Andrew Wilsher

The Pittsburgh Penguins will take on the New York Islanders Monday night. The Penguins come into this one losing 3 of their last 4, even with the tough playoff race that is going on. On the season, the Penguins are averaging 3.38 goals per game which ranks 7th in the NHL. The issue for the Penguins recently has been their defense. Through the last 5 games, they have allowed 24 total goals. This is much different than the Islanders who have only allowed 7 goals over the past 4 games. This season the Islanders are only allowing 2.76 goals per game compared to the Penguins 3.07 goals per game. Defense could be a major factor in this one.

As of now, the Islanders sit at 6th in the Eastern Conference just one point above the Penguins. Where the Islanders have shined recently is at home. Through their last 10 home games, they have won 7 games while scoring 34 goals and only allowing 26 goals. The shining light for the Islanders this season has been their elite goaltending with their goalies stopping 90.1% of the shots they face. Overall, I think the Islanders defense will be too much for the struggling Penguins team. I am taking the Islanders on the money line.

Penguins vs Islanders prediction: Islanders ML (-120) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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The Calgary Flames are travelling to Colorado to face the Avalanche for the first time this season. Calgary has shown some solid performances in its last few games, going 4-1 in its most recent outings. However, tonight’s challenge feels daunting. The Flames score an average of just 2.53 goals per game and have a poor road record of 10-22-3. They have significant weaknesses in their offence, and their defensive line is still developing. Although this game might start off closely contested, it’s likely they will fall behind as the match progresses.

On the other hand, the Avalanche have an impressive home record of 23-7-5 and have no trouble scoring goals. They average over 33 shots per game, more than any other team in the league. This matchup appears to be a significant mismatch on paper. With a six-point lead over Dallas for the top spot in the division, the Avalanche will be eager to extend that lead, so we can expect them to put forth their best effort. Unless there is an extraordinary performance from the Flames’ goaltender, Colorado is expected to win by a wide margin.

Flames vs Avalanche prediction: Avalanche -1.5 (-140) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

The Vegas Golden Knights will be hosting the NHL’s worst team, the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night. The Golden Knights come into this game sitting in 3rd place in the Pacific Division, 6 points back of the Anaheim Ducks who hold the Division lead. With only 8 games remaining, it is a long shot, but winning this division gives a great advantage in the first round of the playoffs. This would be likely avoiding a first-round matchup with the Edmonton Oilers. Going up against the worst team in the league, they will have this game circled as a must win on the calendar. I expect a dominant performance from the Golden Knights from start to finish. The Canucks are both the worst offensive and defensive team in the league, so this should be an easy game for the Golden Knights. They just need to play their game and not take them too lightly. I don’t see any reason to overthink this one, as the Golden Knights are at home and the much better team. I will be taking them on the puck line.

Canucks vs Golden Knights prediction: Golden Knights -1.5 (-135) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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Jaylen Brown was out of the lineup, but it didn’t matter for the Boston Celtics who cruised to their 50th win of the season last night in Charlotte, beating the Hornets 114-99. Jayson Tatum had his best game since returning from injury with 32 points and 8 assists, while Payton Pritchard thrived in Brown’s spot with 28 and 6 assists. That win, combined with the Knicks losing in OKC gives the Cs a bit of breathing room in the 2nd seed of the Eastern Conference with only 8 games left to play. They now face a tall task, playing in Atlanta with no rest and with the likelihood of Tatum having the night off being high. Jaylen Brown could return though, after missing the last two games with a minor Achilles issue.

Revenge will be on the mind of the Atlanta Hawks who got beat by these Celtics on Friday night 109-102. With the venue now switching to Atlanta, it’ll be interesting to see if the Hawks can respond in front of their home fans. They’ve built a fort at State Farm Arena over the past month or so of play, winning 12 straight games. They’re the healthier team here as well with not a single player on the injury report, plus they had an extra day of rest and preparation for Monday’s game. The Hawks are one of the rare teams in the NBA that can go blow for blow with the Celtics, at least in terms of shooting the three-ball. They’ve made 16, 15, 18 and 25 threes over their last 4 games, while for the season they rank 6th in efficiency from downtown.

This Hawks team is growing up right in front of our eyes. This is a massive test for them, but one they won’t shy away from. I think having the rest advantage will be the key here, especially if Boston decides to not risk it with Tatum on a back-to-back scenario. Atlanta has covered in 13 of 17 games, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and back a home win here.

Celtics vs Hawks prediction: Hawks ML (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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This matchup sets up as a clear separation spot for Phoenix, particularly when you break down how these teams function in the half court. The Suns bring structure, defensive discipline, and efficient offensive execution, allowing them to control tempo and dictate the flow of games.

Memphis, on the other hand, continues to struggle generating consistent offense, especially when forced into half-court sets. That’s where the gap becomes most apparent. Against a disciplined defense like Phoenix, those possessions can quickly turn into empty trips, leading to scoring droughts that are difficult to recover from. The concern with large spreads is always backdoor potential, but Phoenix profiles as a team capable of maintaining control once it establishes a lead. Their ability to manage pace limits volatility and reduces the chances of extended swings against the listless Grizzlies. If the Suns impose their style early, this becomes a game played on their terms: slower, more controlled, and tilted toward execution. That environment favors the superior team and increases the likelihood of sustained separation. With edges on both ends of the floor, Phoenix is well-positioned to cover a number in this range.

