Premium NHL Picks: December 9th

We have two picks tonight:

Minnesota Wild @ Phoenix Coyotes:

At Jobing.com Arena, Phoenix Coyotes who are 13-7-6 will host the Minnesota Wild (11-11-4). This will be the second meeting of the season between these teams. 8 days ago, Coyotes went to Minnesota and beat the Wild 4-2. It was the third consecutive win for the Coyotes in Minnesota.

Coyotes are 5-0 against the Minnesota Wild in last 5 matches. 

Coyotes are also 9-3 SU in its last 12 games. They have been a better team on road this season going 8-4-2 while they are only 5-3-4 on home ice. However they have been better as of late, going 2-1-1 on home ice and 5-1-0 on road in last 10 games.

They have a healthy team which is a big advantage these days while the other teams are dealing with several injuries, like the Minnesota Wild. Wild are still without defenseman Brent Burns, goaltender Harding, forwards Sheppard and Latendresse as well as Clayton Stoner.

Wild are 2-5 on road in last 7 matches.

According to the latest reports we will see Bryzgalov in net for the home team while Backstrom will make another start for the visiting Wild.

Wild have dropped all of their last five games. Coyotes have been alternating wins and losses but they were perfect it Honda Center against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday beating them 3-0. 

Coyotes have also been very good in penalty killing going 10/10 in last three games. Considering the injuries, recent form for the Minnesota Wild, I will go with the Coyotes tonight. 

PICK: PHOENIX COYOTES TO WIN [moneyline]

3 units @ 1.66 [betus.com]

San Jose Sharks @ Buffalo Sabres:

Just when we thought the Flyers would get away after Hartnell's goal in third period which put the home side 4-1 against the Sharks, they started come back. 3 goals in no time for the Sharks took the game into overtime and after Briere's disallowed last second goal in overtime, Sharks beat the Flyers in shoot outs.

Sharks have had big problems handling the Sabres in recent games. They are 1-10 against the Buffalo Sabres in last 11 games.

This will be their second match in a row in as many nights, while Buffalo played on Tuesday for the last time so they will be well rested. Sabres had a pretty good game against the Bruins but big defensive mistakes costed them one point as Bruins tied the game late in third period and won it in overtime despite Ryan Miller's 33 saves.

Miller will be in goal for the Sabres tonight while we see Nittymaki making his second start in two days. Nitty made 31 saves last night and helped the Sharks come back from a 4-1 deficit. He also stopped Danny Briere's well taken shoot out attempt and was pretty good all night long.

When Sharks visited the Sabres last season in Buffalo, Sabres had won 3-1. They are 4-2 SU in last 6 matches against the Sharks on home ice. 

Setoguchi and Huskins are out for the Sharks while the Sabres are without Rob Niedermayer. Stafford, Morrison and Connolly are all listed as day to day. 

I like the UNDER in this one. Miller has allowed only 3 goals in last 3 matches and Sabres have scored only 9 goals in last 4 matches at HSBC Arena.

PICK; UNDER 5,5 GOALS

2 units @ 1.78 [betus.com]

Outcome: