00:00The NHL seems like a lot of fun.
00:03In Philadelphia, we don't get to participate
00:04because the team stinks every single year.
00:07So sometimes, Joe, you got to turn on the TV and say,
00:09oh, this is actually how the game is played.
00:12And if you're taking a look from a historical standpoint
00:14in the month of January, how about the hat-tricks, Joe?
00:1830 of them.
00:19It used to be an uncommon occurrence,
00:21now turned into a common occurrence.
00:23I can't imagine being able to score three times
00:24in an NHL game.
00:2630 times it happened in January.
00:30You got to love it, right?
00:31I mean, this was like Major League Baseball's version of,
00:36all right, let's switch out the baseballs
00:38and make them fly a little.
00:40It feels like maybe the NHL has decided,
00:43you know what, more goals means more eyeballs,
00:47which is probably why you're pulling goalies
00:49with seven minutes to go in the game
00:51when you're down two or three.
00:53And yeah, guys are getting a lot of extra shots on goal
00:56that probably shouldn't, Donnie.
00:58Yeah, nobody wants to see the Devils of the 1990s
01:01and the left wing lock and Marty Brodeur
01:03and the Devils score one goal in the first period
01:05and then just ice the puck the entire way.
01:07We like goal scoring.
01:08And also, we like big-time games here.
01:11And the Lightning and the Bruins played one
01:12in the stadium series yesterday from Tampa Bay.
01:14It was fantastic.
01:16This game finished in over,
01:18a shootout, I should say,
01:19with 11 total goals.
01:21And also, the Bruins were running away
01:24with this game 5-1.
01:25And all of a sudden, the comeback starts
01:27and a goalie fight where they say
01:29really helped the Lightning get over the edge.
01:326-5 victory, Lightning over the Bruins.
01:34What an entertaining game in the NHL.
01:36The entire, it's just a shame
01:39the NHL didn't bother to promote this at all
01:42because I got to tell you,
01:43it was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
01:47They didn't have to worry about the ice melting in Tampa
01:50because it was, you know, under 30 degrees last night
01:53and people were frozen.
01:55But they packed out.
01:56But the pageantry, Donnie,
01:57I mean, the fact that you had the Lightning show up
02:01off the bus wearing the creamsicle
02:03Tampa Bay Bucs uniforms
02:04and then the other side,
02:07the Bruins came out dressed as all
02:08Revolutionary War patriots
02:11was just, I mean, fantastic stuff all the way around.
02:14And it turned out, we had a goalie fight
02:16and a shootout.
02:18I mean, the fact that the NHL didn't tell anybody
02:20or make a big deal of that is beyond me.
02:23It really is.
02:25Especially on a day like there's no NFL action
02:27or football there.
02:28You could have actually said,
02:29hey, people will tune into this.
02:30And also, if you did tune in,
02:32you probably didn't tune out.
02:33Like, oh, it's a 5-1 game.
02:34I'm out of here.
02:35If you stuck around just a few more extra minutes,
02:37you saw that absolutely avalanche of offense
02:39by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
02:40And also, was it cool?
02:41Who was dressed as Tony Montana in that game as well?
02:44Looking fly in that suit with the hat
02:47and the chains out there.
02:48John Cooper, man, looked fantastic.
02:50John Cooper looked good, didn't he?
02:51Yeah.
02:52The whole thing was just great.
02:54We need more of that, NHL.
02:56We absolutely need more of that.
02:58And by the way, you read about the creamsicles.
03:00Like, it wasn't as if, like,
03:01they committed to the bit by going,
03:02let's just wear custom jerseys, walk in.
03:05They were fully decked out in an NFL creamsicle uniform
03:09for Tampa Bay as if they were playing a football game
03:12on their way in at that point.
03:13And then on the opposite side of Joe,
03:14point out, too.
03:15The Patriots walked in there as the Boston Bruins.
03:18Fantastic spectacle.
03:19Everybody was fully committed.
03:21And that game turned out to exactly what you wanted there.
03:24A big show for the NHL.
03:25But Joe says, sometimes you want to promote that
03:27at that point, maybe get some more fans into the building.
03:29But that's just us talking here, Joe.
03:32We got more NHL action today,
03:34which includes the New York Islanders on the road
03:36to take on the Washington Capitals.
03:38Slight favorite here for the Caps at home.
03:40Minus 128s to minus 130s, depending where he's shopping.
03:42And a total, let's sit at six and a half.
03:45Sorokin and Thompson expected to be the net minders in this one.
03:49Yeah.
03:49I mean, this is the final, right, the final stretch.
03:52A couple of days worth of hockey here, right?
03:55So, but the Capitals have been hot.
03:58I mean, they're looking, they've won a couple in a row,
04:00looking for that third straight win.
04:02And listen, the Islanders, we all knew they were capable,
04:06but they're getting the goaltending.
04:08They're scoring some goals.
04:09They're playing some defense.
04:11I think this is going to be actually a good one,
04:14hence the entire pick-em price that we're looking at here right now, Donnie.
04:18How about this one?
04:19Maybe close to a pick-em price as well.
04:21You're taking a look at Buffalo on the road to take on Florida.
04:23Bobrovsky versus Lyon or Lyon?
04:26How do we spell it?
04:27L-Y-O-N.
