Scott “The Bulldog” Rickenbach MLB Free Pick UNDER 7.5 in Pittsburgh Pirates vs Colorado Rockies @ 12:35 ET – Not too concerned with the starting pitchers here. Play this one with action on the pitchers. This play is more about the fact that the Rockies are scoring an average of only 2.5 runs per game this season on the road. The Pirates have scored only 2 runs per game their last dozen games. Look for another low-scoring battle in this one as a result. Only 8 of the Pirates 24 home games have resulted in an over this season so just 1/3 of them. Free Pick UNDER 7.5 in Pittsburgh
Scott “The Bulldog” Rickenbach NHL Friday Free Pick Montreal Canadiens Money Line +135 vs New York Islanders @ 7:05 – RIP Mike Bossy. Before the news broke this morning that career-long Islander and Montreal-native Mike Bossy had passed away, I was considering using this play as a top play premium pick. Instead you are reading about it here as Bossy who was one of the top NHL scorers of all-time and played in the late 70s and 80s succumbed to lung cancer this morning. Both the Islanders and Canadiens will most certainly each be playing with extra emotion tonight. As noted above, Bossy was born and raised in Montreal and it is actually a bit of an irony that he passed away right before this particular match-up. What had me looking at a play here before this news broke is the fact the goalie Carey Price is finally expected back between the pipes tonight for the Habs and you know that the Montreal skaters are going to bring their A game in front of him after his long-time hiatus from the crease. Couple that with the fact that the Islanders are in a B2B spot and off a loss and losing what little hope they had left of making the playoffs and you have the ideal home dog spot in my opinion. Free Pick MONTREAL +135
Scott “The Bulldog” Rickenbach NHL Free Pick OVER 6.5 in Tampa Bay Lightning vs Buffalo Sabres @ 5:05 ET – Buffalo has been a scrappy hard-fighting team that has made life difficult for strong clubs as they put a scare into them with strong offensive showings. The Lightning are a 4 to 1 money line favorite here though with good reason! The fact is that the Sabres should enjoy some success in the offensive zone and create good scoring opportunities plus the TB netminding has not been as strong as usual of late. However, the other fact is that Buffalo has struggled defensively and in protecting their own cage. That said, I am looking for plenty of scoring here. The Sabres 8 of last 10 games have totaled 7 or more goals. Going further back it is 19 of 29 games totaling 7 or more goals. The Bolts are hungry off a 2-1 OT loss at home to Boston Saturday. Before that low-scoring defeat Tampa had played 5 straight games totaling at least 7 goals and they will be relentless on the attack here as they are angry having lost 4 straight games! That means plenty of goals in this one! Free Pick OVER 6.5 in Tampa Bay
Rickenbach NHL Free Pick Philadelphia +115 @ Columbus @ 7:05 ET – Flyers Martin Jones has allowed 3 or less goal in 6 of his last 8 starts. He is coming off a strong effort against the Rangers. In those 6 solid efforts he has allowed only 2.3 goals per start! Philadelphia has revenge from a home loss to the Blue Jackets Tuesday and I look for them to return the favor here by knocking off the Jackets in Columbus. To me this line looks a little funny with the home team a small favorite. Don’t let the number fool you. Priced this way because the road dog gets revenge against a Blue Jackets team that had lost 7 in a row before beating the Flyers Tuesday. Payback! Free Pick PHILADELPHIA +115
Scott Rickenbach Sunday NHL Free bets OVER 7 in Buffalo Sabres vs Florida Panthers @ 1:05 ET – The Sabres are off an emotional 4-3 win on RJ Night in Buffalo Friday night. 5 of the last 6 Buffalo games have totaled 7 or more goals. That game Friday against the Predators was a 3-3 game by end of the first period! The Sabres will be unable to stop the highest scoring team in the league here. The Panthers got a 7-6 SO win at New Jersey yesterday as they rallied late against the Devils and high-flying Florida enters this game with 20 of their last 27 games having totaled 7 or more goals. More of the same is expected here. NHL Free Pick OVER 7 in Sabres vs. Panthers