Will Rogers

The set-up: I've noted this before, that the Edmonton Oilers were a 'sexy' pick to win the Western Conference and reach the Stanley Cup finals prior to the season. However, after winning their opener 3-0 at home over the Flames, the Oilers have los three in a row (two at home), while scoring a total of just five goals. 1-3 Edmonton will host the 1-1-1 Carolina Hurricanes tonight, before heading out on a three-game road trip. The Hiurricanes know all about struggling to score as well, as Carolina has been limited to just one goal in back-to-back losses to Columbus (in OT) and Winnipeg, respectively. "I think we just need to be more hungry. We have opportunities," alternat captain JeffSkinner said. "More hunger, more desperation. It's disappointing when that's the reason because that's in your control. We need more hunger and more desperation for sure."

Carolina: The offense has been stuck in neutral but off-season acquisition Scott Darling has been "hitting on all cylinders." He's started in goal all three games over Cam Ward, who has been the team's No. 1 netminder for the majority of 12 seasons. Darling has turned away 44 of 48 shots in the last two games. "He gives us a chance every night," head coach Bill Peters of Darling. "... It's a race to three (goals) in the National Hockey League. You've gotta be able to get to three to get a point, if not two points." Peters also told the league's website, "We've got to get to the net. There's too many times where (the goalie is) seeing it. If you're shooting from distance with no traffic, they're going to make the save and there's nobody there for seconds and thirds. That's what that is."

Edmonton: The Oilers' injury list is growing. Head coach Todd McLellan confirmed Monday that center Leon Draisaitl would miss his second straight game with an eye injury and concussion-like symptoms. Draisaitl finished eighth in NHL scoring last season with 77 points. Left winger Drake Caggiula, who has missed the Oilers last two games, joins Draisaitl by being placed on injured reserve. Caggiula is out with an undisclosed ailment. Connor McDavid recorded a hat trick in the season-opener and has notched an assist in back-to-back games but Edmonton needs more from him. The Oilers are also just 1-for-12 on the power play through four games.

The pick: Sure, the Oilers are off to a slow start but their season is just four games old. Workhorse goaltender Cam Talbot has been gashed for 12 goals on 73 shots in his last three games (all losses) but there is a silver lining. Talbot owns a 4-1-0 mark with two shutouts, a 1.18 goals-against average and .955 save percentage in five career games against Carolina. Make Edmonton an 8* play.

The set: The 3-0-2 Ottawa Senators return home to begin a five-game homestand against the 1-2-1 Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. The Sens are back home, where they opened the new season by dropping a pair of shootout losses in their first two home games. However, Ottawa just completed the first three-game sweep through Western Canada in franchise history, winning at Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. The Senators are certainly riding high but the same can't be said of the Canucks, who have dropped three in a row (all at home), since winning their season-opener 3-2 over Edmonton on Oct. 7 (also at home).

Vancouver: The Canucks' slide began against these Senators back on Oct. 10, losing a 3-2 shootout to Ottawa. Now, Vancouver opens a five-game road trip playing at the Canadian Tire Centre. A lack of offense has been the main culprit for the Canucks, who have been limited to two goals each in each of their three losses. The Canucks ranked 29th in offense in 2016-17 and featured the league's second-worst power play, with those struggles carrying over into this season. Vancouver is averaging 2.25 GPG (22nd) and ranks 25th on the power play. "You're not going to win a lot of games if that happens," acknowledged veteran forward Daniel Sedin. "You have to capitalize."

Ottawa: Not only are the Senators riding high after completing a 3-0 road trip with 6-0 and 6-1 wins the last two games but as they return home to begin a five-game homestand, head coach Guy Boucher said at Monday's practice that star defenseman Erik Karlsson is "100 percent" ready and "he will play tomorrow." What better way for a team to begin a homestand than to get its best player back on the ice?

The pick: The Senators were not only able to survive but also thrive in Karlsson's absence. A big part of the team's success can be attributed to special teams play. After going 0-for-16 on the power play in their first three games, the Senators scored a total of five goals with a man-advantage in Calgary and Edmonton. Ottawa is also a perfect 15-for-15 this season on the penalty kill. That matches up well against struggling Vancouver, which has scored just two goals on 23 power-play chances. A positive for the Canucks has been a penalty-killing unit that has operated at an 87.5 percent efficiency, tied for sixth best in the league. This all points to making the Under a 10* play.

