NHL Hockey Free Pick: Nashville Predators vs San Jose Sharks
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Team records:
Nashville: 36-25-5
San Jose: 42-14-9
Tonight, 10:35 p.m. ET
Sportsbook odds: Predators +190, Sharks -230
The Nashville Predators and their suddenly precarious playoff position visit the second place overall San Jose Sharks on Thursday night. Nashville has been so-so since the Olympic break while for some reason, the Sharks have only played three games in the last week and a half.
The Nashville Predators have remained in the playoff hunt with no real star on their roster. Instead of one or two players dominating the offensive categories, the Preds have nine players with at least ten goals. Only one player on the team has 40+ points on the season (Martin Erat with 41 total points). Balance is the key to their success and judging by their seventh place standing in the Western Conference and the fact that they are eleven games over .500, things just seem to be going right in Nashville.
The goaltending duo of Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne has shared the netminding duties almost equally although neither has been a standout this season. Coach Barry Trotz has his team playing their typically complete game. They should be able to give the bully Sharks a good game despite their 3-7 record in their last 10 road games and the fact that they have a dismal 3-11 record against the Sharks in their last 14 meetings.
The San Jose Sharks are in a familiar spot in the Western Conference – at the top of the standings. The Sharks always seem to thrive during the regular season and stumble in the playoffs. Success this year will be determined only by their ability to go a long way in the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It is difficult to analyse a Sharks team that has only played three games in ten days, but it figures that the five members of the Sharks that participated in the Olympic Gold Medal game welcomed the break. The NHL’s fourth best offense has been clicking all season and there is no reason to think that they will slow down any time soon. The Sharks have five players with at least 40 points – quite a difference from the Preds who only have one.
The goaltending situation in San Jose is as solid and consistent as any in the NHL. There is no secret that Evgeni Nabokov is the man for the Sharks and it is well deserved. He is near the top of the league in wins, save percentage and games played. Nabokov is a huge reason why the Sharks have the insane record that they have. 
The San Jose Sharks should win this game but not as easily as some would think. There is bound to be a bit of a rust factor after four days off and Nashville tends to raise its game against tougher competition. I think that the Preds road woes continue as will San Jose’s recent dominance of Nashville.
NHL Betting Trends:
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of San Jose’s last 7 games
San Jose is 11-3 SU in its last 14 games when playing Nashville
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Jose’s last 7 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Nashville’s last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Nashville’s last 7 games on the road
Nashville is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Nashville is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games on the road
San Jose is 13-2 SU in its last 15 games when playing at home against Nashville
Pick: San Jose Sharks
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