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<p>Betting on today's Hurricanes and Blue Jackets game? Catch the action at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH, as the Blue Jackets hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Hurricanes come into this Metropolitan division matchup as the -1.5 goal favorite to pick up the win. Currently, the over/under for the game is at 6.5 goals.</p><h3>CAROLINA HURRICANES VS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets +1.5</p><p>This game will be played at Nationwide Arena at 7:00 ET on Saturday, November 23rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS:</h3><ul><li>Despite being 1.5 goal underdogs, we predict the Blue Jackets to come out on top with a final score of 4-2.</li><li>We like the Blue Jackets on the moneyline (+195)</li><li>The Blue Jackets are also our pick on the spread at +1.5</li></ul><h3>Pressure Builds for Carolina as Away Favorites</h3><p>With a 4-2 win over the Capitals, the Hurricanes improved to 14-5-0. Carolina covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals matched the pre-game line.</p> 

<p>Carolina jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but the Capitals responded with two goals in the first period. The Hurricanes tied it up early in the second and added two more goals, including an empty-netter, to secure the win.</p><p>Dmitry Orlov led the way for Carolina with two goals, bringing his season total to three. Martin Necas added his sixth goal of the year and picked up two assists, now with 12 assists on the season. Andrei Svechnikov scored his sixth goal, finding the net on an empty net with just 9 seconds left in the game.</p> <p>The Hurricanes fired 45 shots on goal but were held scoreless on the power play. They scored once in the first period, twice in the second, and added an empty-netter in the third. Carolina had 14 giveaways in the game.</p><p>Carolina's defense gave up two late goals in the first period, but they tightened up after that, not allowing another goal. Pyotr Kochetkov made 19 saves with a 90.5% save percentage, and the Hurricanes' defense had 7 takeaways and 10 hits.</p><h3>Can the Blue Jackets Please their Home Crowd?</h3><p>Columbus dropped to 8-9-2 after a 7-2 road loss to the Capitals. The Blue Jackets entered as underdogs on the puck line, and the total of 9 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5 goals.</p> 

<p>Defensively, Columbus struggled right from the start, allowing 5 goals in the first period. Damon Severson scored the Blue Jackets' first goal at 19:11 in the second period, but the Capitals had already scored 6 by then.</p><p>Columbus managed 36 shots on goal but only found the net twice in their 7-2 loss to Washington. Damon Severson opened the scoring for the Blue Jackets with his 4th goal of the season, while Kevin Labanc added his 2nd goal.</p> <p>Columbus recorded 13 offensive giveaways and scored both of their goals in the second period. Adam Fantilli picked up his 4th assist on Severson’s goal, and Sean Monahan earned his 5th assist on Labanc’s tally.</p><p>Columbus's defense struggled early, giving up five goals in the first period. After closing the gap to 6-2 in the second, they allowed another goal late in the third. Goalie Daniil Tarasov finished with a 68.2% save percentage on 15 saves.</p>

Carolina Hurricanes vs Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

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<p>Thursday's matchup between the Nationals and Cubs has a first pitch set for 7:40 PM ET from Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL. The money line odds have the Cubs at -180, while the Nationals are the +150 underdog. The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs.</p>

<p>Patrick Corbin will start for the Nationals, and he will be facing off against Javier Assad. Washington is 68-84 this season, and they are 4th in the NL East, while the Cubs are 3rd in the NL Central. This game can be seen on MASN.</p><h3>CHICAGO CUBS VS WASHINGTON NATIONALS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Chicago Cubs Moneyline -180</p><p>This game will be played at Wrigley Field at 7:40 ET on Thursday, September 19th.</p><h3>HOW TO BET THE NATIONALS VS CUBS:</h3><ul><li>We have the Cubs winning by a score of 5 to 4</li><li>However, if you're looking for a run line pick, we like the Nationals to cover</li><li>As for an over/under pick, we have this game finishing with 9 runs and like the over</li></ul><h3>Nationals Records & Stats</h3><p>Washington closed out their series vs. the Mets with a 10-0 loss. Heading into the game, the Nationals were the +146 underdog on the money line. Things really got away from the Nationals in the 4th inning, as the Mets scored nine runs in the inning. Washington's offense scored their only three runs in the 2nd.</p>

