Western Conference Final Preview : San Jose @ St. Louis

• 14 May 2016

Two doormats of playoff failure square off in HRWager’s Western Conference Final Preview.  San Jose and St. Louis are often punchlines for unflattering jokes about Stanley Cup futility.  It seems like every year they each roll into the playoffs only to find new and novel ways to disappoint fans.  At last, this might be over for one of them.  At the expense of the other, one team has to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.  Let us here at the HRW examine which one should be invested on for the profit potential while they fulfill theirs on the ice.

Western Conference Final Preview : Strengths

This might surprise hockey fans but San Jose could be a better skating team than they have in Pittsburgh.  Purity of attack, shot selection, depth, and utilization of space all are at or near the very best of the game.  This is going against a Blues’ team that is very tight in the reigns.  They like to keep a tight lid on things and work the body.  Pace will be the key in this one.  In the other playoff matchup that had a similar dynamic, the free skating Pens were too much for the restriction orientated Washington Capitols.  The question that the hockey handicapper has to ask is if the Blues will be exhausted in this one.

Consecutive Seven Game Series

Take it to the limit has been seen by St. Louis by them going to seven games in both previous series.  While entertaining for fans, the Blues have reached their breaking point.  Their brand of playoff hockey craves contact for it to work properly.  There is some solace that San Jose is coming off the same thing but they at least destroyed the Kings in five games.  A total of 5 goals with the ML of +115 or so on the visiting Sharks has to be explored.

8PM start this Saturday should be looked upon this way.  Total is spot on with the under getting a possible nod because of tired legs.  However, the team that will dictate the pace and scoring will be the Sharks.  This will not normally be the case the St. Louis is just too tired for this one.  HRWager’s Free Pick to Plunder for Game One is the road dog Sharks ML.  Good fortune and we will see you later today here at the HRW.