04:27Lyon.
04:28Give me a pronunciation.
04:29Lyon.
04:30Maybe the Frenchman here.
04:31128 to 130, depending on where he's shopping as a favorite,
04:33for the home team, the Florida Panthers,
04:36taking on a hot Buffalo squad.
04:39Which also happens to be the former backup to Bobrovsky
04:43with the Florida Panthers.
04:45So, interesting stuff there.
04:47I believe he does have maybe a ring on his finger from us.
04:51So, but, yeah, I mean, listen, great story for Buffalo.
04:55Sorry, guys, back in the control room, Tommy.
04:57But they're going to get absolutely smoked here tonight by the Panthers.
05:00Oh, wow.
05:02Florida is scaring them up here.
05:04How about Detroit and Colorado?
05:06Going to get it going tonight.
05:06A more heavy-juiced price than the two that we just talked about.
05:10How about minus 220 to minus 210, depending on where he's shopping as a hometown favorite
05:14for the Colorado Avalanche in a total that's listed at six and a half.
05:19Blowout expected for Colorado at home against the Wings?
05:22Well, this is not your old Wings here.
05:24I mean, this is a 31-win, you know, Red Wings team here on the road playing Colorado.
05:31But, you know, Colorado has lost a couple of games over the last few weeks,
05:34and everyone's like, oh, boy.
05:36Like, they're 30, like, stop.
05:38They haven't even lost double-digit games yet here, Donnie.
05:41I mean, I get it.
05:42But I think the Red Wings can, they can hang around in this one.
05:46I also wouldn't sweat out an under here, though.
05:48I think goals are coming here tonight at Ball Arena.
05:51How about this?
05:52Most of these games listed today, quite frankly, a lot of the times at six and a half.
05:56Winnipeg and Dallas here, Hellebuck going up against Ottinger.
05:58This game actually is a five and a half total, but a heavy favorite towards the home team.
06:02The Dallas Stars at about a minus 170 to minus 175 price, depending on where you're shopping at.
06:08Maybe lower scoring between the Jets and the Stars.
06:11Yeah, I mean, neither goaltender, either Ottinger or Hellebuck, have been having great years this season.
06:19But certainly Dallas has enough firepower to overcome that.
06:23Winnipeg doesn't, unfortunately.
06:25They're hovering just under .500 there, Donnie.
06:27Yeah, but I mean, if these two guys, when they get together, this game's in Dallas.
06:32And it's usually first one to two or three wins this game.
06:36So, yeah, I wouldn't look at an over in that one either.
06:40Take a look at those Stanley Cup odds here for the 2025-2026 season.
06:45It's still the Colorado Avalanche as the heavy favorite at a plus 220 price,
06:48followed by the Lightning, Hurricanes, Vegas Golden Knights, Oilers, and those Florida Panthers at 14 to 1.
06:55Is it a runaway for the Avalanche, Joe, or is there any value behind the Avalanche in the NHL?
07:00Well, they are still the team to beat.
07:02But it feels like, Donnie, we've had this conversation about Colorado in years past that, yeah,
07:07they really were always the team to beat coming out of the West.
07:11But Edmonton, you couldn't sleep on them.
07:14It is stacked.
07:15Make no mistake about it.
07:16They just seem to be a cut above the rest.
07:18And so does Tampa on the other side, by the way.
07:21And you saw that again last night.
07:23So right now, it's Tampa and Colorado, and everyone else is just trying to play spoiler.
07:30Only a few more games until we have the Olympic break here, which I do think is interesting, Joe,
07:34and also from a handicapping perspective.
07:35Does it change at all for you as we get to that break where I know when I look at Major League Baseball,
07:41some of the worst times you can have is that Sunday before the All-Star break begins,
07:45and then that Thursday slash Friday when they get back.
07:48Do you change up any handicapping opinions here in the NHL before this break?
07:51Well, you know, you have some teams like, for instance, you know, my Panthers down here that have, you know,
07:58they're trying to weather the storm.
08:00But, you know, Donnie, let's face it.
08:02They're on the outside looking in right now if the season ended today.
08:05So they can ill afford some of these teams, especially in a very competitive division,
08:10and get some of these teams here that can't, you know, just take their foot off the gas and resume it after the Olympics.
08:17So, yeah, no, I think there are going to be some teams that are going to try to finish up this week.
08:23And Florida's got Buffalo, who's ahead of them, and Florida's got the Bruins coming up on Wednesday night,
08:30a game in which I'll be at there, Donnie, before they go to the break.
08:34Two games they need wins at.
08:36And once we get to that break here, Joe, let me sell you a little bit on a parlor that maybe you need to get behind.
08:41The U.S. men's team and the U.S. women's team, both to get gold medals.
08:46Looking at the handle right now, that'll pay you back, plus 448 on a U.S. sweep of the golds in hockey.
08:55Done. I'm in. Let's go. Let's do it, man.
08:58There's no point messing around. Let's get it done here.
09:00And, boy, would that not be outstanding when they're at the podium getting that gold, huh?
09:07I'll tell you what's great, too.
09:08Taking a look at Finland's Slovakia going to open this up.
09:1010.40 a.m. start. A lot of afternoon action.
09:13I see a 6.10 a.m. between France and Switzerland live right here on the Early Line.
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