Winnipeg is without a key player in St. Louis. ...

For entertainment purposes, I would "almost" eat my wager Thursday to see a Game 7 in this series. This has been such fun hockey, reminds me so much of when I first picked up the sport as a kid on TV and guys were flying around late at night on some random channel in the 39 range on that old-school slider cable box that went to 42. I was actually looking for Benny Hill then, but that's another story. The Kings have to be gutted after losing a rare, rare home game. And L.A. is four games under .500 away. So, yeah, I think yet again the Oilers oust L.A. in Round 1.

Do I lean Wild winning? Yes. Vegas is without regular-season goalscoring leader Pavel Dorofeyev (35G, 17A in RS). But we don't turn down +1.5 on a home team in the playoffs at less than -200. You are probably fine with +1 at -122 as a push potential. But let's just pay the 60 extra cents to sit back and enjoy a possible ATS guaranteed OT win as if I am the Front Man during a particularly murderous round of Squid Game.

The books are still pricing Philly's Taijuan Walker as a bad pitcher. And he probably will be soon. But not yet with a 2.78 ERA. Walker is a glorified opener at this point. No Nationals have good career splits off him. Washington is 4-11 away after Wednesday's blowout loss. The Nats have also lost three straight starts by converted reliever Brad Lord.

Arizona might have some bullpen issues after using a ton of guys in Wednesday's win and with closer Justin Martinez ailing -- he not long ago replaced former closer AJ Puk, who is on the IL. The Mets look to avoid losing back-to-back games for only the second time this season and first at home. Brandon Nimmo is in the lineup after dealing with an illness in the past couple of days. Kodai Senga hasn't given up an earned run in two home starts in 2025 and just four ER in five starts all year.

Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck was pulled from both games in St. Louis, but the American is an obscene 29-3-3 at home this season including playoffs with a GAA well under 2.00. And the Jets should get a big offensive boost Wednesday with the return of top-line winger Gabriel Vilardi for the first time since March 23. He career highs in goals (27), assists (34) and points (61) in 71 games before doing down injured.

Somewhat the same boat as last night as to why we are playing -1 instead of the moneyline -- although the Tuesday play was moot since Ottawa was an upset winner. But with Montreal down 3-1, the Habs will be pulling their goalie much earlier than they would in a RS game if they trail by a goal in the third period. And No. 1 netminder Sam Montembeault is out again as is top-six forward Patrik Laine -- one of the league's top goalscorers on the power play during the RS. Top-six blueliner Alexandre Carrier is in doubt. Rookie netminder Jakub Dobes makes his first playoff road start for Montreal. The Capitals truly have no right losing this game and going back to Canada.

San Diego's offense woke up immediately when former three-time batting champion Luis Arraez was activated off the seven-day concussion IL ahead of Tuesday's win to end a four-game slide. I see no reason why the Dads won't hit well again today against Giants rookie Landen Roupp (4.56 ERA). He has allowed at least three runs in three of five outings. It's San Diego's best starting pitcher so far in 2025 in Michael King, who has a 1.25 ERA at Petco Park.

Moderately worried the Dodgers hitters could be tired after hanging 15 on the Marlins last night, but otherwise they should light up Miami pitcher Cal Quantrill (7.83 ERA). A few Dodgers hit him hard career led by Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani. It's a bullpen day for L.A. behind Tony Gonsolin in his season debut off injury.

I think simply out of principle we have to play something on Dodgers at home this cheaply against a not-good Marlins team. We are getting less than, say, -240, because it's former Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara for Miami and likely some bullpen day for L.A. with all its pitching injuries. But Alcantara hasn't been very good this year with a 6.56 ERA and the lineups are not remotely close.

Cardinals-Reds was rained out, so we'll play this in its place. Kansas City is 3-10 on the road and starter Michael Lorenzen is 0-3 with a 5.74 ERA on the road. Tampa Bay has won five straight and those were all away. Taj Bradley has been a little hit or miss in 2025 but threw five shutout innings last year vs. KC.

I usually play the moneyline in the postseason and this is a respectable -165 or so. Why not here? Ottawa is down 3-1 in the series, so if the Sens are down a goal with about five minutes left give or take, they might pull their goalie that early and the Leafs just pile on. If we push otherwise, fine. Purely as a hockey fan, I'd like to see Ottawa win here and in Game 6 to force a Game 7 simply to hear all the usual angst out of Toronto about another playoff flop ... but I believe the Leafs finish it off and rest up for most likely Florida. May have to consider making the drive over to Sunrise for a game.

Washington had to play Monday and is just 4-9 on the road. The Phillies were off Monday and are 9-4 at home. Ace Zack Wheeler is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA at home and dominated the Nationals on Opening Day in D.C. Dominated them last year too. I would prefer -1 (not doing -1.5), but getting Wheeler under -190 at home vs. a team with a losing overall record is rare. Not doing F5 because MacKenzie Gore is solid for Washington, so the Phils might have to tear into that Nats bullpen.

This may tick up a point when Damian Lillard is officially ruled out for Tuesday, as he clearly will be ruled out due to that injury suffered in Game 4. So let's just take it now. During the regular season, Bobby Portis averaged 17.5 PPG in games without Lillard, and Portis is at 14.0 PPG in this series. Our model has Portis at 13.5 points on Tuesday, so getting 12.5 instead of 13.5 may well matter.

I tend to think Jimmy Butler plays tonight for the Warriors and some of the various moneylines are starting to tick up a bit, so clearly that says the books think so as well. Houston's physicality is bothering Golden State, but the Rockets can't shoot the ball -- even from the free-throw line. This series is more a learning experience for the Rockets, and I don't see the young team winning on the road if indeed Jimmy Buckets is back.