NHL DUNKEL
Buffalo at NY Rangers
The Sabres dropped their third straight last night against Philadelphia and run into a New York team that is 5-2 in March. The Rangers are the pick (-175) according to Dunkel, which has New York favored by 2. Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-175). Here are all of today's picks.
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
Game 1-2: Dallas at San Jose
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 10.796; San Jose 11.168
Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-250); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Jose (-250); Under
Game 3-4: Toronto at Montreal
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 10.621; Montreal 11.113
Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-230); 6
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-230); Over
Game 5-6: NY Islanders at Ottawa
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 11.592; Ottawa 11.463
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Islanders by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Ottawa (-240); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Islanders (+200); Over
Game 7-8: Columbus at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 12.007; Florida 10.969
Dunkel Line & Total: Columbus by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Florida (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Columbus (+110); Under
Game 9-10: Buffalo at NY Rangers
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 11.080; NY Rangers 13.070
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-175); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-175); Under
Game 11-12: Washington at Carolina
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 12.260; Carolina 12.057
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-120); 6
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-120); Over
Game 13-14: Atlanta at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 11.489; Tampa Bay 10.730
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 1; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Tampa Bay (-115); 6
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-105); Over
Game 15-16: Vancouver at Phoenix
Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 12.128; Phoenix 10.615
Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 1 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-170); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vancouver (-170); Under
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Buffalo at NY Rangers
The Sabres dropped their third straight last night against Philadelphia and run into a New York team that is 5-2 in March. The Rangers are the pick (-175) according to Dunkel, which has New York favored by 2. Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-175). Here are all of today's picks.
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
Game 1-2: Dallas at San Jose
Dunkel Ratings: Dallas 10.796; San Jose 11.168
Dunkel Line & Total: San Jose by 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: San Jose (-250); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Jose (-250); Under
Game 3-4: Toronto at Montreal
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 10.621; Montreal 11.113
Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-230); 6
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-230); Over
Game 5-6: NY Islanders at Ottawa
Dunkel Ratings: NY Islanders 11.592; Ottawa 11.463
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Islanders by 1/2; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Ottawa (-240); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Islanders (+200); Over
Game 7-8: Columbus at Florida
Dunkel Ratings: Columbus 12.007; Florida 10.969
Dunkel Line & Total: Columbus by 1; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Florida (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Columbus (+110); Under
Game 9-10: Buffalo at NY Rangers
Dunkel Ratings: Buffalo 11.080; NY Rangers 13.070
Dunkel Line & Total: NY Rangers by 2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: NY Rangers (-175); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Rangers (-175); Under
Game 11-12: Washington at Carolina
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 12.260; Carolina 12.057
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1/2; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Washington (-120); 6
Dunkel Pick: Washington (-120); Over
Game 13-14: Atlanta at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta 11.489; Tampa Bay 10.730
Dunkel Line & Total: Atlanta by 1; 7
Vegas Line & Total: Tampa Bay (-115); 6
Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-105); Over
Game 15-16: Vancouver at Phoenix
Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 12.128; Phoenix 10.615
Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 1 1/2; 4 1/2
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-170); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vancouver (-170); Under
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Ice picks: Saturday's best NHL bets
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Columbus Blue Jackets at Florida Panthers (-110, 5.5)
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers have the same amount of points with 11 games remaining on their respective regular-season schedules, but while the Blue Jackets are trying to improve their playoff seeding, the Panthers are simply trying to get in.
Florida will try to claw its way back into the Eastern Conference race while visiting Columbus hopes to continue moving up the West standings Saturday night in a key interconference clash.
The Blue Jackets (37-28-6) didn't make the playoffs in their first eight NHL seasons, but with three weeks left it looks like they'll be making their inaugural trip. Columbus has won five of six to entrench itself in sixth place, and slumping Chicago is just four points ahead in the fifth spot.
The Jackets' two most recent victories have both been over the Blackhawks - 5-3 in Chicago on March 13 and 4-3 in overtime at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday after Antoine Vermette scored the game-winner.
It was the fourth goal in as many games for Vermette, who came over last month in a trade with Ottawa, where he played in four postseasons.
"He's been solid since we got him," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He's an unassuming player. He doesn't stick out until you look at the scoresheet and he's won key faceoffs, got the puck out and he's done the good job killing penalties and scored big points. Every night he gets the job done."
Florida (35-26-10) is trying to make the playoffs for the first time in nine years, and until recently that was looking like a strong possibility.
Yet the Panthers had lost four straight to fall into ninth place heading into a game Thursday at Toronto. The losing streak ended there, though, as they got within a point of eighth with a 3-1 home win behind 37 saves from Tomas Vokoun.
"We needed a win tonight," defenseman Bryan McCabe said. "We needed to get that monkey off our back. We had a really solid effort tonight. I thought we competed much harder and played the way we needed to play to win."
Florida has been having trouble scoring lately with the exception of leading goal scorer David Booth. Booth had two assists on Thursday and has five goals and six assists in his last six games.
Vermette's had the hot hand for the Blue Jackets recently, but their top goal scorer has been around the net as usual. Rick Nash has seven goals in his last seven games, and Columbus is 17-7-3 when its captain scores.
Pick: Columbus
Buffalo Sabres at New York Rangers (-160, 5.5)
The New York Rangers have seen some big improvements in their offense in the last two weeks, but their grasp on an Eastern Conference playoff spot remains tenuous.
New York looks for its third straight win, and its first over the Buffalo Sabres this season, when the teams meet Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Since a 2-8-4 stretch from Jan. 28-Feb. 26 in which they averaged 1.6 goals, the Rangers (37-26-8) have won six of eight, averaging 3.5 goals during the hot streak which has moved them into seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
Their hold on that playoff spot is far from secure. New York is one point behind sixth-place Carolina, but also only two ahead of ninth-place Florida.