The set-up: The Los Angeles Dodgers were MLB's best team during the regular season (104 wins) and they have been MLB's best postseason team so far, as they have yet to lose in the playoffs, going 5-0. They come to Wrigley Field to take on the defending champion Cubs with a 2-0 lead in the NLCS, meaning the Dodgers are two wins away form the team's first World Series appearance since 1988. The series so far has been a story of LA's pitching dominating Chicago's lineup. Los Angeles’ pitchers have dominated, allowing only three runs through two games, with the bullpen combining for eight scoreless innings, while allowing only a single baserunner but zero hits! “I think up to this point we've done everything we can to put ourselves in a good position, but there is a long way to go,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “It’s definitely noted how resilient that club is over there. They're going to do everything they can to win a game, and we're going to do the same.” To get back into the series, the Cubs will have to get the big bats in the middle of their lineup going as Chicago is hitting .117 in the series and stars Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo are a combined 1-for-14 with six strikeouts.

The pitching matchup: Yu Darvish (1-0 & 1.80 ERA) takes the mound for LA and Kyle Hendricks (1-0 & 3.27 ERA) for Chicago. Darvish won his only start in the NLDS, allowing one run and two hits while striking out seven over five innings to beat Arizona. It was his first win in three postseason starts (he was 0-2 with 5.40 ERA for Texas). He 4-3 with a 3.44 ERA in nine regular-season starts after the Dodgers acquired him from Texas, where he was only 6-9 with a 4.01 ERA. The Cubs won both of Hendricks' starts against the Nats (Game 1 and Game 5) and he comes in 2-1 with a 2.60 ERA in nine postseason starts. That said, Hendricks wasn't at his best in Game 5 of the NLDS against Washington, as he allowed four runs over four innings, giving up two HRs (one, a three-run blast by Taylor)..

The pick: Darvish got the win in Game 3 vs. Arizona but let's be serious, he only pitched five innings and didn't remind anyone of Justin Verlander and his Game 2 effort vs. the Yankees in Game 2 of the ALCS. Just a reminder, Darvish's moneyline mark this regular season (Texas and LA combined), was minus-$1302, the third-worst among all 2017 starters. Getting back to Hendricks, prior to his less-than-stellar deciding Game 5 outing against Washington, he hadn't given up more than three ERs in 14 starts since the All Star break. In fact, in half of those starts (seven), he had allowed one or zero ERs. Expect the Cubs' bats to 'wake up' vs. Darvish. Make Chicago a 10* play.

The set-up: The NBA schedule-makers surely have a sense of humor. Kyrie Irving played six seasons with Cleveland with the four-time All-Star guard helping Cleveland reach three NBA Finals, including winning the 2016 title. However, he reportedly tired of playing with LBJ and "requested" (basically forced) a trade this past off-season. Irving ended up in Boston for a package that included PG Isaiah Thomas and the highly under-appreciated Jae Crowder. Boston actually earned the No. 1 seed in the East last season over Cleveland (53 wins to 51) but the Celtics were no match for the Cavs in the conference finals, losing 4-1. Cleveland revamped its roster over the summer as well, adding veteran guards Dwyane Wade (James' BFF), Derrick Rose and Jose Calderon in addition to newcomers Thomas (out due to hip surgery) and Crowder. LBJ has been bothered by a sprained left ankle and his availability may not be determined until close to tip-off in the season opener, as Kyrie makes his much-anticipated "return to Cleveland" as a member of the Celtics.

Boston: Irving wasn't the only big off-season acquisition by the Celtics, as they lured All-Star small forward Gordon Hayward away from the Utah Jazz to reunite with Brad Stevens, his former college coach at Butler. All it took was a four-year, $128 million deal. The move to Boston allows Hayward to build off a career-best 2016-17 campaign in which he averaged 21.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Al Horford, second-year swingman Jaylen Brown and rookie forward Jayson Tatum are the other likely starters with Hayward and Irving.

Cleveland: LBJ missed four of Cleveland's five preseason games but he did participate in Monday's practice. "You know I never hide stuff from you guys, I really don't know," Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters. "I mean, just depends on how he feels after (Monday), but I really don't know." Thomas is not expected to make his Cleveland debut until around the All-Star break, so veterans like Rose, Wade and J.R. Smith will be counted on to help James and Kevin Love (who now is expected to start at center, with Thompson coming off the bench) on the scoring side.

The pick: There is plenty of drama brewing for tonight, as the Cavs are planning a video tribute to Irving, who made the game-winning 3-pointer in Game 7 of the 2016 Finals to hand the organization its first championship. That said, expect plenty of boos directed Irving's way. As for LBJ, he has never missed a season opener in his first 14 years in the league and of course wants to pay here but he has to realize this is just one game and all the Cavs care about is getting back to the Finals, to get another shot at the Warriors. Especially, considering most believe that this will be LBJ's last season in Cleveland. Something tells me that the Celtics will be better-prepared to win this game and note that if LBJ doesn't play, the numbers don't bode well for the Cavs. Cleveland is 4-23 over the past three seasons when James doesn't play, including losses in the last 11. Make Boston a 10* play.