Top NHL picks January 9: Back the Bruins and fade the Penguins

The NHL has a busy Sunday with eight games. Back the Bruins and fade the Penguins.

The Boston Bruins are the favorite to beat the Anaheim Ducks. Arizona Coyotes hold value against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Alex Ovechkin is a chance to score his career goal No. 810.

Bruins are the best team in the NHL this season. They have an 11-point Atlantic Division lead over the second-placed Toronto Maple Leafs. Anaheim is on a two-game winning streak. The Ducks have the worst goal differential in NHL. Boston has the league's best goal difference (plus-63).

Coyotes are betting on Arizona to win or tie in regulation. The Penguins have lost six-straight games and are without Kris Letang and Tristan Jarry. Casey DeSmith will be in the net for Pittsburgh. De Smith has lost four straight starts and his GAA and SV% are poor. Arizona is 7-3-2 at home this season.

Wayne Gretzky and the Penguins are the underdogs. Ovechkin has scored in four of his past five games and his 29 goals are tied for third in the NHL. The Blue Jackets played last night and scraped out a 4-3 overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes.