Vancouver Canucks at San Jose Sharks Betting Odds
Opening Moneyline: Canucks +125 / Sharks -145 O/U 5.5 goals
Time: 10 PM EST Saturday March 27, 2010 on CBC
Tonight in a Western Conference match up that will likely see a lot of offensive fireworks the San Jose Sharks host the Vancouver Canucks. Both of these teams are in the top 4 in the NHL in scoring, but each also has a solid defense.
The Sharks currently lead the West with a 1 points lead over Chicago and Vancouver is in 3rd place 6 points behind San Jose. Once again the Sharks will make the post-season as a high seed, but can they win in the playoffs? They have been a high seed for the last few years in the playoffs, but have flamed out in early rounds.
The Sharks have recently snapped out of their slump, as they have won 2 in a row even though they are only 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. The Canucks are coming off a win and are a solid 6-2-2 in their last 10 games.
This season San Jose is 23-6-8 at home and Vancouver is 18-17-2 on the road.
In their last games the Canucks beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 on Wednesday night and the Sharks beat the Dallas Stars 3-0 on Thursday night.
These two teams have split the 2 games they have played this season.
The Sharks' defense has to key on the first line of the Canucks of the Sedin twins and Alex Burrows. Henrik Sedin leads Vancouver in assists (71) and points (99) and Burrows leads the team in goals (33).
The Sedin twins have been held without a point in the 2 games against the Sharks this season.
Vancouver ranks 2nd in the league in scoring (3.23 goals per game), but will be facing goalie Evgeni Nabokov (39 wins 2.39 GAA save percentage 92.2%), who has owned them recently. Before the Sharks lost to the Canucks almost 2 weeks ago Nabokov was 7-0 with a 1.28 GAA in 7 starts and he is 4-0 with a 0.99 GAA in his last4 starts at home against Vancouver.
Vancouver G Roberto Luongo (37 wins 2.48 GAA save percentage 91.5%) will be facing a Sharks' offense that ranks 4th in the league in scoring. He is 2-4-1 with a 2.71 GAA in his last 7 starts against San Jose.
San Jose's first line includes Patrick Marleau, who ranks 4th in the league in goals (41), and Dany Heatley, who ranks 6th (38).
Betting Trends
San Jose is 2-6 in their last 8 games and has an Under record of 4-1 in their last 5 home games.
Vancouver is 1-6 in their last 7 road games against teams with a home winning percentage of greater than 60% and has an Over record of 8-1 in their last 9 road games.
In 5 of the last 7 meetings between these 2 teams the total has gone Under.
Our Selection : Tough to pick a side with these 2 evenly matched teams, both have great offense talent, to go along with 2 of the elite goaltenders in the league. We think a play on the total is the way to go in this game. Evgeni Nabokov who has owned the Canucks before the Sharks lost to the Canucks 2 weeks ago. Nabokov was 7-0 with a 1.28 GAA in 7 starts and he is 4-0 with a 0.99 GAA in his last 4 starts at home against Vancouver. In 5 of the last 7 games between these 2 the total has gone Under and the Sharks have gone under in 4 of last 5 at home. Roberto Luongo always seems to raise his game when facing the leagues top teams. 5Dimes have posted the total at 5.5 and we feel the under is the play here, with these 2 top goalies stealing the show. Take under 5.5 goals.
Future Betting Odds
NHL Handicapping
Tampa Bay Lightning at Boston Bruins 5-17
The Boston Bruins need to play much better in game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bruins lost the opener 5-2 at home and can ill-afford to fall behind 2-0 to Lightning. Tampa Bay are on quite a roll, winning their last eight in a row in the playoffs. The oddsmaker at Bodog have the Bruins as a -145 favorite to even-up the series.