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2010 Stanley Cup Playoff Picks – Blackhawks vs. Sharks

The Round 3 Seven game Conference Final series between the #2 seed Chicago Blackhawks vs #1 seed San Jose Sharks opens this week, here’s the odds and our prediction for the series.

NHL Playoff Betting: Blackhawks vs Sharks Series Preview & Pick

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Schedule.

TBA This week

Blackhawks vs Sharks Odds To Win 7 Game Series: NHL CONFERENCE FINAL SERIES PRICES BEST OF SEVEN 2-2-1-1-1

3111 BLACKHAWKS SERIES EVEN
3112 SHARKS SERIES -120

Everything is upside down in the Eastern Conference, where two low seeds will soon fight for a Stanley Cup final berth. But everything is right as rain in the West, where the top two seeds will clash in the conference final.

We couldn’t have hoped for a better matchup than the Hawks and Sharks. Is it Chicago’s time or will San Jose finally reach the Cup final?

(2) CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VS (1) SAN JOSE SHARKS

If San Jose can finally go all the way, the second round of these playoffs, in which the Sharks conquered their nemesis Detroit Red Wings, will have a special theme.

It will be known as the moment the sleeping giants finally awoke.
I’m not talking about the Sharks as a whole; I’m talking about the big line of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley. It’s almost as if the stellar play of secondary scorers like Joe Pavelski took the pressure off the Sharks’ superstars.

The tension disappeared, they loosened up and we saw something I never thought we’d see: Joe Thornton scoring in a playoff game.

I said earlier that the winner of the Chicago/Vancouver series would take the Stanley Cup. I still stand by that but the path will be extremely difficult for Chicago.

Let’s compare the Sharks with Vancouver. Like the Canucks, the Sharks can roll two effective scoring lines virtually every night, flashing tremendous depth.

Chicago’s shutdown tandem of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook handled the Sedins for the most part but San Jose may actually offer a tougher challenge for them. The Sharks have more size on the wings than Vancouver did and will probably batter and bruise the Hawks’ blueline more. A pity anyone who tries to check Ryan Clowe.

I thus see San Jose pushing Chicago harder – to a Game 7 – but I still see the Hawks as having the slight edge on paper.

San Jose has plenty of talented defensemen but, arguably, doesn’t have a complete defenseman. Dan Boyle is a great puck mover and positional player but he isn’t a physical guy; Doug Murray can bang but lacks offensive flare.

The Canucks had the same problem; in other words, they didn’t have a Keith or Seabrook. Sports Betting at Sportsbook.com

Since the Sharks don’t have a 30-minute-a-game shutdown guy, I see them struggling to contain Chicago’s stable of big, strong, well-rounded forwards.

Jonathan Toews has been the playoff monster everyone knew he’d be; it’s no coincindence that he became a captain at such a young age. Dustin Byfuglien has emerged as the playoffs’ top agitator; Patrick Sharp is a great skater who keeps scoring at clutch moments; Patrick Kane’s speed and hands are always tough to contain; Marian Hossa is strong on the puck and plays an underrated defensive game too.

Goaltending looks to be a wash in this series, as both Evgeni Nabokov and Anti Niemi have good nights and bad nights and neither guy has stolen nor cost his team a game in these playoffs. I therefore see defense as the difference maker in this series.

It was nice to see the Thornton line evolve, but let’s see how they handle a steady diet of Keith and Seabrook.

And I’m not convinced the Sharks “D” can handle Chicago’s offense.

Every line is a threat to score.

Prediction: Blackhawks in Seven

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