While the sports world considers their Final Four picks, the NHL continues its march towards the playoffs. The sports betting in the NHL's Western Conference has picked up the pace as teams fight for that eighth and final playoff spot. In this NHL game preview the focus is on two teams on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to their playoff futures.
The San Jose Sharks are fighting with the Washington Capitals for the President's Trophy which signifies the best finish in the regular season. In the last couple of weeks it has not been much of a fight as the Capitals have started to run away with the standings. But this is what makes this upcoming San Jose Sharks / Calgary Flames game so interesting. The Sharks are drifting backwards towards the Chicago Blackhawks, and the Blackhawks can see first place in the Western Conference right in front of them.
The Calgary Flames are three points out of a playoff spot but they are chasing the surging Detroit Red Wings. That means that every game is critical to the Flames, and this meeting with a Sharks team on the slide could be just what the Flames need.
Goaltending
The Flames are very solid in net with Miikka Kiprusoff. He has won three of his last five games with one shutout, but he has lost his last two in a row. But Kiprusoff is more than capable of back-stopping the Flames into the playoffs.
Sharks netminder Evgeni Nabokov is also a pillar in the nets, and he has also won three of his last five but has last the last two in a row. The difference for Nabokov is the solid defense that plays in front of him.
Offense
For years the sportsbook reviews on Calgary have mentioned primarily Jarome Iginla as the team's scoring champion. This year is no different. When you bet college basketball you look to the team that can put points on the board. In Calgary, offensive production falls way off when you get past the captain Iginla.
The Sharks, on the other hand, have a three-headed scoring monster in Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley. Heatley has obviously flourished since being traded over from the Senators in the off-season, and he leads a scoring attack that the Flames may have trouble dealing with.
Defense
The Sharks live by the offense, but they can punish a team on defense. They have only allowed 180 goals this season and while it could be easy to give the credit to Nabokov, the fact is that the Shark defense is big and fast and they know how to keep the other team out of their zone.
The Flames have only allowed 172 goals but that is in large part to Kiprusoff. If the Sharks can break Kiprusoff down, then the game is over.
Bottom Line
The Flames need this game and they come into it with superior goaltending. The Flames fade on offense and defense, but they have been putting together great team efforts the past few games that have allowed them to beat the New Jersey Devils, the Ottawa Senators and the Detroit Red Wings.
Pick: Calgary Flames 4-3
