Sunday's Best NHL Bet
Chicago Blackhawks at San Jose Sharks (-124, 5.5)
These two teams come in with a completely different playoff history over the last half decade. The Sharks have been among the elite in the regular season but have routinely disappointed in the postseason.
The Blackhawks, on the other hand, are playing in their second straight West final with a budding young nucleus.
So while Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau battle the ghosts of playoff past, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are overflowing with confidence. Bettors shouldn’t expect any type of playoff jitters from Chicago in Game 1.
Goaltending isn’t a team strength but Chicago possesses enough offensive firepower to carry over any rough patches Antti Niemi might have.
Pick: Over
What Bettors Need To Know: Blackhawks at Sharks
By JON KUIPERIJ
The Sharks and Blackhawks will finally open the Western Conference final Sunday afternoon in a showdown series between the conference's top two seeds.
Top-ranked San Jose hasn't played in more than a week after dumping the Red Wings in five games last round. The Blackhawks enter the Western final with five days of rest, following a 4-2 series victory over the Canucks in Round 2.
Chicago got the better of the Sharks during the regular season, taking three of four meetings. The Blackhawks blasted San Jose 7-2 on Nov. 25, but the other three contests were decided by one goal - two of those games needed overtime to decide.
Over the hump?
The Sharks appear on the verge of putting their past playoff failures behind them.
Despite finishing first or second in the Pacific Division each of the past six seasons, this is only San Jose's second trip to the Western finals.
“They’re playing the same way they did all year,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said.
“They had some disappointments in the playoffs the last few years, but they’ve met that challenge. They beat a very good team in Detroit; you have to do a lot of good things to get by them."
Chicago is seeking its first trip to the Cup final since 1992.
New Niemi territory
Sunday's game will be Chicago goalie Antti Niemi's first ever at HP Pavilion Arena after Christobal Huet started all four regular-season games against the Sharks.
Niemi hasn't had a chance to practice at the rink either because of concerts and the afternoon start time of Sunday's contest.
"First games are different because you don't know their place as well," Niemi told the media.
It might not matter. Niemi has posted a 2.57 goals-against average and .909 save percentage so far in the playoffs.
No ordinary Joes
The emergence of one Joe and the resurgence of another has the Sharks' offense clicking these days.
Joe Pavelski has been one of the big individual surprises of the postseason, leading San Jose in scoring with nine goals and six assists in 11 playoff games. Meanwhile, Joe Thornton - feeling the heat after disappearing acts in past playoffs - is coming off an eight-point series against the Red Wings and has a six-game point streak.
"They said blow up this team, but look where we are," Thornton said after the series win over Detroit.
Toews not fazed
Playoff pressure doesn't bother young Chicago star Jonathan Toews.
The center, who recently turned 22, leads all scorers in the postseason with 20 points in 12 games. That gives him 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) in 29 career playoff games, the best point-per-game ratio (1.14) in Blackhawks history.
He's also getting plenty of help. Teammates Patrick Kane and Patrick Sharp are also averaging better than a point per game, while Marian Hossa has 10 points in 12 games.
Special teams
The Blackhawks' penalty-killing was third in the regular season (85.3 percent) and is second in the playoffs (88.7). Chicago is also a threat to score while playing a man down, leading the league with 13 shorthanded goals during the regular season and adding three more in the playoffs. The Hawks' power play has operated at a 21.6 percent clip.
The Sharks' power play has been the worst of the four teams remaining in the playoffs with only a 19.3 success rate.
Trends
- The Blackhawks haven't enjoyed their recent trips to San Jose, going 4-11-3 in their last 18 games at the Shark Tank.
- The favorite is 15-4 in the past 19 meetings between these clubs.
- The over has cashed five of the last six times these teams have met, and is 5-1-2 in the last eight at San Jose.
- The Sharks are on over runs of 5-1 overall, 5-0 when coming off a win, 6-1 on three days' or more rest, and 8-1 on Sundays.
- The over is also 27-7-2 in Chicago's last 36 games following a win, 21-8-3 in their last 32 road games and 5-1-2 in their last eight overall.
CHICAGO (60-26-0-8, 128 pts.) at SAN JOSE (59-22-0-12, 130 pts.)
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 4-7 ATS (-9.7 Units) when playing with 3 or more days rest this season.
SAN JOSE is 35-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CHICAGO is 125-128 ATS (+281.4 Units) in a road game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
CHICAGO is 55-27 ATS (+18.5 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
CHICAGO is 33-16 ATS (+8.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CHICAGO is 12-4 ATS (+7.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
SAN JOSE is 8-12 ATS (-18.7 Units) in home games when playing with 3 or more days rest over the last 3 seasons.
SAN JOSE is 6-13 ATS (+6.0 Units) in home games revenging a home loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
Head-to-Head Series History
SAN JOSE is 7-5 (+0.6 Units) against the spread versus CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
SAN JOSE is 7-5-0 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+3.0 Units)
MONTREAL (47-38-0-11, 105 pts.) at PHILADELPHIA (49-38-0-7, 105 pts.)
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.
Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 10-7 (+1.7 Units) against the spread versus PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 10-7-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
10 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.4 Units)
CHICAGO vs. SAN JOSE
Chicago is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing San Jose
Chicago is 4-11-3 SU in its last 18 games ,when playing on the road against San Jose
San Jose is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games when playing Chicago
San Jose is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Chicago
MONTREAL vs. PHILADELPHIA
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games on the road
Montreal is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
Philadelphia is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
Philadelphia is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Montreal
Western Conference Finals Game One
CHICAGO at SAN JOSE
CHICAGO: 7-2 SU as an underdog
SAN JOSE: 6-13 SU at home revenging a home loss
Eastern Conference Finals Game One
MONTREAL at PHILADELPHIA
MONTREAL: 11-5 SU off BB Overs
PHILADELPHIA: 6-15 SU revenging a home loss