<p>DJ Herz got the start for the Nationals and took the loss. He only lasted 3 1/3 innings, giving up seven earned runs. Offensively, the Nationals had only three fewer hits than the Mets but scored zero runs. CJ Abrams had two hits and scored a run.</p><p>Washington is 68-84 overall and trails the Phillies by 23 games in the NL East. The Nationals have dropped three straight games, losing the final three games of their series vs. the Mets. This year, they are 23-26 in divisional games.</p>

<p>At home, the Nationals are 36-39 compared to 32-45 on the road. As the underdog, Washington is 53-71 this season, and they are 15-13 when favored. The Nationals have an overall series record of 19-24-6 heading into today's game, which is on the road vs. the Cubs.</p><p>Washington has been a profitable run line team on the road this season, going 44-33. However, they have failed to cover the run line in their last two road games. The Nationals have been a better run line bet as the underdog, going 71-53. They have been favored in 28 games and have gone 13-15 on the run line in those contests. Washington's average run margin in winning games is +3.3, while it is -3.9 in losing games.</p><p>The Nationals are on the road against the Cubs today, and the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs. Washington's games have averaged 8.9 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 72-74. When the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs, their record is 19-23. Overall, 38.8% of their games have had over/under lines set at 8.5 runs. The over has hit in their last two games.</p><p>Left-hander Patrick Corbin gets the start for the Nationals today as he faces the Cubs on the road. This year, he has made 30 starts and has a record of 6-13 with a 5.46 ERA. Corbin's WHIP for the season is currently 1.49. In his 30 appearances, he has turned in nine quality starts. Looking back at his last outing, Corbin pitched well, going six innings and giving up just one earned run. He finished with six strikeouts in that outing. Before that, he had given up seven earned runs in back-to-back starts.</p><p>For the season, the Nationals are averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 23rd in the league. They also come into the game with the 25th ranked home run total in the league. As a team, the Nationals are batting .242, and their team on-base percentage is just 11th in the league. So far, they have been good at avoiding strikeouts, but their walk rate is near the bottom of the league.</p>

<p>CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia Jr. are the Nationals' top home run hitters this season, but they are also 1-2 in terms of RBIs. Abrams is batting just .242 for the season, but he does have 20 homers. Garcia Jr. is hitting .280 and has 16 homers. Over his last nine games, James Wood has gone 7/34 with two homers.</p><h3>Cubs Records & Stats</h3><p>Chicago closed out their series vs. the Athletics with a 5-3 loss. Heading into the game, the Cubs were the heavy favorite at -180. Things started off well for the Cubs, as they got on the board with a run in the 1st inning but gave up the lead right away as the Athletics scored in the top of the 2nd.</p>

<p>Justin Steele got the start for the Cubs and took the loss. He only lasted 2 2/3 innings, giving up two earned runs. The Cubs's offense scored their other two runs in the 2nd but didn't add on after that.</p><p>Chicago is 77-75 overall and are 11 games behind the Brewers for the NL Central lead. The Cubs are also 11 games behind the Cardinals for the second Wild Card spot. The Cubs have dropped two straight games, and they went 5-5 over their last 10 games.</p>

<p>At home, the Cubs are 39-35 this season and 38-40 on the road. Chicago has gone just 21-28 in divisional games this year. As the favorite, the Cubs are 40-37 and 37-38 as the underdog. This season, the Cubs are 25-25 as the favorite at home. Their overall series record is 21-25-3, and they have dropped two straight series.</p><p>Chicago has been a better bet on the run line on the road, where it is 46-32. The Cubs have a run line record of 28-46 at home and are currently on a two-game run line losing streak at Wrigley Field. Chicago is 25-52 against the run line as the favorite, but 49-26 as the underdog.</p><p>The Cubs have played in 44 games with over/under lines set at 8.5 runs this season, and their O/U record in those games is 17-14. Their combined run average this season is 8.8 runs per game, and their overall O/U record is 72-75. The average over/under line in their games is 8 runs per game, and the percentage of their games with over/under lines set at 8.5 runs is 28.9%. </p><p>Through 27 starts, Javier Assad has a record of 7-5 and an ERA of 3.27 for the Cubs. He most recently faced the Rockies, where he finished with a no-decision. In that outing, he gave up four earned runs in six innings of work. Before that, he had picked up the win vs. the Nationals, giving up three earned runs in six innings of work. Assad has made six quality starts this year and is averaging 7.58 strikeouts per nine innings. For the season, he has allowed 17 homers and is averaging 3.86 walks per nine innings.</p><p>So far this season, the Cubs are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 12th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road, averaging 5.1 runs per game, which is the 2nd best mark in the MLB. As a team, the Cubs are batting .243, which is 11th in the league, and they are also among the league leaders in walks.</p>

<p>Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ are the Cubs' top power threats, with Suzuki having 20 homers and Happ leading the team with 25 long balls. Suzuki is also batting .278 for the season, while Happ is hitting just .247. Nico Hoerner has been hot of late, going 11/24 in his last six games and is on a six-game hitting streak.</p>

Washington Nationals vs Chicago Cubs Betting Pick & Prediction 9/19/24

<p>Don't miss out on the NHL showdown between the Wild and Flames. The game is starting at 4:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. Get ready to place your bets! In this Western matchup, the Wild are favored by -1.5 goals against the Flames. The over/under for the game is 5.5 goals.</p><h3>MINNESOTA WILD VS CALGARY FLAMES BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Calgary Flames +1.5</p><p>This game will be played at Scotiabank Saddledome at 4:00 ET on Saturday, November 23rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE CALGARY FLAMES:</h3><ul><li>Despite being 1.5 goal underdogs, we predict the Flames to come out on top with a final score of 4-3.</li><li>We like the Flames on the moneyline (+122)</li><li>The Flames are also our pick on the spread at +1.5</li></ul><h3>Do the Wild Have What it Takes in Calgary?</h3><p>With a 2-1 overtime win against the Maple Leafs, the Wild improved to 13-3-3 this season. Minnesota was favored on the puck line, but didn’t cover. The total was set at 6 goals, and the combined 3 goals fell short of that mark.</p> 

<p>Ryan Hartman scored first for the Wild at 9:41 in the first period, but the Maple Leafs tied it up with just 52 seconds left in the period. Matt Boldy secured the win with a goal at 2:14 in overtime.</p><p>Ryan Hartman netted his third goal of the season for the Wild, with Matt Boldy adding his sixth in overtime to secure a 2-1 victory over Toronto. Jared Spurgeon contributed two assists, bringing his season total to three, while Marco Rossi picked up his seventh assist on Boldy's overtime goal.</p> <p>Minnesota fired 33 shots on goal but also had 15 giveaways. The Wild were held scoreless in the second and third periods before Boldy ended the game 2:14 into overtime.</p><p>Defensively, the Wild will look to carry over their performance from their last game, where they allowed just 1 goal to Toronto. Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves, finishing with a 96.4% save percentage. The defense also recorded 7 takeaways and 22 hits. The only goal they allowed came with 52 seconds left in the 1st period.</p><h3>Can Calgary Lock in a Home Win?</h3><p>Calgary fell to 11-6-3 after a 4-2 loss to the Oilers. The Flames were underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6.5 goals, with the game’s 6 total goals falling just short of that mark.</p> 
<p>After trailing 2-0, Calgary tied the game in the third period, but Edmonton responded with two more goals to seal the win. Anthony Mantha and Yegor Sharangovich each scored for the Flames.</p><p>Calgary’s offense managed just two goals in their 4-2 loss to Edmonton. Anthony Mantha netted his fourth goal of the season on a power play, while Yegor Sharangovich followed with his first goal of the year.</p> <p>The Flames fired 31 shots on goal but struggled with giveaways, tallying 22 in the game. Calgary’s first goal came in the second period, with their second following in the third.</p><p>The Flames' defense will be looking to bounce back after allowing four goals to the Oilers in their last game. Dan Vladar made 27 saves with a 90% save percentage, but the defense gave up a goal just 20 seconds into the first period and another late in the third. They also allowed a power-play goal and an empty-netter. Defensively, the Flames finished with 4 takeaways and 13 hits.</p>

Minnesota Wild vs Calgary Flames Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

<p>Today at 5:00 ET, the 3rd place Knicks (-408) will travel to Salt Lake City to take on the 15th place Jazz (+317). The Knicks are currently favored by 9 points, and the over/under line is sitting at 229.5.</p>

