ANAHEIM -½ +1.01 over Nashville (REG) Pinnacle
The Ducks are this year’s biggest underachievers thus far with just 10 points in 13 games and that puts them dead last in the West. That’s just sick for a team of this caliber and they have to know they’re digging themselves a hole that if it gets much deeper will be very difficult to climb out of. These Ducks are not even close to being one of the worst teams in the NHL and in fact, they just might be one of the top 10 in terms of talent. They just can’t afford to lose at home to teams like the Preds and I just can’t imagine them not giving it their all after losing its sixth game in seven contests on Tuesday. With this home game and another one on Saturday against the Coyotes, the Ducks find themselves in as close to a must-win position as a team can be in early November because after Saturday they head out on a demanding four-game road swing that winds its way through New Jersey, Columbus, Detroit and Pittsburgh. Anaheim put forth a tremendous effort against Pittsburgh on Tuesday and deserved a better fate and if they play anything close to the way they did that night, they’ll win and they’ll win going away. The Preds are pesky and determined but they’re just not in the same class as the Ducks. Play: Anaheim -½ +1.01 (Risking 2 units).

BOSTON -½ +1.04 over Montreal (REG) Pinnacle
You know for sure the Bruins are going to extra jacked up here because they and its fans get more pleasure out of beating the Habs than they do against anyone else. The B’s are in an offensive funk right now and that would normally be a concern but this isn’t the Red Wings, Flyers, Rangers or Devils they’re playing. No, this is one of the most beatable teams on ice that is just a game under .500 but by the end of the year they’ll be far below that. Montreal has lost three of four with only win over that stretch coming against the Leafs in OT in a game they had no business winning. They have three good players and the rest, especially the defense, would have trouble cracking the line-up of most teams. Dating back to last year the Canadiens have won just seven of its last 30 road games and there’s very little chance that a hungry Bruins team is going to change that. Boston is a very good team and a great defensive team and it’s only a matter of time before they start stringing some wins together and it all starts here. Play: Boston -½ +1.04 (Risking 2 units).

Columbus +1.19 over ATLANTA Pinnacle
The Thrashers have not performed well at home with just one win in four games and that could be because of what ails so many other teams this season. Watching NHL games on the tube you see a ton of empty seats in the house and the seats that are empty are the best in the arena. New Jersey is playing to small crowds, as is the Islanders, Nashville, Florida, Tampa, Phoenix, to a lesser extent Colorado and these Thrashers. It’s sad to watch but it just proves how ridiculous it is that Florida has two NHL teams while Winnipeg has none. Anyway, the point is that it’s uninspiring for these teams to come home and play to a half empty arena. They get pumped up to play in places like Toronto, Montreal New York, Detroit, Boston, Chicago or any other Canadian city. Playing at home is anti-climatic and it explains why these teams are playing better on the road. These guys come to the arena in a good state of mind and in the Pre-Game skate or warm-up, about an hour before game time, the place is absolutely empty. It’s completely uninspiring and it’s disheartening before the game even starts. In Toronto, Montreal, New York, Detroit, Philly and a few more places the rink is filling up in the pre-game warm-ups, the fans are pumped and it in turn gets the players pumped as well. Hell, the WNBA is attracting more fans in some places and it 100% makes a difference and most definitely takes away home ice advantage. Hockey is hockey and players love playing this game but in some cases they need a boost from the crowd and teams like Atlanta just can’t get it. The Thrashers are 5-1-0-1 on the road but were badly outplayed in its last two, especially in Ottawa where they were outshot 51-21. They’ll likely get outplayed again tonight in front of another half-empty, uninspiring joint. Play: Columbus +1.19 (Risking 2 units).