NHL Hockey Free Predictions: San Jose Sharks vs Calgary Flames
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Team Records:
San Jose: 48-20-11
Calgary: 40-30-9
Tonight, 9:35p.m. ET
Sportsbook odds: Sharks +110, Flames -130, O/U 5.5
The Calgary Flames are a desperate hockey club that’s for sure. The Flames basically need to win all of their remaining games and hope that the Colorado Avalanche lose a few along the way. Both the Flames and the San Jose Sharks have something to play for in this game. For the Sharks, a win would clinch them the Pacific Division and create a bit more space between them and the Chicago Blackhawks for the number one seed in the Western Conference and for the Flames, they are playing for their playoff lives.
The San Jose Sharks appear to have shaken their post-Olympic funk having won five of their last seven games. The Sharks will wrap up their last long road trip of the season against the Flames having gone 1-1-1 during their trip. They remain two points up on a surging Chicago team that has a game in hand and currently owns the tiebreaker over them.
San Jose will be looking to regain their swagger in their final five games and to ultimately end a disappointing playoff era for the Sharks.
For the Sharks, Tuesday’s game plan will be easy. On the road, their goal will be to jump out to an early lead, silence the crowd and squash any flicker of hope that the Flames have. Joe Thornton’s return from a three game absence should help immensely in the faceoff circle and on the score sheet. Dan Boyle has stepped up his offensive game lately and has chipped in two goals and six assists in his last six games while Dany Healey showed a flash of his former self with two points in his last game.
The question mark, like on so many of the playoff teams is goaltending – the Sharks have given up fourteen goals in their last four games.
The Calgary Flames are on life support and have the daunting task of defeating the NHL’s third ranked offense with their own 27th ranked offense. Sunday’s loss to Chicago coupled with Colorado’s win over San Jose has really put the team behind the eight ball and a loss on Tuesday could officially eliminate them from playoff contention. Simply put, the Calgary Flames need help.
The Flames showed signs of life last week, winning three straight games before losing on Sunday to the Hawks. The streak gave the team some hope. The Flames surge last week was largely thanks to goaltender Mikka Kiprusoff who went 3-0 with a 1.67 goals against average. It is not thanks to their best player, Jarome Iginla who is pointless in his last three games and who has only one goal in his last thirteen.
If the Flames are forced to rely on players like Rene Bourque and Mikael Backlund for offense, there is not much hope for the squad.
The San Jose Sharks are 2-8 in their last 10 road games and the home team is 7-3 in the last 10 games in the series.
All signs point to a Calgary win- right?
Wrong – the Flames are bleeding and we all know what happens when a Shark senses blood.
NHL Betting Trends:
San Jose is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
San Jose is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Calgary
The total has gone UNDER in 18 of Calgary’s last 21 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Jose’s last 6 games on the road
Calgary is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Calgary’s last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Jose’s last 5 games
Calgary is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against San Jose
Sharks vs. Flames Free NHL Pick: San Jose Sharks
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