Handicapper Ben Burns

I'm playing St. Louis on the run-line (+1.5 runs) Needless to say, the Cards have dug themselves a pretty deep hole. Too deep to climb all the way back? Probably so. But that doesn't mean that they won't give everything they've got in today's game. Hudson has made two starts against the Nats (both against Strasburg) and he was sharp in each. The game at St. Louis saw him allow two runs through seven complete innings, en route to a 4-2 win. The game here at Washington saw him allow just one 'earned' run through six complete. He lost that one 2-1 though. Note the value of the extra +1.5 runs. Corbin is 0-2 with a 7.56 ERA and 1.68 WHIP in four postseason appearances. This season's lone home start against the Cards saw him allow six earned runs in five innings. His teams are 1-3 his last four against St. Louis. Expect AT LEAST a "run-line cover" for the desperate visitors. 

I'm playing on Nashville/Vegas UNDER the total. High-scoring early results have provided us with a generously high O/U line for tonight's game in Vegas. Its the highest ever for a game between these two teams and I believe that it'll prove to be too high. Over the years, excluding pushes, the Predators have seen the UNDER go a lucrative 54-33 when playing a road game with an O/U line of six or greater. The last time that the Preds played here (last February) the O/U line was only 5.5. That one finished with a final score of 5-1. Enough to go over that low number but not enough to do so tonight. The teams met the previous month, also in Vegas. The line for that one was six, yet they combined for only three goals, a 2-1 final. In fact, NONE of the last five meetings have finished with more than six goals. Before the 2-1 game, the previous three meetings had scores of 4-1, 1-0 and 3-0. The Knights have allowed two or fewer goals in four of six. Unhappy with their defensive effort last time, the Preds will be determined to clean up in that area. It all adds up to the final score proving lower than many will be expecting. 

The Canucks are 0-2 on the road and 2-0 here at home. Thus far, I'm 3-0 in their games. Knowing they've got a road trip on deck, I like their chances of closing out the homestand with another victory. Both last season's meetings were won by the home team, each by identical 3-2 scores. I played against the Wings in their last game and they lost 5-2. Thats noteworthy, as they're are an ugly 19-44 (-16.6) the past couple of seasons, after allowing four or more goals in their previous game. Consider Vancouver. 

***HUGE TOTAL ALERT*** If you enjoyed cashing Ben Burns' NHL GAME OF THE MONTH on Chicago, part of a PERFECT 4-0 Monday SWEEP of the board, you're absolutely going to LOVE his #1 TOTAL OF THE MONTH. It goes today and its an ABSOLUTE BEAST!

I'm playing on WINNIPEG. The Jets were at least -200 each of the past few times that they hosted the Coyotes. We're getting them at a considerably more reasonable price here and I feel thats offering excellent value. Indeed, the Coyotes are in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Off a 7-2 loss against Pittsburgh on Sunday, the Jets are going to be in an angry mood for this one. They're 29-16 the past 45 times that they were off a loss by two or more goals, 2-0 already this season. The Jets were 31-12 against sub-500 teams in the first half of the season the past couple of years, 52-26 against losing teams overall. During that span, the Coyotes were 34-52 against winning teams. With Arizona also just 9-21 (-11.5) the past 30 times that they played with two day's rest in between games, look for the Jets to take care of business.