Cue the circus music, people. Just as many predicted, COVID-19 is wreaking havoc on the NHL's 2021 campaign. Teams across the league are facing forced shutdowns due to positive tests and four games on today's board have already been scrapped in an effort to contain the spread and limit any further loss of games.

From a betting perspective, this doesn't exactly make our jobs any easier, and now with only six total games on today's slate, we're really going to have to pick our spots and not get out-of-hand with any foolhardy bets during such an unpredictable time in this league.

Now, last week was another tough one for my Gold Pick, as the Leafs got outplayed by the Oilers in a close one-goal game, but another even week overall has my record sitting at the .500 mark through the first two weeks. Not great, but with everything going on right now, I will take it and move onto what is sure to be another interesting day of hockey today.

Double-check the gameday lineups, make sure you know who's starting in net, and good luck!

2021 record:

Gold: 0-2
Silver: 1-1
Bronze: 2-0
Side bets: 3-3

Overall: 6-6

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Gold Pick
Arizona Coyotes @ St. Louis Blues – Pick: Coyotes (+1.5)

Look, I'll be straight up, I've been struggling big time with my Gold Picks ever since the bubble of last year. And if I have to take on overly 'safe' bet with lower odds to get back on track, well that's exactly what I'm fixing to do here with the Coyotes on the puckline.

These two clubs have already played twice this week, both of the contests finishing in identical 4-3 scores, one in favor of the Blues the other for the Yotes. In addition to both tilts being close one-goal games, like most of Arizona's, the recent matchup stats also back up my feeling here leaning toward the Coyotes. Rick Tocchet's crew owns a solid 7-3 record against St. Louis over their last 10 meetings and a 5-0 record in their last five Saturday games overall.

Take that last stat with a grain of salt, but the fact remains the Coyotes are a pesky team that is tough to play against in their own end. Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper form a formidable and underrated duo in the blue paint for Arizona, and the team currently sits seventh in the league with only 28 goals-against so far this season – more than enough reason for me to think this one is another closely-contested affair.

It might be a safer one and you won't get rich on a single bet here, but throw this on a little parlay or hammer a big wager for an easy win. Coyotes +1.5 on the puckline for my Gold Pick of the week.

Silver Pick
Pittsburgh Penguins @ New York Islanders – Pick: Islanders

Before you start button mashing and filling the DMs with hate, I am fully aware the Islanders have been trash this year and are currently in the midst of a nasty five-game losing skid that has the team dropping like a stone to the bottom of the East Division. Not good, I get it. But with a juicy home Saturday matchup against a seriously banged up Pittsburgh crew, there really is no better chance for the Islanders to turn it around than today.

Before we get into the recent matchups and stats, it should be noted New York also sits dead-last in goals scored this season with an ugly 19 through nine games played. Again, not good. However, two key factors need to be highlighted here that will have you wanting to hop on this Isles' train with me and take it to hammer town: Number one, take a look at Pittsburgh's sick bay, especially on the blue line.

The Pens' backend is absolutely decimated with injuries right now, as mainstays Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin, and Mike Matheson are all out of the lineup, leaving the likes of Cody Ceci, Chad Ruhwedel, and Yannick Weber to pick up the pieces. WOOF. The other factors you should consider are Pittsburgh is a weak road team (1-7 in their last eight away games) with recent struggles against the Isles (1-6 in the last seven versus New York).

This might be a classic case where Sid and Geno come out and light up the scoreboard and make me look like a clown again, but I like my chances here and the odds are right for a wager on the Islanders at home against a banged-up Pens' blue line. New York takes the two points today for my Silver Pick.

Bronze Pick
Vancouver Canucks @ Toronto Maple Leafs (Over/Under 6.5) – Pick: Over

Yes, you've heard it from me before, I like betting Overs. Sue me. Last week I bet on the Canucks-Jets game to go over the number and it really pooched me. However, if you've been watching much of these two teams over the past couple seasons, you know that an Over bet when the Leafs and Canucks clash is never dead. Case in point, Thursday's matchup that saw the Leafs pump in seven goals and cruise to the easy 7-3 victory. That game could have easily had 12-plus goals.

Vancouver sits atop the NHL both in goals scored (47) and goals against (55), and Toronto currently sits fourth in league scoring with 40. See where I'm going with this? Both of these lineups tout some serious firepower and both leave something to be desired when it comes to the defensive makeup of their blue lines.

The total has gone Over the number in eight of the Canucks' last 11 games and I see that trend continuing tonight against a Leafs team currently firing on all cylinders on the offensive end of the rink. Let's not overthink this one, shall we? Back-and-forth scoring has this one go Over the total for my Bronze Pick of the week.

Side Bets

Edmonton Oilers @ Calgary Flames – Pick: Oilers

San Jose Sharks @ Anaheim Ducks (Over/Under 5.5) – Pick: Over

Vancouver Canucks @ Toronto Maple Leafs – Pick: Maple Leafs

Flip Livingstone is a former NHL writer for theScore with past experience at such outlets as Narcity Media, Postmedia, and Hockey Night in Canada. You can follow him on Twitter @FlipLivingstone and @Flips_Picks.