-0-1 in their last 5 before reality set in Monday night at MSG where the Rangers beat them 7-2. Pittsburgh doesn't play until their winter classic game New Year's Day at Heinz Field. The Isles have played them tough the last few years at the Coliseum but with Rick Dipietro back in the lineup, Crosby and Malkin who are both Islander killers will have their way with a young and undersized defense group.

The Rangers travel to New Jersey tonight. In 2 previous meeting this season, the Rangers have won both and outscored the Devils 6-1 in those contests. The Devils still look like the worst team in the NHL and Martin Brodeur looks like a player that has had the game pass him by.

Tonights Pick: Take Pittsburgh -200 and the Rangers -130 and parlay them.

A $50 bet wins you $82.69

Tuesday Prediction

Philadelphia Flyers to win the Marquee Matchup of the night in Vancouver

The Pick: Philadelphia +120 over Vancouver

This could possibly be a Stanley Cup Finals preview with the teams with the second beat record in their perspective conferences facing off at Rogers Arena. The Philadelphia Flyers have not played in eight days since a rare 5-0 loss at home to Florida. They have still managed to go 7-2-1 in their last ten games, and have only lost twice in regulation on the road. Vancouver is also playing well in their last ten by going 7-1-2. The Canucks are starting to distance themselves from the rest of the Northwest Division and now have a four point cushion over second place Colorado. As well as the Canucks have been playing lately, we're expecting a well-rested and motivated Flyer team to win a hard fought road game.

Monday Prediction

Boston Bruins to continue winning ways in Florida

The Pick: Boston -140 over Florida

Last week: 3-2

Let's start the new week with the Boston Bruins heading to Florida for the second time this season. The Bruins won in Florida 3-1 earlier this season, and have won 6 of the last 7 games in the BankAtlantic Center. Boston is one of those teams that started the season well and have tailed off a bit recently. They're better than the record indicates and perhaps the win over Atlanta on Thursday is a sign that it's turning around. Boston is known for a strong defense, and the Florida Panthers struggle to score. Florida has played better recently, but in this matchup, the Bruins are the better team and we're expecting extra motivation since some people are saying that coach, Claude Julien's job may be in jeopardy if they don't turn it around. Look for the Bruins to start their five game road trip with a win over a Florida team that they have had lot's of success against.

Tampa Bay at Atlanta

The Thrashers are probably this year's most unnoticed team. Craig Ramsey has the perennial losers fighting for first place with the Lightning and Capitals. New GM Rick Dudley made some key moves in improving this team. The foresight to trade for Dustin Byfuglien and move him back to defense might be the best move any team has made all season.

Tampa comes into Atlanta after 2 overtime games in New York which saw them get 3 out of 4 possible points on the road. Steven Stamkos has entered discussions in comparison to Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin as a league top player. Tampa has been hot and is 6-2-2 in their last 10.
However, Atlanta will find a way to win this game at home and get back on track.

Pick: Atlanta -135

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

We would like to wish a happy and safe holiday season to all our friends and family and our readers. Thank you for checking on the site each day and making this more fun than we could have imagined.

-HOCKEYSURESHOT

We will have an exciting announcement coming soon about the future of this site.

Thursday Prediction

Nashville Predators Will Get Back on Track at Home Versus Ottawa

The Pick: Nashville -150 over Ottawa

The Nashville Predators were one of the hottest teams in hockey a week ago, but have since dropped two straight including a 4-1 loss last night in Chicago. In their last two games they have been outscored 10-2 which is something that coach Barry Trotz will certainly address. The good news for the Predators is that they should have goalie Pekka Rinne back from injury tonight. As for Ottawa, they have all sort of problems going on as they are slipping out of playoff contention. They are struggling to get consistent goaltending from either Pascal LeClaire or Brian Elliot. The Senators have allowed the second most goals in the Eastern Conference. As for the Ottawa offense, although it has produced a bit more lately, it still struggles against good defensive teams which the Predators are. Nashville should be able to contain the Sens offense and end their two game losing streak at home.