<p>This non-conference matchup will be played at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, and can be seen on NBA TV.</p><h3>NEW YORK KNICKS VS UTAH JAZZ BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Utah Jazz +9</p><p>This game will be played at Delta Center at 5:00 ET on Saturday, November 23rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE UTAH JAZZ:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 131-124 in favor of the Jazz.</li><li>Our projections have Lauri Markkanen finishing with 22 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists.</li><li>From the field, we have the Jazz finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.0% and knocking down 15 threes.</li></ul><h3>Can New York Pull Off A Win at Delta Center?</h3><p>The Knicks improved to 9-6 on the season with a 138-122 road win over the Suns on Wednesday. New York, favored by 4.5 points, covered the spread, while the game’s total of 260 points easily surpassed the O/U line of 226.5.</p> <p>New York set the tone early with an 11-0 run, taking the lead from 6-3 to 14-6. They dominated the 1st quarter, outscoring Phoenix 44-28. Although the Suns kept things closer in the following quarters, the Knicks’ 110-93 lead heading into the 4th was enough to secure the win.</p><p>The Knicks' offense was firing on all cylinders in their 138-122 win over the Suns, shooting 58.1% from the field and hitting 19 threes at a 48.7% clip. Jalen Brunson led the way with 36 points and 10 assists, connecting on 7 threes at 63.6% efficiency.</p> <p>Karl-Anthony Towns added 34 points and 10 rebounds, while Josh Hart contributed 19 points and 11 boards, shooting 72.7% from the field. Brunson scored 12 points in the 2nd quarter, while Towns added 12 in the 3rd and 11 in the 4th.</p><p>The Knicks gave up 122 points to the Suns, who shot 48% from the field. New York allowed 28 points in the 1st quarter, 30 in the 2nd, 35 in the 3rd, and 29 in the 4th.</p> <p>Defensively, the Knicks allowed 19 threes on 38% shooting. They sent the Suns to the line 17 times, where Phoenix hit 13 free throws. New York finished with 10 steals but didn’t record a block.</p><h3>Can Utah Pull Out the Win as Home Underdogs?</h3><p>Utah’s season continued to be a struggle as they fell to 3-12 after a 126-118 loss to the Spurs on Thursday. The Jazz, who were +3 point underdogs, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total score of 244 points exceeded the pre-game O/U line of 224 by 20 points.</p> <p>Utah started strong, going on an 11-0 run and leading 32-17 after the 1st quarter. They edged out the 2nd quarter 35-34, but things fell apart in the 2nd half. The Spurs outscored them 34-22 in the 3rd, and despite trailing just 89-85 heading into the 4th, Utah was outscored 41-29 in the final quarter.</p><p>The Jazz shot just 41.8% from the field and 28.9% from three-point range in their 126-118 loss to the Spurs, connecting on 13 threes overall. Lauri Markkanen led the way with 27 points, hitting 3 threes at a 30% clip.</p> <p>Keyonte George also made 3 threes, finishing with 19 points despite shooting 25% from deep. John Collins, Collin Sexton, and Brice Sensabaugh each added 18 points, with Sensabaugh scoring 13 of his points in the 2nd quarter.</p><p>Despite a strong defensive start, the Jazz struggled in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, giving up 34 points in each, and allowed 41 points in the 4th, leading to a 126-118 loss to the Spurs. Utah did well in limiting San Antonio's three-point shooting, holding them to 9 made threes on 28% shooting.</p> <p>Utah sent the Spurs to the line 46 times, where they made 35 free throws. The Jazz collected 37 defensive rebounds but allowed 11 offensive boards. They also recorded 4 steals and 7 blocks in the game.</p>

New York Knicks vs Utah Jazz Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

<p>Don't miss out on the NHL showdown between the Devils and Capitals. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Capitals at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. Get ready to place your bets! The Devils come into this Metropolitan division matchup as the -1.5 goal favorite to pick up the win. Currently, the over/under for the game is at 6 goals.</p><h3>NEW JERSEY DEVILS VS WASHINGTON CAPITALS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Washington Capitals +1.5</p><p>This game will be played at Capital One Arena at 7:00 ET on Saturday, November 23rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS:</h3><ul><li>Despite being 1.5 goal underdogs, we predict the Capitals to come out on top with a final score of 4-2.</li><li>We like the Capitals on the moneyline (+114)</li><li>The Capitals are also our pick on the spread at +1.5</li></ul><h3>Can the Devils Pull Out the Win as Road Favorites?</h3><p>New Jersey fell to 13-7-2 with a 3-0 loss to the Flames. The Devils were favored on the puck line, but failed to cover. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 3 fell well short.</p> 

