COYOTES (-175) at DEVILS (+155), 1 p.m.
Pick: Coyotes (-175)
The Coyotes (36-32-6) are among a handful of teams battling for the West’s two wild-card spots. They are a point out with eight games left and they can’t afford to drop any to lesser competition. The Coyotes should come out hard and fast against this whimsical Devils team. They’re on an 0-2-1 mini-slide and it’s time to turn things around.
The Devils (27-39-9) have also lost three in a row (by a combined 12-2 score), but that’s better for them in the name of The Tank.
ISLANDERS (+105) at FLYERS (-125), 1 p.m.
Pick: None
The Islanders (42-25-7) have come back down to earth so fast that tumbling into a wild-card slot is not out of the question. The Bruins steam-rolled them at the Coliseum Tuesday, much like the Flyers did – twice!! – a few weeks ago. They’ll be angry going into this afternoon’s tilt but we aren’t sure it’ll get them very far.
The Flyers (36-30-8) -- bless their fans’ little never-say-die hearts – are pretty much toast. But if Carter Hart wants to keep playing like the early Feburary Carter Hart, you never know. Both of these teams are too streaky to pick.
RANGERS (+270) at MAPLE LEAFS (-330), 7 p.m.
Pick: Rangers (+270)
Call us crazy, but the Rangers (28-32-13) have to win sometime, don’t they? They have dropped five straight, but the Toronto defense and goaltending has been lackluster recently. The Maple Leafs’ (44-25-5) are pretty much locked into the Atlantic 3 Seed, so their minds may be elsewhere. The Blue Shirts sneak in-and-out of Canada with a quick two points.
PENGUINS (-105) at STARS (-115), 8 p.m.
Pick: Stars (-115)
The Penguins (40-24-11) are without the injured F Evgeni Malkin. That spells disaster against a Dallas team that is scratching and clawing to hold onto a playoff spot. The Stars (38-30-6) have been facing adversity all season, from F Mats Zuccarello getting injured his first day on the job, to missing F Jamie Benn at points in the season, to getting lapped by the Blues who people all counted out. The lack of Malkin alone is enough for to side with the home team here.