Florida at Pittsburgh

The Panthers go into Pittsburgh tonight coming off an impressive 5-0 win in Philadelphia. Florida holds a 15-16 record and has at times played better than anyone thought. The Penguins also come off a blowout win. A 6-1 drubbing of Phoenix Monday night at home. Pittsburgh has been the hottest team in the NHL over the last month with just 2 losses in their last 15 games.
While Florida has a knack for playing hard and outworking their opponents, the Penguins won't take them lightly and will win this at home.

Pick: Pittsburgh -230

Tuesday Prediction

Colorado's Six Game Win Streak Ends Tonight

Los Angeles at Colorado

The Pick: LA +109

The Colorado Avalanche enter tonight's game on a six game winning streak and are the highest scoring team in the league. These two clubs played once this season with LA winning 6-4 at the Pepsi Center back in October. The Kings will be playing their final game of a 5-game road trip and are 2-2 thus far. The Avalanche are the more faster team, but the Kings are the more physical team and may give the Avalanche defense problems, especially since the Av's are missing Kyle Quincey and Kyle Cumiskey on the blueline. Look for the Kings to cycle the puck in the Colorado zone and wear down the Avalanche defense. Jonathan Quick has been brilliant in goal all season and will be looking to end a personal two game losing streak.

Monday Prediction

Tampa Bay will put an end to the Hurricanes four game win streak tonight.

Tampa Bay -150 over Carolina

Record Last Week: 5-2

We start the new week in the Southeast Division with the Tampa Bay Lightning hosting the Carolina Hurricanes for the first time this season. Both clubs enter the game on winning streaks. Tampa has won three in a row, while the Hurricanes have notched four straight victories. The question for the Lightning is who will be in goal as Mike Smith was injured in practice. Tampa should be able to muster enough offense to beat the Canes at home on Steve Stamkos bobblehead night. The Lightning are 10-2-2 when scoring first and are very productive at home with a 9-2-2 record. Carolina is playing very well lately and we love how Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner are playing but it won't be enough against the Lightning tonight.

Dallas at Detroit

Dallas traveled to Detroit late last night after a 2-1 win in Columbus. The surprising Stars are 19-10-3 and just 2 points behind the Red Wings for first place in the Western Conference. Detroit however is proving that they are still one of the team's to beat in the West. The Wings own a 12-4-2 record at Joe Louis Arena and sat on their rear's last night as Dallas played in Ohio.

We look for Detroit to widen their mark in the Western Conference and keep Dallas off of their back.

Pick: Detroit -200

Toronto at Vancouver

HockeySureShot looks to go 5-1 for the week after Saturday's action.

The Maple Leafs head into Vancouver tonight to face the Canucks. We are going to stay with our trend to bet against the Leafs on the road. Read about that in our previous blog here.
Vancouver is 10-3-2 at home while Toronto is 4-9-1 on the road. The Canucks have been hot lately going 7-2-1 in their last 10.

Vancouver is the better team and should win this game.

Pick: Vancouver -200

Ottawa at Colorado

Ottawa travels to Denver tonight to play the Colorado Avalanche. The Avs are one of the most impressive young teams in the league and look to continue their winning ways at home. The Avs hold an 8-4-1 record at home this season while Ottawa has won just 6 road games in 15 tries.
Colorado's young offense should outmatch the Senators D.

Our Pick: Colorado -165

Ducks at Islanders

The Islanders come into tonight's game losers of 20 of 21. Rick Dipietro will be in goal tonight. Rick has made an inspired comeback, his numbers are not. Rick ranks last and 2nd to last in the NHL in Goals Against and Save Percentage. The Islanders are having trouble scoring as well and are not playing inspired hockey.

As for the Ducks, they have won 3 straight and have tied Dallas for the Pacific Division lead with 38 points. They are also 7-2-1 in their last 10 and will travel to Long Island after beating the Caps in overtime last night.

Take the Ducks to continue their winning ways and the Islanders to keep up their losing ways.

Pick: Ducks -125

Wednesday Prediction

Injuries mounting for the St. Louis Blues.

Detroit -180 over St. Louis

Alex Pietrangelo is the latest Blue to go down to injury joining key players Andy McDonald, David Perron, T.J. Oshie, and Roman Polak on the inactive list for tonight's game at Detroit. The Blues are having trouble scoring goals of late and meet a Red Wings team that put up 51 shots on goal Monday night vs. LA only to lose 5-0. As a matter of fact, the Wings have lost 3 of 4 at home which rarely happens. We expect them to be angry and take out some frustrations on the Blues tonight. St. Louis is playing hard and still picking up points despite all the injuries and should keep this close. Jaroslav Halak has the ability to steal a game for the Blues, but tonight he will face a difficult challenge holding down the Wings explosive offense. Detroit has already defeated the Blues earlier this season 7-3.

Tuesday Prediction

The Streak Ends Tonight!

Philadelphia -125 over Pittsburgh


The Pittsburgh Penguins have won 12 straight heading into this tilt in Philadelphia with the rival Flyers. Philadelphia has defeated the Penguins twice thus far, and would want nothing more than to hand the Penguins their first loss since November 15th. The Flyers played well in their four games last week by winning three, and only losing to the Sharks in a shootout, a game in which they outplayed SJ. These two teams are only separated by one point, which should add to the suspense tonight. We like the way Philadelphia has played lately and still think they are the better team.

Monday Prediction

Calgary -130 over Columbus

The Flames return home after losing both games in California to the Kings and Ducks. As usual they are struggling to score goals, but have been playing better at home of late. Columbus defeated NYR at home on Saturday and will be playing their first game on a 3-game Western Canada trip. Calgary defeated Columbus 5-2 earlier this season and should win a low scoring game behind goalie Mikka Kiprusoff.

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Tuesday Timeout

In the Western Conference it's not surprising to see the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings atop their respective divisions. What is surprising is seeing the Dallas Stars on top of the Pacific Division during the second week of December. This is a franchise that battled ownership issues over the summer, a reduced payroll, and are coming off a last place finish a year ago.

When the Stars started the season 4-0 they still had plenty of doubters. I saw them play live on Long Island, and they were pretty much the team I expected. A team that could score but had serious questions in their defensive zone. Kari Lehtonen was a big question in goal also, and Andrew Raycroft was an average backup at best. However, Lehtonen has made Stars fans forget about Marty Turco as he is 4th among goalies in wins. Raycroft has played brilliantly in the five games he has played thus far, posting a 1.65 GAA.

The defense, much maligned last season after giving up the second most goals in the Western Conference, has kept it together and is led by the 33-year old Stephane Robidas. He is a workhorse by playing 25 minutes a night and gives the team a veteran presence to help the younger defensemen Niklas Grossman and Matt Niskanen. Dallas has won ten games this season by one goal which is proof that coach Marc Crawford is finally focusing more on defense.

Even with the hot start and the development of promising young forwards James Neal and Jamie Benn, things are not all rosey in Dallas. Daily trade rumors surround leading scorer and free agent to be, Brad Richards. It is becoming more clearer that Dallas cannot take on more salary, and they may ultimately have to trade Richards. Fans are also not showing up in Dallas. If you watch a game on TV at American Airlines Center the front rows are almost always empty. The Stars rank 25th in attendance this year despite the fact they are a first place club.

Obviously, losing Mike Modano may have turned off some fans, but the Stars are better off in the long run. Hopefully, once football is over Stars fans will show up. This team has a solid core with the players we mentioned in addition to Loui Erikksson, who seems to always score big goals for Dallas. Definitely keep an eye on the Stars this season as it will be interesting to see if they're for real in the Pacific Division. With San Jose, Los Angeles, and Phoenix all having their ups and downs, this division is wide open.

Tuesday Pick: Boston -150 over Buffalo

Not sure what the deal is with Boston playing .500 at home thus far, but one would think they'll be a bit angry tonight after losing to Toronto on Saturday. This is the first of a three game homestand for the Bruins who handled Buffalo 5-2 during their first meeting. Ryan Miller was not in goal that night, but will get the call tonight and is coming off back to back shutout performances over Columbus and Ottawa. Look for the Bruins to win a tight game at home. In my mind Boston is the better team.