<p>All of the scoring came in the third period, with the Flames breaking the deadlock at 14:26. Blake Coleman added another goal at 14:54, and then sealed the win with an empty-netter at 16:45.</p><p>The Devils were shut out in their recent game against the Flames, managing 22 shots on goal but failing to find the net. They recorded 19 offensive giveaways and were unable to capitalize on any power play opportunities.</p> <p>New Jersey was held scoreless through all three periods, marking the first time this season they’ve been shut out.</p><p>Defensively, the Devils held the Flames scoreless through the first two periods, but they gave up three goals in the third, including an empty-netter. New Jersey's defense finished with 5 takeaways and 22 hits.</p><h3>Can the Capitals Please their Home Crowd?</h3><p>With a 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes, the Capitals now sit at 13-5-1. Washington’s defense struggled, allowing 44 shots, and failed to hold onto a lead after scoring twice in the first period.</p>

<p>The total for the game was set at 6 goals, and the combined score hit that exact number. The Capitals, as the underdog on the puck line, didn’t cover. Both of Washington’s goals came in the first period, but the Hurricanes responded with four unanswered goals.</p><p>Washington's offense was held to just two goals in their 4-2 loss to Carolina. Alex Ovechkin netted his 7th goal of the season on a power play, while Brandon Duhaime added his 2nd goal. The Capitals took 21 shots on goal but were hampered by 15 giveaways.</p> <p>Both of Washington's goals came in the first period, with Duhaime scoring at the 19:49 mark. Ovechkin's goal was his 7th of the season. John Carlson picked up his 7th assist, and Dylan Strome recorded his 13th assist on Ovechkin's goal.</p><p>Washington’s defense gave up the first goal at 5:59 in the first period, and after taking a 2-1 lead, they allowed three more, including two in the second and an empty-netter at 19:51 in the third. Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves with a 93.2% save percentage, but the defense recorded just 2 takeaways and 20 hits.</p>

New Jersey Devils vs Washington Capitals Betting Pick & Prediction 11/23/24

<p>The Panthers and Blackhawks are set to face off at 8:30 ET on ESPN+. The Blackhawks will host the game at United Center in Chicago, IL. The Panthers come into this non-conference matchup favored by -1.5 goals. The over/under line currently sits at 6 goals.</p><h3>FLORIDA PANTHERS VS CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Chicago Blackhawks +1.5</p><p>This game will be played at United Center at 8:30 ET on Thursday, November 21st.</p><h3>WHY BET THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS:</h3><ul><li>In spite of being 1.5 goal underdogs, we anticipate the Blackhawks winning this one 4-3.</li><li>We like the Blackhawks on the moneyline (+195)</li><li>The Blackhawks are also our pick on the spread at +1.5</li></ul><h3>Will the Panthers Find a Way to Win in Chicago?</h3><p>Florida improved to 12-6-1 with a 4-2 win over the Stars. The Panthers covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6.5 goals went under, with the teams combining for 6 goals.</p> <p>Four different players scored for the Panthers, with Sam Reinhart’s goal at 19:00 in the third period securing the win. Florida led 2-0 before the Stars tied it up, but A.J. Greer’s goal at 2:32 in the third put the Panthers back in front.</p><p>Carolina’s offense produced 4 goals on 25 shots, with A.J. Greer netting his first goal of the season and Sam Reinhart adding an empty-netter for his 10th. The Panthers had 16 giveaways and scored twice in the third period, including Greer’s goal at 17:28.</p> <p>Earlier in the game, Evan Rodrigues opened the scoring with his 3rd goal of the season, while Matthew Tkachuk added a power-play goal, also his 3rd. Carolina recorded 6 assists in the 4-2 win.</p><p>On the defensive side, the Panthers gave up two goals in their last game, both coming in the second period. Goalie Spencer Knight made 23 saves with a 92% save percentage. The defense also recorded 8 takeaways, 22 hits, and 16 blocks.</p><h3>Does Chicago Stand a Chance at Home?</h3><p>Chicago improved to 6-12-1 with a 4-2 win over the Ducks. The Blackhawks, underdogs on the puck line, covered with the victory. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined 6 goals fell just short.</p> 

