Though the Bolts did sneak three past the Mighty Ryan Miller, NJD's blueline is more defensively sound than is BUF's - Tampa sent 39 shots Miller's way. With a game upcoming in PHI tomorrow, TBL's shot total from a game ago will likely be halved.
Mike Smith has shown improvement, but his allowing for 5 goals is proof that he is not quite back to form; and not quite as good against the upper-echelon goal-scorers. This is a 3-game road trip which, when it is completed, will have taken TBL through BUF, NJD, and PHI. Three cities in four days . . . in the dead of Winter. Do they themselves honestly expect to do much winning?
The answer is so big and obvious and the odds laid as such, that many are gravitating towards the Bolts scoring an upset (rather than risk another close game with pops any NJD PL play). Sorry, Charlie . . . Understandable as your rational is, it just isn't going to happen. Smith is still the brash newcomer in the East. His abilities may eclipse Brodeur's in another 2-3 years; but it is precisely for that reason Marty and his mates will be on task tonight.It's been very close between these two teams. Tonight looks like it will be the exception. Either the Bolts get over the hump, or they lose this game somewhere in the neighborhood of 1-5.(H) DEVILS (-1.5) +152Though they allowed for a volley of nearly 40 shots to get through to their netminder, BUF still deserves recognition as one of the better teams among their division. And even if BUF weren't so regarded, more and more it is beginning to look like the Leafs have quit on their HC Ron Wilson.I don't expect to see much fight out of Toronto until the league reconvenes, following the 2010 Olympics. Gustavsson looks set to work the net for a fourth consecutive contest. After being lit up like a Christmas tree in Philly, things don't promise to get any less difficult against these Buffalo soldiers.(H) SABRES (-1.5) +165The Jackets played last night and got themselves a win. They face a Calgary team, whom is in the rare situation of not only playing their 3rd game in 4 nights, but also looking to play a game tomorrow, when they will be playing their 4th game in a 5-day span.That game will be in Vancouver. Between CBJ and VAN, a win against VAN is WAY more important . . . as they are semi-rivals, and divisional foes - so a 4pt. swing in the standings will be at stake.Mason will be back in net for the Jackets and I believe he has enjoyed some success against the Lames. Either way, the Jackets know they are catching CAL at a time when they will be their most beatable. And Columbus is starving for a win against a team slightly less pathetic than the Oilers. Which works out perfectly, as Calgary is a team which is only slightly less pathetic than the Oilers.(A) COLUMBUS (ML) +173
BTW I've got the rest of today's board picked, but that
information is under reserve. BOL2U