Gold Selection

Columbus Blue Jackets @ Boston Bruins – Pick:

Bruins over Jackets (-360 ML, -145 to cover 1.5 goal spread)

First, the Bruins are simply better. Second, they're at home, where they're 15-0-2. Third, two of those overtime losses have been in their past three home games, and I just don't see them going one-for-four over this stretch. The wild card here is Jeremy Swayman. While Linus Ullmark, Boston's 1-A goalkeeper is 17-1-1, the guy who was mostly drafted ahead of him (Swayman) is a very ordinary 5-3-1, with a SV% of 0.887 and a GAA a full goal over Ullmark's, 2.80 vs 1.83. (All stats are from NHL.com.) This could be a good start for the younger keeper though, and I'll make my top choice to be Boston to win and cover.

For confirmed goalie starts, head over to Goalie Post.  

Silver Selection

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Washington Capitals – Pick: Alexander Ovechkin over 4.5 shots

Nope – I'm not predicting Ovi to score (or not) on one of these shots, but until he gets to #802, he'll be launching rockets as often as possible, and his team will be all-in to set him up. The Washington captain has had five or more SOG in 8 of his past 10 games. Ilya Samsonov, with his gaudy 0.86 GAA and 0.967 SV% since November 1, will face his old teammates, and my first side-bet is that Samsonov wins the game (-135 ML).

Bronze Selection

Anaheim Ducks @ Edmonton Oilers – Pick: Connor McDavid to score two assists

My Bronze picks are often where I'll go off the beaten track and go rogue. Sure, McDavid getting points against the league's #32 team wouldn't be much of a risk, but you should probably win 5 cents for your dollar bet on that. So yeah, just assists. He tends to set up teammates on the Oilers' power plays – he has 15G-15A – 30 points at even strength or shorthanded, but 12G-18A – also 30 points with the man advantage. And the Ducks rank 31st for penalty kill percentage (67.3%). Side bets # 2 and 3 – Take Edmonton to cover even at -2.5 goals and the game for over 6.5 goals scored. I'll play these individually, though that parlay (both) can be played at (+245).

My record so far:

Gold picks 2-0

Silver picks 0-1-1

Bronze picks 0-2

Side bets 2-1

Stick tap:

… to Jakub Vrana, back skating with Red Wing teammates.  What demons we all have, professional athletes aren't immune from.  As a physician, I've told patients of all ages that your life begins again every day, and you may not control your present circumstances, but you do control your present and future responses to them. Good luck, Jakub. 

So no, it's NOT the last Saturday article for the calendar year, although for New Year's Eve, I'll be up in New England preparing for the Winter Classic – not sitting outside again, I've done that –  instead, getting the man-cave stocked and second TV set up.  Hockey is supposed to be FUN for us fans.  And my bets that day and on January 2, while posted here, will seem real in a different way.