Thursday Night NHL LOCKS!

Detroit @ Pittsburgh

Pick: Red Wings +105

I gotta roll with Hockeytown on this one.  Pittsburgh is having a really weird season if you ask me. They seem to be struggling way too much for a team with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the line up every night.  The weather reports in Pittsburgh aren’t good for tonight; A category 9 Larknado is coming thru and it ain’t gonna be pretty.

Washington @ NY Islanders

Pick: Capitals -125

The Caps are that super hot girl in high school who ends up with 3 kids from 3 different dudes and lives in the trailer park by age 25.  They got all the flash in the regular season. Everyone forgets that Ovi hasn’t even been past the second round of the playoffs in his entire career despite winning a Presidents’ Trophy and making the playoffs like every damn year. The regular season is like high school; it’s cool and if you do things right it can set you up real nice for real life but it doesn't matter.  Playoffs are what matter.  Anyways, the Caps will probably roll all over the Islanders tonight.

New York Rangers @ Toronto

Pick: Rangers -150

No reason to make this complicated.  Don’t be that guy.

San Jose @ Florida

Pick: Panthers +115

I don’t know why the Panthers are the dogz here but I like it.  Jagr and his boyz bout to fuck some shit up down in South Beach.

Winnipeg @ Tampa

Pick: Jets +135

I’m rolling with the Jets of Winnipeg for no real reason other than I think things aren’t good in Tampa.

Carolina @ Ottawa

Pick: Senators -120

I don’t think the Hurricanes have Phaneuf to stop the Sens tonight.

Boston @ Nashville

Pick: Predators -130

Dallas @ Arizona

Pick: Stars -150

NHL Picks

Good Friday NHL Parlay –Go to church Bobcat

I’ve never done a parlay for my picks before but since it’s Good Friday and I’m feeling extra ‘holy’ I figured, “why the hell not?”.  Now feel free to do as you wish with this little parlay I’ve served up for you.  Don’t leave me the pissed off comments if Stamkos scores 6 goals and Tampa destroys my parlay while destroying Montreal.  I don’t care if your kids won’t have food for a few days and I definitely don’t care if you just lost a limb to some bookie. Probably shouldn’t have been gambling in the first place then, asshole.  In all honesty though, I think this is a solid parlay.  The first 2 picks all by themselves won’t give you much in return for your bet.  Throw all 3 of these together though and now were talking.

3 Team Parlay (+467) (L)

Montreal (+1.5, -300) @ Tampa (WINNER!)

The first game of this series was a battle of who could make the fewest mistakes.  The big question for Tampa: can Anders Lindback transform himself into a playoff caliber goaltender.  During the regular season, Lindback started 18 games and recorded a 2.90 GAA with a 0.891 SV%, compared to starter Ben Bishop (63 games stated) who put up a 2.23 GAA with a 0.924 SV%.  In game 1, Tampa was thoroughly outshot (44-25) putting pressure on their fill-in goaltender right from the gate.  Bishop will not be an option for some time meaning Tampa is potentially facing a crisis.  As Red Wings’ head coach Mike Babcock put it a few years back, if you’re changing your goalie this time of year, you probably won’t be playing much longer.  Tampa might sneak out a win at home tonight but don’t expect any blow outs.  As much as I do love Stamkos (trust me, I do) he can only do so much.  Montreal covers the spread and most likely heads home up 2-0 in the series.  Sorry Tampa.

Detroit (+1.5, -160) @ Boston (WINNER!)

The last of the playoff series to start just happens to be the best one.  Typically when you win the President’s Trophy and the first seed in your respective conference you can count on a first round that will be nothing more than a warm up.  That is definitely not the case for the Bruins this year.  Detroit slipped into playoffs at the end of the season but they are no 8 seed.  The Wings’ got a combined 144 games out of their top 3 players this season.  They’ve been battling injuries since the first month of the regular season.  The upside of that for Detroit is a whole bunch of guys got to see what it’s like in the big leagues this year that normally wouldn’t have gotten a chance.  With Datsyuk back in the line-up and Jimmy Howard healthy, Detroit could be the upset pick of the year.  However, tonight I do think Boston will win.  It should be a close game though and Detroit should cover.