<p>All four of Chicago’s goals came from different players, and they held the Ducks scoreless until the third period. Isaak Phillips opened the scoring at 7:03 in the first period.</p><p>Chicago's offense found the net four times against Anaheim, with each goal coming from a different player. Ryan Donato scored his 7th goal of the season, while Seth Jones added his 2nd. Teuvo Teravainen netted his 4th goal, and Isaak Phillips scored his 1st of the year.</p> <p>The Blackhawks took 29 shots on goal and scored twice on power plays. Connor Bedard contributed with two assists, bringing his season total to 9. Taylor Hall also added an assist, now with 4 on the year.</p><p>Arvid Söderblom made 38 saves with a 95% save percentage, helping the Blackhawks secure a 4-2 victory over the Ducks. The defense also recorded 6 takeaways and 5 hits. After allowing no goals through the first two periods, they gave up two in the third, including one with just 4 seconds remaining.</p>

Florida Panthers vs Chicago Blackhawks Betting Pick & Prediction 11/21/24

The Western Conference Final features two teams who have held high expectations on this stage before just to see gut-wrenching heartache end their season time and time again. Over the past decade, both the St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks have been considered contenders for hockey’s ultimate prize, yet neither team has ever been able to fulfill their destiny and the two franchises share a combined zero Stanley Cups to their name.

For St. Louis, they advanced to the Cup Final in each of their first three years of existence from 1968 to 1970 but haven’t been back since. San Jose’s only trip to the Finals in their 27 seasons was in 2016 when they beat this very team in the Western Final but lost the championship to Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. For one of these teams, they’ll have the rare chance to make history once again while the other will add another season of unmet expectations and heartbreak.

<strong><em>(<a href="http://bangthebook.com/2019-nhl-playoffs-carolina-hurricanes-vs-boston-bruins-eastern-conference-final-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Check out the Eastern Conference Final here</a>)</em></strong>

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<p style="text-align: center"><span style="color: #0000ff;font-size: 14pt"><strong>WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL</strong></span></p>
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Sometimes, the best team doesn’t always win. We could maybe have said that about the San Jose Sharks after their opening round series win over the Vegas Golden Knights where they were outplayed 5-on-5 and gave up eight powerplay goals. They appeared to be exiting the postseason early but staged one of the greatest comebacks in sports history when they erased a 3-0 deficit late in the third period of Game 7 with four powerplay goals on a controversial five-minute major penalty call.

We could maybe have said that again after another seven game series win over the Colorado Avalanche where they were arguably the second best team statistically but again benefitted from controversy after an apparent game-tying goal in the second period of Game 7 was overturned for a subjective offside call.

And it’s possible we may say it again after the Western Conference Final.

Many would say the Sharks are fortunate to be here and while there’s an argument to be made there, with each passing game it continues to feel more and more as if San Jose is destined to win their first-ever Stanley Cup for not only the franchise, but for the legendary Joe Thornton.

The St. Louis Blues could also lay claim to be the second best team in each of their two series after losing the Expected Goals battle to both the Winnipeg Jets in round one and the Dallas Stars in round two. As has been the case all through the season though, the Blues have been an incredible comeback team under the guidance of head coach Craig Berube and his ability to make the correct adjustments. After dropping games 3 and 4 to Winnipeg and appearing to be in trouble, the Blues made the right adjustments to slow down the Jets attack and win the final two games of the series. The Stars also looked to have the upper hand after consecutive wins in games 4 and 5 but again Berube made the proper adjustments and used a suffocating defense to shut down the Stars attack and take the final two games of the series.

The Sharks and Blues are an interesting matchup in that we have two teams who play a similar style, and each dispatched a team in the previous round who played the same way. Dallas and Colorado were both quick strike teams who attacked off the rush and the Blues and Sharks had to adjust to slow them down. To their credit, they both did an excellent job in doing so. In this round, we have two teams who prefer a more methodical approach to generating offense with their strong cycle game but are certainly capable of having their defense jump into a play to create scoring opportunities.

In head-to-head meetings this year, much like the Eastern Conference Final two of the three regular season meetings were early in the season and should be discarded. And even the third meeting in March which saw San Jose win in overtime doesn’t carry relevance. That final meeting saw Jake Allen in net for St. Louis who were without Vladimir Tarasenko, David Perron and Carl Gunnarsson, while the Sharks were minus Erik Karlsson and Evander Kane. In fact, San Jose has never even seen Jordan Binnington. It’s usually wise – but in this case even more – to completely disregard the regular season meetings.

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For two teams who utilized a slow-it-down clog the neutral zone game plan last round, the top offensive stars on each side have been leading the way. This series will feature the three leading goal scorers in the postseason with San Jose’s Logan Couture and Tomas Hertl tied for the lead with nine goals and St. Louis’ Jaden Schwartz third with eight.

Both teams have also seen big offensive contributions from their blueline with Brent Burns tied for second in playoff scoring with 14 points and Erik Karlsson with 12 for the Sharks and Alex Pietrangelo tied for the Blues scoring lead with 11 points.

Last round, both teams were forced to adapt to their opponents faster attack and slow things down. Here, we have two teams with similar styles, so we may see them willing to open things up more in a back-and-forth style, at least to start the series.

San Jose and St. Louis are both capable of putting the puck in the net with their top-end stars, but the Sharks have the better arsenal of depth scorers with seven players with at least three goals and five players with 10 or more points this postseason. The Blues have played one less game but have just four players with three or more goals and just Schwartz and Pietrangelo have hit the 10-point mark with Ryan O’Reilly next at nine.

It’s not a large advantage, but it’s enough to give San Jose the edge in the offensive category.

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<img class="aligncenter" src="http://bangthebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SJ-STL-Defense.png" />

The two defenses here have seen outstanding underlying numbers all season with little to separate them other than the actual goals, and that can be attributed to the difference in each team’s goaltending. The Sharks were near the bottom of the league during the season in goals allowed thanks to the tandem of Martin Jones and Aaron Dell who both had terrible regular seasons. The defense itself was elite with Marc-Edouard Vlasic leading the way as one of the best shutdown defenders in the league and despite some issues during the season, he’s back on his game now and will make life difficult for Jaden Schwartz. Here in the playoffs, the numbers have slipped across all categories which can partially be due to playing two powerful offenses in Vegas and Colorado, but the defense as a whole hasn’t been as sharp as in the regular season.

The Blues have steadily improved their defense throughout the season and it’s carried into the playoffs as they made excellent in-series adjustments to suffocate the Jets and Stars late in each series. With Pietrangelo and Colton Parayko leading the way, the team employs no other outstanding individual but four interchangeable guys who can play anywhere in the lineup with Vince Dunn, Carl Gunnarsson, Jay Bouwmeester and Joel Edmundson <em>(although I personally think Dunn is outstanding and underrated)</em>.

Both defenses are also strong at contributing on the offensive end as the Blues led all teams in goals from defensemen during the season and the Sharks of course countering with Burns and Karlsson. I expect we’ll see the defense be just as important on the offensive end this series and why scoring could be higher to begin with both teams making the necessary adjustments as the series wears on and games becoming tighter.

Two elite units here when they’re at the top of their game but based on current form this past month, the Blues get the edge in the defensive category.

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<img class="aligncenter" src="http://bangthebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SJ-STL-Special-Teams.png" />

The San Jose powerplay has been excellent all season but they’ve been relentless here in the playoffs and with the Blues holding the defensive edge 5-on-5, the Sharks are going to have to find success on their man advantage this series.

That may prove to be more difficult than they like though as this St. Louis team has done an amazing job at maintaining their discipline and staying out of the box. The Blues have drawn 13 more penalties than they’ve taken which is tops in the postseason by a wide margin. Columbus and Colorado are next with +7 and only four teams in all have a positive penalty differential <em>(Toronto being the other)</em>. The Sharks, meanwhile, are 12<sup>th</sup> among playoff teams at a -3 differential.

San Jose’s powerplay has the clear edge in the special teams matchup but if the Blues continue to play with discipline the Sharks biggest edge in this series could be all but negated.

On the other side, the Blues powerplay was heating up towards the end of the regular season and carried that success into the first round against Winnipeg where they scored five goals, but it was shut down by Dallas’ outstanding defense with just two goals over 37 minutes of man advantage time.

The Sharks penalty kill had struggled all season but have been excellent in the playoffs at limiting shots and scoring chances, although the goal totals have still piled up. St. Louis should be able to have more success again against this unit and this could be a key matchup in deciding the series. It’s fair to believe the Blues actually hold the edge despite the teal sweeping the stats in the chart.