Season record: 4-0

How to make money on the remaining NHL season. (If you happen to be visiting Vegas of course)

Betting against poor teams on the road really raises your odds on making money. We did some research today on Anaheim, Edmonton, New York Islanders and Toronto to see where we would be come today profit wise. Lets take a look.

Anaheim so far has been unpredictable. However, with their poor defense, they haven't been great on the road. Anaheim is so far 4-9 (including overtimes/shootouts) on the road. If you had bet to win $100 on each road game, you would be up $140. You would have $900 in the bank based on the 9 losses. The money lines for their four road wins are as follows:

Phoenix -180
San Jose -200
Dallas -165
Philly -215

That's a total of $760. Take your $900 winnings and subtract $760 and your profits are $140. Nothing special, but whenever you are ahead, you'll take it.

Next up, the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers had 9 wins on the road last season and this year doesn't look like they will see much of an improvement. Edmonton is 3-9 on the road and with betting to win $100 on each of their 12 road games, you would have a profit of $290.

Edmonton has beaten Chicago twice and Anaheim on the road. Money lines:

Chicago: -185
Chicago: -245
Anaheim: -180


A money line total of $610 on the losers subtracted from $900 on the winners gives you your $290 profit.

Next up, Toronto.

Toronto has struggled so far this season, and still can't find the winning ways especially on the road. They are 2-8. Toronto hasn't won a road game since October 15th, losing 8 straight since. So say you bet to win $100 on each of their 10 road games. You would win $800 on their 8 losses. Toronto beat the Rangers and Penguins on the road with money lines of -140 at NYR and -165 for Pittsburgh. Take your $800 winnings and subtract your $305 from your loser bets and you have a profit of $495. Not to shabby on just 10 road games.


Last and least. The New York Islanders. In the last two seasons, the Islanders won just 20 of 82 roads games under Scott Gordon which is one reason why he may have lost his job. So far this season, the Isles who have had a road heavy schedule are just 2-11. The Isles beat Toronto and Tampa in back to back road games early in the season. Money line in Tampa was -170 and in Toronto -180 for a total of $350. Take $1100 for the 11 losses and your profit would be $750.
$750 is a pretty impressive number.

Let's add up the profits: Anaheim $140, Edmonton $290, Toronto $495 and NYI $750.

That's a total of $1,675.

Going forward, safe bets on road games against Edmonton, Toronto and the Islanders are the way to go. While Anaheim has produced a profit, it might be safer to stay away from them as they have been unpredictable.

We will take a look again at the progress come the halfway point of the season to see if your theory stays true.

Monday Minutes

The Atlanta Thrashers may only draw 12,000 fans on weekends, have perhaps the worst uniforms in hockey. Sorry, but the powder blue home jersey's have to go. But they are playing the best hockey of any team that I have seen lately by beating Detroit, Washington, Montreal, and Boston all in the last ten days. Not only are they winning these games, but they gave up a total of 2 goals in all those games combined. They embarrassed the Wings 5-1 and shut out the Capitals 5-0. Is this shocking to anyone? Since recovering from a concussion, Ondrej Pavelec has been tremendous in net. Moving Dustin Byfuglien to defense has been a brilliant move which has allowed him more ice time. Andrew Ladd is averaging a point per game, and Evander Kane is proving why he was drafted so high two years ago by already scoring 9 goals. Hopefully the fickle fans of Atlanta will start supporting this exciting team once it returns from a tough 3-game road trip against Colorado, Pittsburgh, and the before mentioned Capitals.

Another team that rarely gets any press and still continues to win are the Phoenix Coyotes. Phoenix recently had a seven game win streak snapped by Anaheim on Saturday night, but still sit atop the Pacific Division with 27 points. The Coyotes are doing this without Shane Doan, who is still injured, and with their leading scorer Ray Whitney only netting 16 points. Once again, Ilya Bryzgalov has been stingy in goal and Keith Yandle has really improved defensively for Phoenix. Teams such as Phoenix in the Pacific Division can ill afford to slump. The difference from first place to last point is a mere 2 points. Look for the Coyotes to get back on track Tuesday at Nashville.

