Looking for value on a Saturday card? Of course we all know about the College Football card as that’s where most bettors turn at this time of year. However, those that are looking to pad their bankrolls with even more profits realize that value can be had on a deep Saturday card of NHL action. With 12 games to choose from on a Saturday that promises to be full of “Puck bucks” let’s take a look at four potential “investment opportunities” as, with 24 NHL teams in action Saturday, there are certainly some intriguing match-ups that have our attention!

OTTAWA @ TAMPA BAY – Sometimes it doesn’t take much to suddenly spark a club and then everyone simply starts playing better. That is the case with the Ottawa Senators! After a frustrating start to the season, the Sens used a big 5-2 win at Buffalo coupled with a goalie switch to Alex Auld to trigger some positive momentum for this club.

Daniel Alfredsson was signed to a four-year contract extension and, suddenly, every one is quite upbeat in Ottawa. After beating the Sabres on Monday, the Senators knocked off the Panthers 2-1 in Florida on Thursday. They want to wrap up their four game road trip with a solid 3-1 mark so there is little doubt that they will bring their “A game” against the Lightning on Saturday. Goalie Mike Smith has taken over the #1 job in net for Tampa Bay and he’s been stellar so far this season. However, he’ll be facing a very strong Senators offense that is starting to click on all cylinders! Tampa Bay’s defense is still a big question mark and it’s a big part of the reason the Lightning allow an average of 37 shots on goal per game!

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Against a highly skilled team like the Senators, some of those shots are going to find the back of the net and the Sens could be worth a look Saturday!

MINNESOTA @ PHOENIX – This will be Minnesota’s 6th game in ten days and, after playing at home Monday, they flew down to Dallas for a Wednesday game, came back up north to face Montreal on Thursday, and they now head south and west to take on the Coyotes in Phoenix on Saturday. Not a favorable schedule at all and, after making headlines this season by being the last team without a regulation loss, the weaknesses are becoming apparent for Minnesota. The Wild have now lost three of their last five games (one was an overtime loss) and Minnesota has averaged just two goals per game in their last six games. The Wild will be facing a Phoenix team that is 3-1 at home this season where they’ve outscored the opposition by a combined 9-3 in the three wins.

The Coyotes got a strong start from goalie Ilya Bryzgalov in Thursday’s win over Pittsburgh and Mikael Tellqvist has good numbers so far in his two starts this season. Phoenix just might be turning the corner and we feel they’re catching the Wild in a tough scheduling spot. While Minnesota is playing their 6th game in ten days, the Coyotes, coming into Saturday, will have played just one game (the win over Pittsburgh) since LAST Saturday! Coyotes might offer us some line value on Saturday!

CHICAGO @ COLUMBUS – The Blackhawks certainly have responded well despite the turmoil with the coaching change so early in the season. A loss on Monday but a stop to their six game points streak but the club has a chance to get back on track this weekend. A Friday game hosting the Stars will drop the puck on the weekend for Chicago but that could make this a tough spot here for the Hawks. It will be the second night of a back to back situation for Chicago and the Blue Jackets are bringing some momentum home with them after their 4-2 win at Colorado on Thursday! Columbus is just 4-6 on the season but part of the problem has been a schedule dominated by road games so far.

The Blue Jackets are 2-2 in their home games this season and they were 20-14-7 at home last season. Although it is likely to still be Fredrik Norrena in goal for the Jackets on Saturday, he is coming off of a strong performance against the Avalanche on Thursday. While Pascal Leclaire is still trying to recover from his ankle injury, Norrena was much stronger on home ice than on the road last season and he played well in his only home start this season (against the Ducks). That is also the game that motivates the Blue Jackets here as that was their last home game and they blew a late lead in losing to Anaheim that night (on Monday). The Jackets were 2-1 on home ice before that loss and they’re catching the Blackhawks at the right time to add another home win to the ledger.

PITTSBURGH @ ST LOUIS – After playing in Phoenix on Thursday night, the struggling Penguins did not arrive into St Louis until just before dawn on Friday morning. As a result, they canceled their practice for Friday which means all they’ll have on the ice before Saturday’s game is the pregame skate. The extent of Sidney Crosby’s injury is unknown at this time but this team has other issues too!

They have been hurt badly by players that were let go after last season as well as returning players who have been on the injury list early this season. The Penguins simply don’t come close to resembling the team that played in the Stanley Cup Finals last season. Also, it’s quickly going from bad to worse as they’ve already lost the first three games of this four game road trip. Facing the Blues won’t help! When new management came on board in St Louis they immediately spoke of the importance of winning at home and the Blues were 20-15-6 on home ice last season. However, they have lost three of their last four home games and two of the three losses have come by a single goal. Despite the injury situation in goal for the Blues they have received two straight rock solid performances between the pipes as St Louis has allowed a total of just 1 goal in their last 2 games!

The Penguins were outshot by a margin of 38 shots on goal in the first two games of this road trip. Even though the shots evened out for Pittsburgh in Phoenix on Thursday, the end result was still a 4-1 loss. It is unlikely things will improve for the Pens before they get back home. In other words, consider the Blues on home ice Saturday.

Depending on the number we get there could be good value with St Louis.