Posted on 3/12/2008 2:35:54 PM

Free Picks - NHL Hockey Betting Picks

By Dave Golokhov

Toronto Maple Leafs @ Philadelphia Flyers

Just when you think the Toronto Maple Leafs are dead in the water, they manage to float.

Down 3-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers late in the third period, the Leafs managed to tie the game and win it in overtime.

The Leafs and Flyers complete their home-and-home series on Wednesday.

The Leafs are only 2-9 when playing on back-to-back days while the Flyers are 6-8.

But at this point in the season, maybe it’s time to start throwing some of the Leafs’ stats out the window. They have won eight of their last 12 games and are 4-1-0 straight up in Philadelphia over the last three seasons.

Philadelphia is the team that Toronto is trying to catch for the eight and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Free Pick: Toronto

Calgary Flames @ Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals will try to bounce-back from their devastating loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. On Sunday, Caps forward Nicklas Backstrom accidentally cleared the puck into his own goal during a 2-2 tie, handing the Penguins the win.

Both Alexander Ovechkin and Cristobal Huet crumpled to the ice in disbelief.

The Caps are seven points out of last place with 12 games remaining and will have to get to work against Calgary.

The Flames, who have won three of four games in March, are 11-5 in games where the total is 5.5.

Washington is 5-1-1 against the Flames over the last three seasons in games played at Washington with six of the last nine games in the series overall going over the total.

Nine of Calgary’s last 10 have played under, though, and the under is 6-1-1 during Washington’s last eight games.

Free Pick: Washington

Buffalo Sabres @ Pittsburgh Penguins

Like the Leafs and Capitals, the Sabres are yet another team trying to catch the Philadelphia Flyers for the final playoff spot in the East.

They sit just four points back but have a rash of injuries that has been hindering them lately. Defensemen Henrik Tallinder and Jaroslav Spacek missed the last game and so did forward Steve Bernier. The Sabres have lost five of their last six games and are heading in the wrong direction at the worst possible time of the season.

They are only 13-22 when facing a team with a winning record and 7-12 when the total is posted at 6 or more.

Pittsburgh is 10-4 when playing with two days rest and is 15-6-5 at home versus Buffalo since 1996.

Free Pick: Pittsburgh

Vancouver Canucks @ Anaheim Ducks

After losing late night in Phoenix last night, the Ducks will finish up a three-game-in-four-night stretch at home on Wednesday when the Canucks visit.

The Ducks have lost three of their last four games while their guests, the Canucks, have won three straight. But the Canucks are just 1-3 after three or more consecutive wins.

Vancouver is desperate for wins as their sit in eighth place in the Western Conference, just two points up on ninth-place Nashville.

The Ducks are 20-11 in the second half of the season and are 28-12 over the last three years following three consecutive unders.

This series has been tight. Both teams are 4-4-0 in the last eight meetings in Anaheim.

Free Pick: Anaheim

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