Suns vs Grizzlies prediction: Suns -13.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -14.

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Many people expected the Pistons to fall off significantly following the injury to Cade Cunningham, but they’ve not only remained calm under the pressure, but they’ve also increased their lead atop of the East standings to 4 games over the Celtics. Without Cade in the line-up they’re now a stellar 10-3 SU in 13 games, with their defensive rating improving by 5.4 points per 100 possessions. All those numbers will be put to the test on Monday as they take on the OKC Thunder on the road, in what could potentially be an NBA Finals preview. Detroit actually won the first meeting 124-116 back in late February, relying heavily on Cade Cunningham but also dominating the rebounding battle 52-37.

The Thunder got a very important win on Sunday taking down the Knicks 111-110 to ease the pressure a bit as they try to fend off the San Antonio Spurs for the number 1 seed in the West. With San Antonio not showing any signs of slowing down, every upcoming game is important for the defending champs in their quest of defending that 1st seed. Playing with no rest could prove to be problematic here, in this scenario they’re just 5-7 SU in 12 games played this season. If we look on the bright side though, there’s nobody other than Thomas Sorber on the injury report, which is a very good sign for a team that’s battled injuries all year long.

These are the two top ranked teams in both Conference and you’re telling me the difference in quality between them is 14 points? Even if Cade Cunningham isn’t playing for the Pistons, that’s a bit much in my opinion, especially for a team playing on a 2nd night of a back-to-back. The Pistons have shown grit and resilience all season without their leader, I’m confident they’ll make a game out of this one. For those who are brave I would even recommend a small wager on a Pistons ML here, but I’ll be backing them plus the huge spread.

Pistons vs Thunder prediction: Pistons +13.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to 12.

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The 0-3 Colorado Rockies head to Toronto to take on the 3-0 Toronto Blue Jays in what looks like a clear early-season mismatch. The Rockies struggled in their opening series against the Miami Marlins, hitting just .192 and scoring only seven runs while allowing 10. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays have picked up right where they left off, hitting .262 as a team and outscoring the Athletics 16-11. With legitimate aspirations of winning the AL East and making a deep postseason run, Toronto has looked sharp on both sides of the ball to start the year.  

Taking the mound for the Rockies is Tomoyuki Sugano. Last year with the Orioles, Sugano went 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA. While he showed some solid command in spring training, allowing three runs on 10 hits in 7.1 innings, this is a tough matchup against a disciplined and powerful Blue Jays lineup. For Toronto, Cody Ponce will get the start, and he hasn’t appeared in the majors since 2021, but he was impressive this spring, striking out 12 while allowing just seven hits and one earned run across 13.2 innings. While I don’t love either starter in this matchup, I trust the Blue Jays offense a lot more than the Rockies. Jesus Sanchez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Kazuma Okamoto, and Ernie Clement are having a terrific start to this season and this is a Blue Jays lineup should be able to get to Sugano early on. Look for the Blue Jays to continue their hot start to the season and have no issues handling the Rockies in this matchup. 

Rockies vs Blue Jays prediction: Blue Jays -1.5 (-125) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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The Atlanta Braves remain at home this week to host the Athletics. The A’s opened in Toronto and were swept, while the Braves took 2 of 3 from the Royals, including a dramatic walk-off grand slam on Saturday. The Braves’ bats definitely got off to the hotter start, and the Athletics’ lineup struggled all the way around, with the exception of Shane Langeliers. Langeliers opened the weekend with 3 home runs and a .500 batting average, while no one else on his team is above .167. Let’s take the Braves to stay hot at home.

The pitching matchup is Bryce Elder vs Jacob Lopez. Elder is not a good starting pitcher, but with the state of the Braves’ IL, he is in the rotation for now. Lopez has some promise, and he is a high-K power arm, but there is a lot of wildness to his game, and he can give up a big inning. I think the A’s have the advantage early on, but once these bullpens get involved, the Athletics’ pen is a major liability. Even if the bats wake up and get a lead early, it is hard to trust them to hold on to it. That has me leaning toward the Braves in this spot.

Athletics vs Braves prediction: Braves ML (-135) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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The Lost Angeles Angels will take on the Chicago Cubs on Monday at Wrigley Field. The Angels come into this one with a record of 2-2. The issue is that they have given up 20 runs over the last 2 games against the Houston Astros. Starting for them will be Ryan Johnson, a young bullpen pitcher. Last season, Johnson recorded 1 save with an ERA of 7.36. This does not give us much hope in backing the Angels has their bullpen has given up 5 earned runs over the last 2 games and Johnson has struggled. The one positive for the Angels is that they have been hitting the ball well with 33 hits through 4 games.

For the Cubs, they had a disappointing opening series against the Washington Nationals and now have a record of 1-2. On the mound for the Cubs will be Edward Cabrera. Cabrera pitched for the Miami Marlins last season and ended with an 8-7 record and a 3.53 ERA. These numbers are quite impressive and that is why the Cubs sought him out in the off season. The Cubs will be looking for Cabrera to have a good outing considering they gave up 18 runs to the Nationals through 3 games. Overall, I expect Cabrera to come out with some fire, and I do not trust the Angels to run a bullpen game. I am taking the Cubs on run line.

Angels vs Cubs prediction: Cubs -1.5 (+110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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