It may only be the end of November, but have we mentioned how competitive the Western Conference is yet? Take Edmonton out of the mix, and the difference between first place and fourteenth place is only 12 points. That's why I think tonight's game between Minnesota and Calgary is important. Calgary, as with any Canadian team, is under immense pressure daily. Currently, the Flames sit in 14th place with 20 points. It will be extremely difficult to leap frog six other teams to make the playoffs with so many three point games in the NHL these days. The Wild have 24 points, and Calgary needs to stay within striking distance or major changes will be happening. Will Jarome Iginla be traded? The Kings, and the rest of the league could only hope.

Monday Pick: Calgary -145

We just mentioned that Calgary is a desperate team right now. They just finished a so-so east coast road trip 2-2-1 and return home to face their Northwest Division rival Minnesota Wild. Take Calgary to win a low-scoring affair at the Saddledome.

Quick Hits from around the NHL

While attending last night's Kings-Sharks game it appeared to me that San Jose is sick of hearing about the Kings and are not ready to relinquish the Pacific Division that easily. Here's an interesting quote from Sharks head coach, Todd Mcllelan, " They've reset the bar, and they did it themselves. L.A. is obviously the measuring tool in our conference, maybe in the league." Give the Sharks credit last night. They got scoring from all four lines, scored two power play goals against the Kings vaunted penalty kill, and answered every time the Kings got within one goal. Perhaps the most surprising move of the night was by the Kings to not start Jonathan Quick against their division rivals. Although Jonathan Bernier did not play well, the Kings defense didn't really help him. The next time these two teams meet is on December 27th at the Shark tank which is must watch TV.

Can't say enough about Flyers goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky and his 11-2 record with a .934 save percentage. Great moves also for the Flyers by locking up Jeff Carter and Claude Giroux to long term contracts, and less money. They're clearing buying into what Philadelphia management is selling... Didn't expect the Blues to miss T.J. Oshie as much as they have since his injury. Blues are 0-3 since he got hurt... Another night and another loss for the Devils. Once again they were shutout, this time by the Bruins and Tim Thomas... Sean Avery proved once again why he is the league's most hated player. He ignited the brawl between the Oilers-Rangers on Sunday night by checking Colin Fraser into the boards which was clean, but was challenged by Ladislav Smid of the Oilers and waited till he was not looking to sucker-punch him. Avery is not only known for his "sloppy seconds" comment, but also as someone who backs down from anyone that challenges to fight him. His antics are sickening in my opinion. Speaking of the Rangers, Brian Boyle who has 8 goals thus far, is probably the biggest surprise of the season. New York appears to have more depth than in years past, and in a weaker Eastern Conference they could make noise in the postseason...Keep an eye on Detroit as they are flying under the radar as most of the Western Conference hype is surrounding the Canucks, Kings, and Blues. The Wings are 11-3-1 and in their customary first place position. They are relatively healthy, and getting brilliant goaltending from Jimmy Howard.

Tuesday Pick: Montreal -115 over Philly

The Flyers are white-hot right now by winning nine out of their last ten games. Montreal is 7-3 in it's last ten and is riding a three game win streak. It's difficult to bet against the Flyers, but keep in mind this is the first meeting between these two teams since the Flyers eliminated the Canadiens last spring. This game has been circled on the calendar for the Canadiens far awhile. We like the way Carey Price is playing in goal for the Habs and think they will beat Philly who is playing on back to back nights.

Islanders make coaching change, sorta.

A quick thought here tonight on the re-assignment (what a joke) of Scott Gordon. I can't kill Gordon although I don't love his system. He is without Okposo and Streit.

As a fan that follows the team closely and rarely misses a home game, two things are evident. The first thing is that for whatever reason, the players have simply quit the last 10 games during the losing streak. They can say whatever they want but the effort is not there and young players like Tavares, Bailey and Comeau have taken steps back when the Islanders needed them to take major steps forward. For a while, it looked like Bailey and Comeau had taken those steps forward. They had a combined 13 points the first 6 games of the season and routinely going to the net and keeping possession of the puck. However, they have recorded 1 point combined since those 7 games.

