Scott Rickenbach

Top Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #72 Monday 10* Top Play Florida Panthers Money Line (+) vs Carolina Hurricanes @ 7:05 ET - The Panthers are so dangerous and so resilient. Florida rallied from a 2-0 third period deficit to beat the Stars 3-2 on Thursday. Then, on Saturday, the Panthers again rallied from a 2-0 third period deficit to tie the game before falling behind 3-2 and then again managing to knot the game late and force OT. That one ended up being decided in the shootout and the Hurricanes prevailed but this Panthers team continues to impress me. This is a great spot to back them now as Florida is a perfect 6-0 this season when off a loss! The Hurricanes are a very strong team but they had lost 3 in a row before the tight win Saturday and I know the Panthers are going to come out strong here on home ice after that loss. Two high quality teams meeting for the 2nd consecutive game and I give a large edge to the home dog as they look to improve to 7-0 on the season when in this situation. The absence of Canes #1 goalie Petr Mrazek is still an issue for Carolina. He should be back soon but I do not expect that to be tonight and, either way, like the Panthers a ton in this spot! 10* FLORIDA 

Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #67 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Ottawa Senators vs Calgary Flames @ 7:05 ET - The Flames suffered a key loss with the Jacob Markstrom injury. David Rittich has allowed 7 goals on 54 shots since taking over for him. The Senators had their 3-games winning streak with Calgary's 6-3 win Saturday but they have now averaged scoring 4.3 goals per game the last 3 games. The problem for Ottawa is keeping the puck out of their own net and, with Marcus Hogberg out, all the pressure is on veteran Matt Murray. The former Penguins netminder has allowed 19 goals in his last 5 starts for an average of 3.8 goals per game. 5 of Ottawa's last 7 games have totaled 7 or more goals and getting tonight's total at an even 6 goals is a strong value in my opinion. The Flames last 3 games at Ottawa have all totaled at least 7 goals. With Murray struggling between the pipes for the Sens and Rittich struggling for Calgary, the high-scoring trend continues here as the teams combined for 67 shots in their most recent game. More of the same here. 10* OVER the total in Ottawa

Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #504 Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Indiana Pacers @ 7:05 ET - The Sixers are normally fantastic on their home floor. But they just gave a horrific effort versus the Cavaliers on Saturday and lost the game in OT outright as a double digit home favorite! Suffice to say, Philadelphia was not happy with that result and will be ready to go here after a very rare home loss. The 76ers beat Brooklyn by 16 points the last time they entered a game off a home loss. Also, here they can take advantage of an Indiana team that has lost 10 of its last 14 games. The Pacers Malcolm Brogdon is dealing with a knee injury and missed their last game. Even if he goes tonight he is unlikely to be 100 percent and this is an angry Sixers team that Indiana will be facing here. Look for the home team, 14-3 this season and 31-4 last season as a host, to roll by double digits in this one! 10* PHILADELPHIA

Total of the Week - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #829 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in St Bonaventure Bonnies vs Dayton Flyers @ 5 ET - I am well aware of the fact that the Bonnies have trended under recently as well as truly being an "under team" for the season. However, this total is far too low considering the opponent. Dayton is averaging 72 points per game on the road this season. The reason St Bonaventure has trended under this season is solid defense but they won't be able to totally shutdown this Flyers team that has some skilled scoring options. At the same time, the Bonnies are averaging 77 points per game on their home floor this season. Again, the under trend has certainly not been because St Bonaventure can't score well because they truly do score very well as a host. The Bonnies enter this game off an 88-point outburst versus George Washington and they have now averaged 82 points per game their last 4 home games. Dayton did have a recent 2-OT game on the road but even removing those points from the equation, the Flyers have averaged 73 points per game their last 4 road games. However, not including OT points, Dayton has also surrendered 76.5 points per game their last 4 road games. Their defensive play has been much better at home than on the road this season. The Flyers almost always get to the mid-60s in points scored and the Bonnies are favored by 7.5 points here for good reason. That said, I certainly see this total getting to at least the 140 mark and the 150 range would not be a total shock either given all of the above. 10* OVER the total in St Bonaventure

Early TV Blowout - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL 10* Top Play OVER 2.5 goals in Everton vs Southampton @ 3 ET - I am well aware of the fact that Southampton has injury issues but I just do not see them going down without a fight here. That said, I do not expect them to get shutout here. Certainly I also do not expect a wounded Southampton to deliver a clean sheet either. That means this match gets to at least 1-1 in my opinion. Now here is the key as to why this match gets to at least 2-1. The fact is Everton has only had 4 draws in 24 matches this season. This is a club that likes to go hard for the full 3 points in the table and will be aggressive on the attack even at the risk of getting burned and conceding a goal on the counterattack. Though coming off delivering a clean sheet at Anfield against Liverpool, Everton actually had conceded an average of 3 goals per match over their last 4 matches across all competitions. As for Southampton, prior to getting shutout by Leeds United, they had scored an average of 1.5 goals per match over their last 4 matches across all competitions. Southampton has conceded 2.3 goals per game as travelers this season and that is the worst mark in the league. Everton has conceded 1.7 goals per game as hosts this season. Southampton won the reverse fixture 2-0 as hosts in October but that was the first clean sheet delivered by either club in any of the last 5 meetings. With this total posted at 2.5 goals and with each club likely to get at least one goal plus not wanting to settle for just 1 point in the table, I just do not see this match finishing with anything less than a 2-1 final and truly I expect 4 goals to be scored here but 3 will cash our ticket just fine as well. 10* OVER 2.5 goals in Everton

Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Monday Free Pick Everton +103 vs Southampton @ 3 ET - Southampton is truly dealing with an injury crisis here. Additionally, they enter this matching having lost 7 of their last 8 premier league fixtures. Also, on the road this campaign, Southampton has won just 3 of 12 matches and has a goal differential of -13 as travelers. Look for Everton to take advantage and get the victory on their home pitch. I know that they have struggled some as a host this season but that has increased their hunger level for this match at Goodison Park. I am well aware that Everton is off a huge victory over rival Liverpool at Anfield last weekend but they are so hungry for taking the full 3 points on their home pitch after recent struggles there. I just don't see them being denied as hosts and feel strongly that they will use the victory over Liverpool as a momentum boost. Everton still has sights set on a possible top four finish in the table in this campaign. Free Pick EVERTON +103