The Rangers earned their second straight win Thursday, 4-3 in a shootout at Montreal. Chris Drury scored the game-winner in the third round of the tiebreaker, and Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves through overtime.
The Rangers persevered for the victory after the Canadiens had tied the game in the final five minutes of regulation.
"When they tied the game up, there was no panic," New York coach John Tortorella said. "I think that's what you look for in a club - especially this time of year - is when you get up, don't get too excited, and when something bad happens or a goal is scored again, whatever it may be, just try to keep it on an even keel."
The Rangers now return home for their next three games - all against teams that don't currently hold playoff spots. They've won three in a row at MSG, outscoring those opponents 14-5 at MSG.
Scott Gomez has four goals and four assists during a six-game point streak at home.
Now, Gomez and the Rangers are looking for their first win against the Sabres (34-29-8) this season. New York has scored only four total goals while going 0-2-1 versus Buffalo, including a 3-1 loss at MSG on Oct. 15.
The Sabres, though, are struggling these days. They suffered their third straight loss Friday, falling 6-4 at home to the Philadelphia Flyers. Buffalo led 3-2 in the second period, but gave up four unanswered goals.
"We have to keep the effort and keep working at it," coach Lindy Ruff said. "We didn't score on our chances and they scored on theirs. That was probably a big turning point for them."
The Sabres have dropped five of their last six games, dropping into 10th place in the East - five points behind the Canadiens for the eighth and final playoff spot.
Pick: Rangers
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Columbus Blue Jackets at Florida Panthers (-110, 5.5)
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Florida Panthers have the same amount of points with 11 games remaining on their respective regular-season schedules, but while the Blue Jackets are trying to improve their playoff seeding, the Panthers are simply trying to get in.
Florida will try to claw its way back into the Eastern Conference race while visiting Columbus hopes to continue moving up the West standings Saturday night in a key interconference clash.
The Blue Jackets (37-28-6) didn't make the playoffs in their first eight NHL seasons, but with three weeks left it looks like they'll be making their inaugural trip. Columbus has won five of six to entrench itself in sixth place, and slumping Chicago is just four points ahead in the fifth spot.
The Jackets' two most recent victories have both been over the Blackhawks - 5-3 in Chicago on March 13 and 4-3 in overtime at Nationwide Arena on Wednesday after Antoine Vermette scored the game-winner.
It was the fourth goal in as many games for Vermette, who came over last month in a trade with Ottawa, where he played in four postseasons.
"He's been solid since we got him," coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He's an unassuming player. He doesn't stick out until you look at the scoresheet and he's won key faceoffs, got the puck out and he's done the good job killing penalties and scored big points. Every night he gets the job done."
Florida (35-26-10) is trying to make the playoffs for the first time in nine years, and until recently that was looking like a strong possibility.
Yet the Panthers had lost four straight to fall into ninth place heading into a game Thursday at Toronto. The losing streak ended there, though, as they got within a point of eighth with a 3-1 home win behind 37 saves from Tomas Vokoun.
"We needed a win tonight," defenseman Bryan McCabe said. "We needed to get that monkey off our back. We had a really solid effort tonight. I thought we competed much harder and played the way we needed to play to win."
Florida has been having trouble scoring lately with the exception of leading goal scorer David Booth. Booth had two assists on Thursday and has five goals and six assists in his last six games.
Vermette's had the hot hand for the Blue Jackets recently, but their top goal scorer has been around the net as usual. Rick Nash has seven goals in his last seven games, and Columbus is 17-7-3 when its captain scores.
Pick: Columbus
Buffalo Sabres at New York Rangers (-160, 5.5)
The New York Rangers have seen some big improvements in their offense in the last two weeks, but their grasp on an Eastern Conference playoff spot remains tenuous.
New York looks for its third straight win, and its first over the Buffalo Sabres this season, when the teams meet Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.
Since a 2-8-4 stretch from Jan. 28-Feb. 26 in which they averaged 1.6 goals, the Rangers (37-26-8) have won six of eight, averaging 3.5 goals during the hot streak which has moved them into seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
Their hold on that playoff spot is far from secure. New York is one point behind sixth-place Carolina, but also only two ahead of ninth-place Florida.
The Rangers earned their second straight win Thursday, 4-3 in a shootout at Montreal. Chris Drury scored the game-winner in the third round of the tiebreaker, and Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves through overtime.
The Rangers persevered for the victory after the Canadiens had tied the game in the final five minutes of regulation.
"When they tied the game up, there was no panic," New York coach John Tortorella said. "I think that's what you look for in a club - especially this time of year - is when you get up, don't get too excited, and when something bad happens or a goal is scored again, whatever it may be, just try to keep it on an even keel."
The Rangers now return home for their next three games - all against teams that don't currently hold playoff spots. They've won three in a row at MSG, outscoring those opponents 14-5 at MSG.
Scott Gomez has four goals and four assists during a six-game point streak at home.
Now, Gomez and the Rangers are looking for their first win against the Sabres (34-29-8) this season. New York has scored only four total goals while going 0-2-1 versus Buffalo, including a 3-1 loss at MSG on Oct. 15.
The Sabres, though, are struggling these days. They suffered their third straight loss Friday, falling 6-4 at home to the Philadelphia Flyers. Buffalo led 3-2 in the second period, but gave up four unanswered goals.
"We have to keep the effort and keep working at it," coach Lindy Ruff said. "We didn't score on our chances and they scored on theirs. That was probably a big turning point for them."
The Sabres have dropped five of their last six games, dropping into 10th place in the East - five points behind the Canadiens for the eighth and final playoff spot.
Pick: Rangers
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