The 2nd thing is, the team sucks. You can't put Micheal Grabner (a waiver pickup) with 8 career goals on the first line with John Tavares and if that doesn't work try P.A. Parenteau. Am I blaming Gordon for this? No. I blame management for not doing what they need to do to get someone better than a waiver pickup to play with Tavares. Not fair. However the step back that the Isles youth has taken since last season is evident and some of that blame falls on Gordon.

What blows my mind the most is that the Islanders have basically replaced Scott Gordon with Scott Gordon. No disrespect to Jack Capuano, but if the Islanders were to make a coaching change because they felt Gordon wasn't doing a good job or the system wasn't working, why bring in their minor league Bridgeport coach that teaches the same system? It makes no sense.
If the Islanders don't go out and hire a real NHL coach with experience in the next couple of weeks, I will donate my tickets to the organization that best deserves them. In all seriousness, if you know of one that will give tickets to kids and families that normally can't go to games, let me know and I'll look into them.

Hopefully the Islanders make a major change in their organizational plight, but don't count on it. Wang will make Gordon work his contract out as an Advisor to GM Garth Snow and a coach with experience won't be brought in because Wang wont pay for one.

Tuesday Timeout

Read the Toronto newspapers and you would think Ron Wilson is on the verge of being fired as coach of the Maple Leafs.

Go to the Islander message boards and fans are calling for the head of the coach, Scott Gordon.

Devils president, Lou Lamoriello has already defended coach John Maclean after a poor start of 4-10-1.

Rumblings out of Buffalo mention that Lindy Ruff may be on the hot seat as coach of the Sabres.

Yes, a head coach in the NHL usually gets canned early in the season, particularly in November, but is 15 games a true test if a team is good or not? I like to think of Thanksgiving as a measuring stick to really assess teams. Just think two weeks ago the Islanders and Maple Leafs were in first place. Now their respective coaches are on the hot seat. The NHL is like no other sport as far as coaches go. I say let things play out and have some patience till the end of November and then decide on a coaches future.

Are the Blues the best team in hockey?

Look at the rankings on ESPN and TSN and they all have the Blues as the best team in the league. St. Louis has a record of 9-1-2 and has given up a league low 18 goals in 12 games. Even when Jaroslav Halak takes a night off, they still got a shutout performance by backup Ty Conkin on Sunday night. Obviously the defense led by Eric Johnson is tremendous, but they are also getting timely scoring from Alex Steen, David Perron, T.J. Oshie, and Matt D'Agostini. Watch this team the rest of the year.

Are the New Jersey Devils the worst team in hockey?

The standings certainly indicate that as the Devils have a league low 9 points. The good news is that they should be getting some players back in Colin White, Brian Rolston, and Marty Brodeur. However, they will not be getting Zach Parise back for awhile. In my opinion, until the Devils acquire a defenseman who is able to create offense by rushing the puck up the ice they will continue to struggle. The good teams in this league get offense from the blueline.

Tuesday Pick:

A decent slate for a Tuesday night in the NHL featuring seven games. We'll take a shot with Carolina at home over Edmonton. The Oil is in the midst of a road trip and shocked Chicago on Sunday, but lost captain Shawn Horcoff in that game and he is doubtful. Carolina is a better team and is coming off a win at home Saturday over Florida.

Carolina -140

New wallpapers of Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber with heart wallpaper
Justin Bieber in the doctor pics
New song of Justin Bieber
Justin ensaying songs

Justin Bieber in concert walking

New wallpapers of Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber with heart wallpaper
Justin Bieber in the doctor pics
New song of Justin Bieber
Justin ensaying songs

Justin Bieber in concert walking

Flyers at Islanders 7pm EST

The Islanders have lost 6 in a row, and many of them in crushing fashion. The Islanders have given up 29 goals in their last 6 games including a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of the Flyers last Saturday night. It got ugly at the end and we expect tonight to be chippy as well. The more chippy the game is, the more it lends to the Flyers who are a much tougher and physical team.

