NHL Hockey Free Predictions: Red Wings vs Sharks – Game One
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Team Records:
Detroit: 44-24-14
San Jose: 51-20-11
Series Is Tied 0-0
Sportsbook odds:
Detroit Red Wings: +1½ (-260), ML: +120
San Jose Sharks: -1½ (+220), ML: -140
Total: 5.5
Red Wings vs. Sharks Preview
How’d you folks like my pick yesterday with Montreal over Washington? You’re welcome!
The first of the marquee Western Conference semi-final series’ begins on Thursday night with the Detroit Red Wings visiting the San Jose Sharks in the first game of what promises to be an outstanding series.
The Red Wings won three of the four regular season meetings and were largely able to neutralize San Jose in those games.
The Detroit Red Wings were obviously hoping for an easier first round series but despite a tough seven game series, the Wings were afforded the luxury of resting a few of their top players toward the end of Game 7.
Round 1 of the playoffs was a great tune-up for their second round series with the much tougher San Jose Sharks.
The best players for the Wings stepped up and rekindled the fear that the rest of the Western Conference has toward Detroit. Henrik Zetterberg was dominant; Pavel Datsuyk, Valtteri Filppula and Johan Franzen were all terrific offensively for the Wings. Detroit has two potent lines clicking heading into the Semi-finals.
The big question that will be answered right away in Game 1 is whether or not the goaltending will hold up.
Jimmy Howard looked terrific at times but looked unspectacular at others. He had a 2.59 goals against average and a .919 save percentage in Round 1.
For San Jose, they are a rested team that can take some solace in their first round series win despite poor play from their top line.
Thornton, Marleau and Heatley combined for only one goal and nine assists in the six games and were an awful -7 in the series. Thank goodness for Ryan Clowe and Joe Pavelski who each tallied eight points and for linemate Devin Setoguchi who was a clutch as any playoff performer so far.
Evgeni Nabokov was good. He had a 1.76 goals against average and a .926 save percentage against Colorado and looked the part of a goaltender that could hoist the Cup. The defense otherwise looked good.
Now you know what made both teams successful in their first round series’.
Now for Game 1.
The Detroit Red Wings finished their series only 48 short hours ago.
Fatigue is bound to enter into the equation. Ya, they are hot but the San Jose Sharks are a completely different fish than the Coyotes.
It will probably take the Wings a game to adjust to the speed, the size and the overall talent level of the Sharks.
The Sharks have been dominant all playoffs long. If it weren’t for the heroics of Colorado goaltender Craig Anderson, the Sharks would have wrapped up their series in four or five games.
The Sharks were the third best team in the NHL at home during the regular season.
Expect an amped crowd to bolster an already potent Sharks attack.
It is going to be a long series and for the Wings, it could be a long Game 1.
NHL Betting Trends:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit’s last 6 games when playing on the road against San Jose
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Jose
Detroit is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit’s last 5 games when playing San Jose
San Jose is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Jose’s last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit
San Jose is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Jose’s last 5 games when playing Detroit
Pick: San Jose Sharks
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