NHL

St. Louis +1.76 over PITTSBURGH (REG) Pinnacle
This one is rather simple and it goes something like this; when a take-back like this is offered on the Blue Notes you can almost always pencil me in and I make no exception here. Not that the Blues are the best team on ice but nobody tries harder and nobody wants to win more. On top of that, they have plenty of talent and they’re just getting better. The Blues are coming off a strong effort in Anaheim in which they won 5-0 and they finally appear to be over their jet lag after its European trip to start the year. The Blues are a very appealing pooch. The Pens are hot and there’s really nothing more to say about them. They seemed determined to prove last year was no fluke but they really haven’t had a tough time of it yet. Four of the Penguins seven wins have come against the Islanders, Leafs, Bolts and Canes. The other three have come against the Coyotes, Flyers and Sens and while those are good wins they Pens were out-shot in all three of those games. Anyway, this really isn’t about playing against the Pens, it’s more about taking back a big price on the Blues, as this team always has a chance to win. Play: St. Louis +1.76 (Risking 2 units).

Atlanta +1.10 over MONTREAL (REG) Pinnacle
The Thrashers defense leaves plenty to be desired but it seems to be working for them right now and it’s not like they’re playing the Sharkies. Furthermore, Atlanta has won four of five and that includes its most recent win, a 4-2 victory over the previously red-hot Sabres. They also have wins in St. Louis and in New Jersey. The Thrashers have scored four goals or more in all but one of their games while the Habs are tooth and nails to score even a single goal. Montreal offers up nothing as the chalk and while they were all over the Sens in the first period last game, frustration set in again and they couldn’t keep it going, eventually losing 3-1. It’s one thing to be talented and in a funk but the Habs are not and now pressure is mounting big time after its fifth consecutive loss. Only once this year have they scored more than twice in a game and that is because of a defense that can’t move the puck crisply out of its own end. There’s not a single team in the NHL that is unworthy of taking back a price against the Habs and certainly the Thrashers are among that group. The Habs are a bigger hoax than the Balloon Boy and not even Chris Angel could make this illusion work. Play: Atlanta +1.10 (Risking 2 units).