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Blues vs Sharks NHL betting picks and predictions: San Jose a good bet to take big bite out of Blues in Game 1
Monty Andrews
Sharks have scored double-digit goals in all three periods this postseason and are averaging a whopping 3.88 goals at home in the playoffs.
It wasn't easy for either team, but you won't hear the St. Louis Blues or San Jose Sharks complain as they prepare for Game 1 of the Western Conference final Saturday night at HP Center. The host Sharks needed seven games to dispatch the Colorado Avalanche, prevailing 3-2 in a thrilling Game 7 at home. The St. Louis Blues had an even more dramatic time of it, with Patrick Maroon's goal in double-overtime lifting the Blues past the Dallas Stars.
San Jose comes in as a -125 favorite to advance to the Stanley Cup final, but it won't be easy against a Blues side (+105) that has routinely saved its best for last.We break the best ways to wager Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.
ST. LOUIS BLUES AT SAN JOSE SHARKS (-130, 5.5)
Series Price: Blues +120/Sharks -175
QUICK-HITTER
It was true in the regular season, and it remains a fact in the Stanley Cup playoffs: The San Jose Sharks are one dangerous team in the opening period. The Sharks scored a league-best 102 first-period goals during the season, and their 14 goals in the first 20 minutes of their 14 playoff games sits tied with the Stars for the most in the league. And while San Jose's defense hasn't been nearly as successful, the team is still plus-3 for the postseason while the Blues, who allowed just 58 first-period goals during the season, are a minus-4. Give us the home team to own a lead after the opening stanza of Game 1.
PREDICTION: Sharks -0.5 first-period line (+170)
PERIOD BET
Here are some numbers for you: 23, 17, 34. It's not the combination to our gym locker (though it's probably the combination to someone's gym locker), but rather, the total goals scored by these two teams by period. Notice the outlier? The Blues and Sharks rank 1-2 in third-period goals through the first two rounds of the postseason, while the Sharks have been equally porous on the defensive end with a league-high 16 third-period goals allowed. Once they get past the nerves, expect both teams to bring the scoring chances as the game goes on; we like the third as the highest-scoring period.
PREDICTION: Highest scoring period - Period 3 (+225)
TEAM/PLAYER BET
It's no surprise that Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture have identical odds to score in Game 1; after all, they've had a nearly dead-even postseason so far in terms of offensive production. Both players have nine goals and five assists, and both skaters scored six goals against Vegas in the opening round and three more against Colorado in Round 2. So why are we leaning toward Hertl over Couture? Hertl scored eight more regular-season goals in four fewer games, has eight more shots than Couture in the playoffs, and has scored eight of his nine goals at home. We're leaning toward the Czech dynamo to convert Saturday.
PREDICTION: Tomas Hertl anytime goal (+135)
FULL-GAME TOTAL
After opening their postseason run against two teams who liked to play an up-tempo game, the Sharks will face a very different opponent in the Blues, who have seen five or fewer goals scored in eight of their 13 postseason contests. The teams have also trended toward the under, with each of their previous five games producing five or fewer total goals. We expect things to tighten up as this series moves along, but with the Sharks looking to make a statement and the Blues averaging an impressive 3.17 goals on the road, there could be a little money to be made with the O5.5.
PREDICTION: Over 5.5 (+110)
FULL-GAME SIDE
The Blues were able to overcome early- and mid-game offensive shortcomings in the first two rounds of the postseason by being so prolific in the final period – but that strategy likely won't work against the host Sharks, who have scored double-digit goals in all three periods and are averaging a whopping 3.88 goals at home in the playoffs. It's also notable that the home team has won each of the past five head-to-head meetings between the teams, with three of those contests decided by multiple goals. Neither team has a rest edge, so we're rolling with home-ice advantage here; take the Sharks -1.5 for a nicer payout.
PREDICTION: Sharks -1.5 (+210)
Monty Andrews
Sharks have scored double-digit goals in all three periods this postseason and are averaging a whopping 3.88 goals at home in the playoffs.
It wasn't easy for either team, but you won't hear the St. Louis Blues or San Jose Sharks complain as they prepare for Game 1 of the Western Conference final Saturday night at HP Center. The host Sharks needed seven games to dispatch the Colorado Avalanche, prevailing 3-2 in a thrilling Game 7 at home. The St. Louis Blues had an even more dramatic time of it, with Patrick Maroon's goal in double-overtime lifting the Blues past the Dallas Stars.
San Jose comes in as a -125 favorite to advance to the Stanley Cup final, but it won't be easy against a Blues side (+105) that has routinely saved its best for last.We break the best ways to wager Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.
ST. LOUIS BLUES AT SAN JOSE SHARKS (-130, 5.5)
Series Price: Blues +120/Sharks -175
QUICK-HITTER
It was true in the regular season, and it remains a fact in the Stanley Cup playoffs: The San Jose Sharks are one dangerous team in the opening period. The Sharks scored a league-best 102 first-period goals during the season, and their 14 goals in the first 20 minutes of their 14 playoff games sits tied with the Stars for the most in the league. And while San Jose's defense hasn't been nearly as successful, the team is still plus-3 for the postseason while the Blues, who allowed just 58 first-period goals during the season, are a minus-4. Give us the home team to own a lead after the opening stanza of Game 1.
PREDICTION: Sharks -0.5 first-period line (+170)
PERIOD BET
Here are some numbers for you: 23, 17, 34. It's not the combination to our gym locker (though it's probably the combination to someone's gym locker), but rather, the total goals scored by these two teams by period. Notice the outlier? The Blues and Sharks rank 1-2 in third-period goals through the first two rounds of the postseason, while the Sharks have been equally porous on the defensive end with a league-high 16 third-period goals allowed. Once they get past the nerves, expect both teams to bring the scoring chances as the game goes on; we like the third as the highest-scoring period.
PREDICTION: Highest scoring period - Period 3 (+225)
TEAM/PLAYER BET
It's no surprise that Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture have identical odds to score in Game 1; after all, they've had a nearly dead-even postseason so far in terms of offensive production. Both players have nine goals and five assists, and both skaters scored six goals against Vegas in the opening round and three more against Colorado in Round 2. So why are we leaning toward Hertl over Couture? Hertl scored eight more regular-season goals in four fewer games, has eight more shots than Couture in the playoffs, and has scored eight of his nine goals at home. We're leaning toward the Czech dynamo to convert Saturday.
PREDICTION: Tomas Hertl anytime goal (+135)
FULL-GAME TOTAL
After opening their postseason run against two teams who liked to play an up-tempo game, the Sharks will face a very different opponent in the Blues, who have seen five or fewer goals scored in eight of their 13 postseason contests. The teams have also trended toward the under, with each of their previous five games producing five or fewer total goals. We expect things to tighten up as this series moves along, but with the Sharks looking to make a statement and the Blues averaging an impressive 3.17 goals on the road, there could be a little money to be made with the O5.5.
PREDICTION: Over 5.5 (+110)
FULL-GAME SIDE
The Blues were able to overcome early- and mid-game offensive shortcomings in the first two rounds of the postseason by being so prolific in the final period – but that strategy likely won't work against the host Sharks, who have scored double-digit goals in all three periods and are averaging a whopping 3.88 goals at home in the playoffs. It's also notable that the home team has won each of the past five head-to-head meetings between the teams, with three of those contests decided by multiple goals. Neither team has a rest edge, so we're rolling with home-ice advantage here; take the Sharks -1.5 for a nicer payout.
PREDICTION: Sharks -1.5 (+210)
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