Ice picks: Saturday's best NHL bets
San Jose vs. Buffalo (-110, 5.5)
The Sabres had one of those practices on Monday that hockey players dread. Coach Lindy Ruff began by chewing out his team with a five-minute lecture and then he put them through 70 minutes of hard skating.
The result is that we saw a much better effort from Buffalo in its past two games, but they were still losses ? one in overtime to Carolina and the other in a shootout to Boston. The Sabres have now dropped six in a row and 10 of their past 12.
But here?s why they might make a decent home underdog play Saturday night: San Jose?s top players will already have one foot out the door as they get ready to head to Vancouver for the Olympics.
Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle and Evgeni Nabokov are all headed to the Games following the Buffalo contest and you have to wonder how that will play out Saturday.
The Sharks thumped the Sabres 5-2 a couple of weeks ago and they could get caught flat-footed against a team desperate for a win.
Pick: Sabres
Dallas vs. Phoenix
For whatever reason, the Coyotes love playing on back-to-back nights this season. They are 7-1 on the puckline this year when they have to play two days in a row.
On Saturday, they?ll find themselves in that very spot when they host the Stars just one night after visiting the Colorado Avalanche.
Although oddsmakers will likely incorporate the fact that Phoenix will be a little tired when they set this line, don?t be fooled. The Dogs are one of the hottest teams in the league right now with eight wins in their last nine games heading into Friday ? and guess who that lone loss came against?
You guessed it - the Stars.
Don?t expect any tired legs from a Coyotes team that will want to rectify a 4-0 loss in Dallas last Saturday.
Pick: Phoenix
San Jose vs. Buffalo (-110, 5.5)
The Sabres had one of those practices on Monday that hockey players dread. Coach Lindy Ruff began by chewing out his team with a five-minute lecture and then he put them through 70 minutes of hard skating.
The result is that we saw a much better effort from Buffalo in its past two games, but they were still losses ? one in overtime to Carolina and the other in a shootout to Boston. The Sabres have now dropped six in a row and 10 of their past 12.
But here?s why they might make a decent home underdog play Saturday night: San Jose?s top players will already have one foot out the door as they get ready to head to Vancouver for the Olympics.
Joe Thornton, Dany Heatley, Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle and Evgeni Nabokov are all headed to the Games following the Buffalo contest and you have to wonder how that will play out Saturday.
The Sharks thumped the Sabres 5-2 a couple of weeks ago and they could get caught flat-footed against a team desperate for a win.
Pick: Sabres
Dallas vs. Phoenix
For whatever reason, the Coyotes love playing on back-to-back nights this season. They are 7-1 on the puckline this year when they have to play two days in a row.
On Saturday, they?ll find themselves in that very spot when they host the Stars just one night after visiting the Colorado Avalanche.
Although oddsmakers will likely incorporate the fact that Phoenix will be a little tired when they set this line, don?t be fooled. The Dogs are one of the hottest teams in the league right now with eight wins in their last nine games heading into Friday ? and guess who that lone loss came against?
You guessed it - the Stars.
Don?t expect any tired legs from a Coyotes team that will want to rectify a 4-0 loss in Dallas last Saturday.
Pick: Phoenix