To make matters worse for the Islanders, they have beat the Flyers just once in their last 17 meetings. After watching the Islanders during this 6 game losing streak, you keep thinking they will come back with a hard and tough effort after a few butt kickings, but they haven't. They look deader than they have under Scott Gordon and we wonder if players have stopped playing for him, or if they don't like playing in front of Rick Dipietro.

Dwayne Roloson is the confirmed starter tonight and unless he stands on his head and makes saves like Jesus, the Islanders are in serious trouble.

Lock of the week: Philadelphia -150.

News walllpapers of JB [Justin Bieber]

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Justin Bieber love wallpaper
The ultimate wallpaper of Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber in Twitter.. he said: "ok ok...need to calm down. HAPPY HALLOWEEN to Everyone out there tomorrow and see everybody at THE GROVE in LA 2morrow for the book signing"

News walllpapers of JB [Justin Bieber]

sexy wallpaper of JB
hot wallpaper of JB
Justin Bieber love wallpaper
The ultimate wallpaper of Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber in Twitter.. he said: "ok ok...need to calm down. HAPPY HALLOWEEN to Everyone out there tomorrow and see everybody at THE GROVE in LA 2morrow for the book signing"

Video- Dustin Brown Hit On Antti Miettinen Tonight

Video- Dustin Brown Hit On Antti Miettinen Tonight

Tuesday Timeout

Quick hits from around the NHL as October is winding down. Please excuse one of us for not writing as much lately since he is enamored with the Giants being in the World Series. Anyway, here are some observations and things we have learned thus far in what has been an entertaining start to the season.

- The NY Rangers have been playing better, even without Marian Gaborik and Chris Drury in the lineup. NY has won three in a row and are getting production from Brandon Dubinsky, who has posted seven points in seven games this season.

- The team with the most wins so far are the Los Angeles Kings with six. The Kings have played three games without the injured Drew Doughty and have gone 2-1 in that span. Even though the Kings put him on IR he should be good to go for Saturday's home game against New Jersey.

- No team in the league takes more penalties than the Anaheim Ducks. With their struggling defense, it's not a good recipe to have, especially on the road where the Ducks are a league worst 1-5.

- Carolina will finally play a home game on Wednesday night after playing their first seven games on the road in three countries. The fact that they went 4-3 in that stretch is impressive. Really amazed by the way rookie Jeff Skinner has looked thus far.

- The Florida Panthers have given up a league low 12 goals. Go figure!

- Two teams that are a must watch anytime they are on NHL Center Ice are the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers. So much young talent, and both teams play an entertaining up-tempo game.

- The constantly over-looked Nashville Predators have yet to lose in regulation. When will people realize that Barry Trotz is a genius?

- Speaking of geniuses, everyone feel in love with Steve Yzerman's trade for Simon Gagne this summer. Gagne has yet to register a point through 8 games. That being said, Tampa is much better than last season. Guy Boucher looks like the real deal behind the bench.

- Would anyone want Colin Campbell's job right now? With all the attention surrounding hits to the head, he seems to be in a no-win situation. Clearly, this is the story of the season thus far, and obviously the referees have to make these calls even if they are borderline. Last night it was Dustin Brown who delivered a hit that was borderline. Was it worthy of a suspension? I'm not sure, but it really appears like we are splitting hairs as to what deserves a suspension and what doesn't. This is leading to constant second-guessing of any decision Campbell makes.

Carolina at Los Angeles

Los Angeles Kings (-200)

Carolina comes off a nice bounce back win in San Jose last night as they took care of the Sharks 5-2. The Hurricanes were severely outplayed in Vancouver just two nights prior. For a team to travel to Europe and not play a home opener until October 27, Hurricanes fans should be happy with the teams 3-2 start.

The Kings have started this season strong and impressed us with 2 wins over the Canucks, the team that beat them in last years playoffs. Jonathan Bernier will get the start tonight as the Kings might have the best 1-2 punch in the league between the pipes. The Kings are 2nd in the NHL during even strength goal differential and boast the 6th best penalty killing percentage.

Cam Ward played extremely well for the Canes last night and the Kings might see Justin Peters or a weary Ward which should give an advantage to LA.

Bottom line is the Kings who haven't played since Friday are well rested and have been home for a week while Carolina is in the midst of a brutal start of the season scheduling wise. The Kings will win this one.

Monday Minutes

Parity, Parity, and Parity.

That's what sums up the first two weeks of the 2010-11 NHL season thus far. For instance, the Toronto Maple Leafs are hosting the NY Islanders tonight and both teams are in first place. Go figure. The Dallas Stars, the predicted weak link in the Pacific division, are 4-0 heading into tonight's tilt at Tampa Bay. The offensively challenged Minnesota Wild are the NHL's top team on the power play. Martin Brodeur is ranked 39th among goalies with a 3.18 GAA, and his Devils are 1-4-1 through six games.

Those are examples of how close the difference is between teams that were predicted to finish near the bottom of the league and the elite teams in the NHL. We don't want to come across as if we think the Stanley Cup finals will be Toronto-Dallas, but it does prove that games in October are vital, and that if a more talented team takes a night off, they will be beaten no matter whom the opponent is. Some hockey experts feel that it may take 100 points just to MAKE the playoffs in the Western Conference. The East is not any easier, as the struggling Devils and Sabres, need to start collecting points soon, or they will have difficulty jumping the teams in front of them.

Which brings us to the two most disappointing teams so far in the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres. As mentioned, Martin Brodeur is struggling and it is costing the Devils dearly. He has allowed numerous bad goals and at his age may not be able to handle the heavy workload as in years past. The Devils are paying backup, Johan Hedberg $1.5 million, which is a lot for them since they're so strapped with the salary cap. Hedberg needs to play more to validate the contract and to give Marty a break, which is something that is easier said than done.

What's hurting Brodeur also is the fact that the Devils defense is not the same. Anton Volchenkov is injured, and young players such as Matt Taormina and Alexander Urbom are being forced to play way too many minutes. Everyone wants to blame Kovalchuk, and his contract is a factor with the Devils being unable to dress enough players, but it's not the sole reason for New Jersey's struggles. Rookie coach John MacLean, has a lot of work to do, but thankfully for them its only mid-October.

The Buffalo Sabres haven't exactly gotten off to the start they hoped for either. The defending Northeast Division champs once again are having difficulty scoring goals. They have played six games and have mustered only 12 goals. Five of those 12 goals have been scored by Derek Roy. The HSBC Arena, which has been so kind to the Sabres in years past, has not been this year as the Sabres are 0-3-1 at home. Losing Jason Pominville to injury really hurts the Sabres because he can kill penalties, play on the power play, and score goals. Thomas Vanek needs to get going offensively and one would expect Ryan Miller to improve as the season goes on. Not ready to hit the panic button in Buffalo, but if they lose a few more games in a row Lindy Ruff is in serious trouble.

Monday Pick: Tampa Bay -130 over Dallas

Very impressed by the 4-0 start so far by Dallas, but tonight they face an angry Tampa Bay Lightning team who were blown out 6-0 by Florida on Saturday night. Still not sold on the Dallas Stars defense, as Tampa can score with anyone in the league. In what should be an entertaining hockey game, expect Tampa to rebound even without Vinny LeCavalier

Pominville gets hit from the behind and carried off on a stretcher 10-11-10

Dirty hit?

It's only one week into the season and the NHL is already dealing with a player being carried off in a stretcher from a dirty hit. Thankfully, Sabres forward Jason Pominville is doing OK after being hit from behind by the Hawks, Niklas Hjalmarrson on Sunday night. The suspension from the NHL is 2 games. Hjalmarrson is not known as a dirty player, and seems remorseful about the whole incident. However, Hockeysureshot thinks he probably should of received closer to a five game suspension. As Ryan Miller said, these kind of actions can not be taken lightly, and the league needs to have zero tolerance with dirty hits when players are left in vulnerable positions. Let us know what you think.

Rapper : Trina

I'm feelin this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbos67IDaUE

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