Dallas @ Anaheim (-1.5, +155) (L)

How ‘bout that first period on Wednesday?  I actually thought the final score was going to be 15-0 Ducks.  The Stars battled back though and showed that they weren’t about to get humiliated.  I don’t think it will mattertonight though.  The Ducks are way too damn good; their offense is arguably the best in the league, their defense does their job, and their goaltending is solid. The Stars’ game plan is trying to figure out ways to beat the Ducks; holes they can expose.  The Anaheim game plan, on the other hand, is just to play their game; the game they’ve played all year long but with a little more intensity. Bottom line, Dallas is outmatched and the Birdemic is going to bring it hard tonight at home.

NHL Picks

Hey guys! Just finished my tour of Wrigley Field in Chicago! What a ballpark I tell ya! I've been so focused on Opening Week for baseball that I forgot hockey was even going on! Well, here are some picks I put together right before we hit that whacky new Marlin's Stadium! Cheers!

Sugar's Hot Dogs & Beer Puck Picks

Dallas @ Carolina (+1.5) (WINNER!)

Dallas heads to Carolina looking to pick up 2 points. I don't think it's gunna happen. The Staals will put a couple glove side or something and the Stars lose this one by 2. If not, the spread will be a lock.

Buffalo @ Saint Louis (-1.5) (L)

Buffalo fuckin sucks. They're absolutely terrible. Saint Louis is going to beat them like a red headed step child. Watch for US born badass, TJ Oshie, to snipe a couple genos and break a couple ankles.  

NY Rangers @ Colorado (-110) (WINNER!)

The avs will roll tonight against the Rangers. Don't ask why. Just do it. 

Minnesota (+1.5) @ Chicago (WINNER!)

Another one you shouldn't fuckin ask about. Just do it. 

Sugar's Sunday Slapper

Even from deep in the backwoods of North Carolina Sugar has been on a hockey roll as of late. Going 7-1 over the last two nights is a solid weekend for anyone let alone a professional gambler like Sugar. Tonight will be the last night of me writing his picks up because hopefully he takes care of his own shit starting  tomorrow.

Dallas (+1.5) at Winnipeg (WINNER!)
Tonight the Stars look to right the ship after a rough couple of weeks. Look for Jaime Benn to put the team on his back tonight and drop at least 3 slappers leading to another hatty on his already terrific season. Plus even for an average hockey fan I can't name a single player that the Winnipeg Jets have and we all know the NHL is a star driven league. What I do know is that they have a fantastic logo, probably one of the coolest logos in all of sports. However I'm not one of those squares that fills out their march madness bracket based on which school mascot they like more (march madness preview bonanza coming soon!!!). Expect the Stars to roll early and often in this matchup on their way to a 7-1 stomping.

Sugar's Silky Saturday NHL Picks

Saturday Picks 

 For the dicks that missed

Carolina (+1.5) @ New Jersey (WINNER!)

Carolina  rolls into New Jersey looking for a big road win.  The Devils are coming off a loss on the road in Detroit.  Look for both Staals to go to work on the old and beaten down Devils. Carolina should win, if they lose they should definitely cover.

Sugar’s Pick: Carolina +1.5

Minnesota @ Dallas (-130) (WINNER!)

Parise and the crew head to Dallas looking to take care of business.  Problem is, Jamie Benn and his boys have a different plan.  The Dallas Stars have put together a good little hockey club. Saturday's game is in Dallas so look for the crowd to be drunk and riled up.  I do not expect Minnesota to win this game.

Sugar’s Pick: Dallas -130

Philadelphia (even) @ Toronto (L)

God has to have a special place for Leaf fans in his heart.  These mother fuckers love their team year in and year out. Truth is they haven’t won it all since 1967.  Nevertheless, the faithful Leaf fans consistently believe this is their year.  Philly has a good team.  Another year of a physically dominant team that isn’t afraid to get dirty.  Toronto is at home, but as I’ve said before this is a tough place to be a home team at.  If you’re the Leafs and you’re winning, even Jesus himself is cheering you on. But once you’re down even one goal; look the fuck out.  Those drunken Canadian bastards will boo you right on home.  Expect Philly to roll on the road here.

Sugar’s Pick: Philadelphia EVEN