Flames at Blue Jackets Analyst Picks 12-27 Flames at Blue Jackets Analyst Picks 12-27 By Bart Lopez If you didn't get an AccuScore membership for Christmas, sign up for an ALL-ACCESS membership. In addition to hockey forecasts, picks, and information on every NHL game, you will also get game previews and analysis for every college basketball, college football, soccer, and NFL game. The short Christmas break has passed and it’s good to have the NHL back. It will be interesting to see if any of the underperforming teams (cough Capitals cough) are able to turn things around, but it looks doubtful. The Caps got handled by an injury ridden Buffalos team last night, losing 4-2. Ovechkin netted a power play goal in the third period, but it was too little too late. Before I get to my picks for tonight I have to address this concussion issue. The game is faster than ever, in part due to rule adjustments and the ever increasing athleticism of the players. This issue has been talked about for a while now, but only recently has it hit me how big a deal it is. Every roster has at least one player out with a concussion, and those that return aren’t staying on the ice for long. Sidney Crosby is still out and who knows when he’ll be back. It’s a fascinating topic that I’d love to discuss, so feel free to tweet me @thebartlopez with your thoughts. There are seven games tonight and too many hot trends to count. I’ve posted a couple more picks, which are only available to members. If you’re already a member, sign in now. If not, sign up for our ALL-ACCESS membership ASAP. Calgary Flames at Columbus Blue Jackets: Follow me on Twitter @thebartlopez. Visit NHL Expert Picks to see AccuScore's expert picks for all of tonight's games.
