The set-up: It's the start of the season, so I mainly base my picks on the overall "situation." I think this is a great spot to pull the trigger on the hungry home side on the "puck line." Boston plays the second game of a back-to-back here after contending with the defending champs on Opening Night.

The pick: The Sabres were bad last year, but they made significant improvement over the previous season. The team should once again make strides this year as well. Buffalo was much better at home than on the road and in a contest which I envision ending late or even in extra time, I'm going to recommend the home team.