Scott Rickenbach

Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #12 Monday 10* Top Play Minnesota Wild Money Line (-) vs Florida Panthers @ 8:05 ET - The Panthers will be a popular choice here since they enter this game on a winning streak of 4 games. Also, Florida has won each of its last two road games. However, lets not forget that the Panthers had previously lost 5 of 7 road games and still have an overall losing record away from home this season. Not only is Minnesota 13-5-4 at home this season, the Wild also are 10-0-2 in their last dozen games against the Panthers. Like the Panthers, the Wild come into this game with plenty of momentum too. Minnesota is off back to back wins against two very strong teams - the Lightning and the Stars. We're getting line value here with the Wild available at a pick'em price at home. Minnesota has one more game before the All Star break but that one is coming up Wednesday. The Panthers situation is tougher as they have a game tomorrow night at red-hot Chicago. That said, Florida's goalie situation is tougher too as Chris Driedger got hurt and is out. That means Sergei Bobrovsky could rest tonight to be saved for tomorrow and that would mean Sam Montembeault would be between the pipes. I'll challenge Florida here either way as Bobrovsky had been struggling prior to his injury and I am not going to overemphasize just one quality start against the worst team in the NHL. So whether he gets the call or it is Montembeault in the crease, the Wild are going to do some damage here. At the same time, I expect the Minnesota netminders to remain hot. The Wild have allowed 2 or less goals in 4 of last 7 games. Look for the long-term home dominance in this series to continue. 10* MINNESOTA

NHL Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #9 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Colorado Avalanche vs Detroit Red Wings @ 3:05 ET - Letdowns are bound to happen from time to time in a season. This is one of those times for the Avalanche. I am not saying Colorado will lose this game. However, I am saying that I expect a bit of a letdown defensively as they go from facing (and defeating) the Stanley Cup Champion Blues to now facing a Red Wings team that is the worst club in the NHL so far this season. Don't be surprised if Detroit pots a few early goals in this one and forces the Avalanche to come roaring back. About the roaring back part, I fully expect the high-powered Avs to enjoy plenty of success in the offensive zone in this one. Detroit is still without goalie Jonathan Bernier. That means Jimmy Howard is likely to get the start and he is having a very rough season and has particularly struggled away from home. Howard's road games this season have seen him compile an ugly .855 save percentage. The over has gone 6-2-1 in his 9 road starts this season. Howard has a 4.06 GAA this season and the dangerous Avalanche forwards will be testing him early and often. As potent as the Avs offensive production is, do note that on the other end of the ice they have allowed 3 or more goals in 4 of their past 5 games. I am looking for a 5-3 type game here and we just need 7 to cash this ticket. Given the situation I expect 8 or more in a bit of a wild one at the Pepsi Center Monday afternoon. 10* OVER the total in Colorado

ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #873 Monday 10* Top Play NC State Wolfpack (+) @ Virginia Cavaliers @ 7 ET - The Cavaliers knocked the Wolfpack out of the ACC Tourney with a dominating 20 point win in March. Virginia outscored NC State by 21 points from 3-point land and that was the difference in the game as the Wolfpack had a horrible shooting night. This season's NC State is the best Wolfpack team in terms of depth and experience that we have seen in quite some time. That said, I also like the fact that they are knocking down 33% of their threes this season while Virginia has been held to 26.7% from beyond the arc. Of course I respect the Cavs defense but this year's team is a few notches down from recent Cavaliers teams and the Wolfpack are highly motivated here. They view this game as a "measuring stick" game and want to prove they can measure up against a Virginia team that has been a bit of a nemesis for them in recent seasons. I fully expect NC State to do just that! The Cavaliers are off a tight win at Georgia Tech but had previously lost 3 straight games. Also, the Cavs had failed to cover 6 of 7 prior to getting the ATS win against the Yellow Jackets. The Wolfpack are off a non-covering win versus Clemson and are a perfect 5-0 SU and ATS this season when entering a game having failed to cover 2 of their last 3 games. Virginia is 0-9 ATS this season when they enter game having allowed 60 points or less in each of their last two games. Double perfect situation here for the road dog. Grab the points. 10* NC STATE

Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #506 Monday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 3:05 ET - The Nets have extra motivation against the 76ers and are getting much healthier. They recently welcomed back Kyrie Irving plus Caris LeVert. Additionally, Joe Harris and Garrett Temple - both missed Saturday's blowout loss versus Bucks - are expected back here. So, while the Sixers are still without big man Joel Embiid, Brooklyn is getting healthy again and they are motivated not only by last season's playoff series loss to Philly, the Nets also seek revenge for a loss at Philadelphia last week punctuated by a bad fourth quarter. Brooklyn knows they let one slip away and they want to make up for that here with a huge effort here at home where they blasted the 76ers by a 20 point margin earlier this season. The Sixers are off a tight road win at the Knicks and that was Philadelphia's 5th consecutive ATS loss on the road. Though Philly won the game straight up at New York, they entered that game with a 7-14 SU record on the road this season. Up next for the 76ers is a big game at Toronto - the city where their season ended last year on that playoff series-clinching shot (the infamous one) by Kawhi Leonard. That said, this is a very bad spot for the Sixers and a good one for a Nets team that is home off an ugly loss and getting key rotation players back on the floor. 10* BROOKLYN

Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #501 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Washington Wizards vs Detroit Pistons @ 2:05 ET - The over is on an 11-3 run in Pistons games. Detroit scored 136 points at Atlanta on Saturday. The Wizards allowed 140 points at Toronto on Friday. Now two teams that are both content to play at a fast pace and that focus very little on the defensive end are matched up in what should be a track meet. The over is 3-1 in the last 4 meetings between these teams. Washington averages 116 points per game at home this season but the Wizards also are allowing 120 points per game. That is why, though this total is a big one, I have no hesitation in grabbing the over in this match-up! The line is right around a pick'em in this game and in a match-up where the Wizards have a chance to win it generally means to expect a ton of points because this team simply does not play defense! In games with a posted total of 230 or more points, the over is 13-6 in Wizards games this season. Washington is playing this game with road loss revenge and that is a situation that has seen the over go 11-3 this season. Detroit is 4-1 to the over this season when off a game in which they scored 120 points or more. Indeed, expect a track meet style of play in this one. 10* OVER the total in Washington