It's the best of the West, with the top-seeded San Jose Sharks facing the second-seeded Chicago Blackhawks as Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals faces-off today, Sunday May 16. NHL oddsmakers at BODOG.com have the Sharks as -125 moneyline home favorites over the Blackhawks (+105) with the over/under set at 5.5 goals. Be sure to get your 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Chicago Blackhawks vs San Jose Sharks Game 1 Odds & Prediction in now at BODOG.com
The Blackhawks went 3-1-0 against the Sharks in the regular season, but two of those wins came in overtime. Goalie Cristobal Huet, the backup to playoff No.1 goaltender Antti Niemi, started all four regular-season games against the Sharks. Niemi is playing lights out right now; with a 8-4 record a 2.57 GAA and two shutouts. The Blackhawks were eliminated in five games from last season's Western Conference Finals by the Detroit Red Wings, but captain Jonathan Toews feels the team learned how to win by losing last year. "The No. 1 thing is you look at the way we played, won those games, won those first two series in the playoffs against Calgary and then Vancouver," Toews said of last year's playoffs. "It just seemed like no matter how many mistakes we made, we still found ways to win games. Especially against Vancouver, we gave up a lot of leads. I think we were down, if I can remember correctly, 2-1 in that series. We somehow just kept coming back. "Against a team like Detroit or San Jose, that's not going to fly. You got to correct a lot of those little things." Chicago captain Jonathan Toews had a monster second-round series against the Canucks. In six games, he posted 4 goals and 8 assists. To put that in perspective, his 12 points in just that series are more than every San Jose Shark has this entire postseason except Joe Pavelski.
The Sharks and Blackhawks finished third and fourth in the League, respectively, in goals scored. The biggest obstacle facing the Sharks right now is rust. They haven't played since eliminating the Red Wings on May 8. Chicago has been off since eliminating Vancouver on Tuesday. The last time the Sharks reached the West Finals was in 2004, and only Patrick Marleau and Evgeni Nabokov remain from that team."I think the biggest change from then to now is the rule changes, if you can remember those playoffs," Marleau said. "They were pretty physical, a lot of hooking, holding. "But I think over the years, now you appreciate how long it does take to get there and how hard it is to get there. You have to take advantage of the opportunity when it presents itself, being this year. According to Joe Thornton, there's only one way the Sharks' season will be considered a success."Ever since I've been here, it's Cup or bust," Thornton said. "We realize the expectations out here are probably higher than any city in the Western Conference. We set our sights high in the pre-season to get in the playoffs and then do some damage."I think we're finally at that point where we're feeling good. We're feeling comfortable with our team , how we play. But you got to win the Cup or you bust." Thornton has a six-game points streak in which he has 3 goals and 6 assists.
Recent Trends to Consider:
- Over is 5-1-2 in the last 8 meetings in San Jose.
- Over is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
- Blackhawks are 5-1 in the last 6 meetings.
- Favorite is 15-4 in the last 19 meetings.
- Blackhawks are 4-11-3 in the last 18 meetings in San Jose.
Chicago Blackhawks vs San Jose Sharks
When: Sunday May 16, 2010 3:00 PM ET
Line: BODOG.com
Pick: Sharks -125
Point-Spreads.com 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Chicago Blackhawks vs San Jose Sharks Game 1 Odds & Predictions
The Bottom Line: Sharks are going to eat the Hawks. Be sure to get your 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Chicago Blackhawks vs San Jose Sharks Game 1 Odds & Predictions in now at BODOG.com and receive a 10% Deposit Bonus and start winning today!
