x3ricx's Tuesday L8 nite Picks

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Todays NHL Comments

Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens (+120, 5 ½)

Backup goalies with polar-opposite career credentials will likely decide this matchup.

Starting Montreal goaltender Cristobal Huet is out with an injured groin, leaving rookie Carey Price to start tonight. Price has compiled a respectable 6-3-1 record this season, but has never faced the Red Wings.

Dominik Hasek will suit up for the Wings after a prolonged absence. He lost his last three starts but has a career 23-10-1 record against Montreal. Detroit is 8-3 in the last 11 versus the Canadiens.

Pick: Red Wings -140

Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning (+115, 6)

The Lightning lead the league with a 16-9 over/under record and have been padding their high totals recently with seven overs in 10 games. They are 12-3-1 in games with a total of 6 this season.

The Senators have been scoring well, even though their goals haven't put numbers in the win column. They've lost six straight by surrendering 28 goals, but have racked up 19 scores of their own in that span and rank eighth in the NHL with 80 goals to their credit on the season.

Pick: Over 6

St. Louis Blues at Calgary Flames (-120, 5)

Flames coach Mike Keenan is getting on the case of goalie Miikka Kiprusoff after Calgary stretched their losing streak to four games with an overtime loss to Columbus.

It remains to be seen how Kiprusoff, who only has one win in five starts, will respond. But he does have a 2.27 career goals-against average and 7-2-1 record against the Blues.

Even if Calgary can silence the St. Louis offense, they may find scoring tough. The Blues are best in the league in goals against, allowing only 53 all season compared to Calgary's 84 goals allowed.

Pick: Blues +100

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Bad day today 2-1-0