Keep an eye on the penalty differential and the Blues powerplay finding success. If they continue to stay out of the box, the edge in special teams is a lot closer than the overall stats suggest and may even swing to the Blues side.

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<img class="aligncenter" src="http://bangthebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SJ-STL-Key-Stats.png" />

As previously mentioned, these two teams spent the second round defending the same type of opponent which meant they gave up a lot of scoring chances off the rush and dangerous shots from the slot. On the offensive end, both the Blues and Sharks prefer to create offense from cycling the puck and shooting from the outside, looking for screens and deflections. Attacking off the rush isn’t really their style but with similar attack patterns, it will be interesting to see of either team tries to be more aggressive off the rush.

The edge in the key stats is even entering the series but the team who establishes the more aggressive approach may gain a significant advantage.

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<img class="aligncenter" src="http://bangthebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SJ-STL-Goaltending.png" />

Both Martin Jones and Jordan Binnington have been exceptional at times this postseason and both have played a large role in their team’s success to this point, so it may come as a surprise to know they sit first and second in total goals allowed through the first two rounds.

Binnington had a fantastic regular season earning a Calder Trophy nomination for top rookie of the year, despite only joining the league in January, but the rookie has shown inconsistency here in the playoffs. That being said, he’s come up huge late in each series when the pressure has been at its highest. After losing two straight to Winnipeg to even that series, he allowed just two goals in each of the final two games to close it out. Against Dallas, when his team trailed three games to two, Binnington shut the door allowing just two goals over the final two games. He’s been calm and collected all season, showing the poise of a veteran Hall of Famer. He hasn’t been as sharp early in each round but has got stronger as each series progressed.

Jones had a nightmare regular season and his playoff numbers don’t look too impressive as a whole as he’s been below average from a statistical output, but we’ve seen Jones put on an unbelievable performance game-to-game since Game 5 of the Vegas series. It’s fair to say the Sharks wouldn’t be here right now if not for the play of Jones.

Statistically, Binnington and the Blues get the edge in net but there’s reasons to be cautious about both. Binnington is still a rookie and the deeper we get into the playoffs, the bigger the moment. Jones is the veteran who’s been here before, but one always wonders if the real Martin Jones will suddenly emerge <em>(the regular season not very good version)</em>.

In this case, it might be better to trust the rookie over the veteran.

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<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>FINAL WORD: </strong></span>Like Boston-Toronto and San Jose-Vegas in the opening round, this is the closest we’ve seen to a true coin flip series and picking a straight up winner isn’t easy. I believe the Blues hold the smallest of edges thanks to their suffocating defense and ability to maintain their cool which should negate the Sharks largest edge. Based on what you've read above, you'd probably expect St. Louis to be the pick here.

However, there’s something mysterious around the magic of the Shark Tank and Game 7s this year and if it gets that far, it’s hard to pick against San Jose at home. Analytically, the Blues are likely the slightly better team and should be the pick to win this series - but – <em>(this will sound really cheesy)</em> this year just feels like the Sharks are destined to get back to the Finals. I’ve learned over the years to never tempt the Hockey Gods, so, sometimes cheesy wins, as does the second-best team.

<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>SERIES PICK: </strong></span><strong>SAN JOSE IN 7 </strong>

<span style="color: #0000ff"><strong>SERIES WAGER: </strong></span><strong>NONE </strong><em>(Whether you’re currently holding Futures on these teams or not, the recommendation would be to hold off on a pre-series wager here until after Game 1 and then look at grabbing the loser at a nice plus price. The expectation is for this to be a long back-and-forth series which should present a plus price on both sides at some point)</em>

<strong><span style="color: #0000ff">FUTURES WAGER:</span> NONE </strong><em>(This is a freeroll for us with Futures on both sides to win it all. We own a preseason Cup Futures ticket on St. Louis for +3061 (half-unit) and a Western Conference Champions ticket for +600 which we added prior to Round 1. Our San Jose Cup Future was also added prior to Round 1 for +1400. If you still don’t currently own a Futures ticket on either of these teams, the recommendation would be to not place anything now. I expect both teams to be trailing at some point in this series and since you can grab Cup Futures between each game, you should be able to get better than the current +300 price on either side available now at BetOnline)</em>

2018-19 NHL Playoffs St. Louis Blues vs. San Jose Sharks Western Conference Final Preview

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