Nashville (3-3) at San Jose (3-3)
When: Thursday, May 12th 2016
Where: SAP Center, San Jose, CA
Time: 9:05 ET | TV: NBC Sports
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The Nashville Predators will look to advance to their first Conference Finals when they visit the San Jose Sharks for Game 7 of their Western Conference Semifinal series. The Predators won a dramatic Game 6 in overtime to force this deciding game, but must go to a place where they have never won in the postseason (0-7). Nashville has been outscored 13-5 in the three games in San Jose this series and must find a way to slow down the Sharks if they are to advance. The line of Mike Fisher, James Neal and Colin Wilson, which was put together prior to Game 3, has been the best line for either team in the series, combining for 15 points over the past four games. Wilson, who set a franchise mark last season with five goals in one playoff series, continued his postseason heroics with the game-tying goal Monday to stretch his point streak to a club-record seven games. Goaltender Pekka Rinne’s best performance of the playoffs came in the first round when he was sensational in the Game 7 win at Anaheim.
San Jose will be looking to make its fourth trip to the Western Conference finals and first since 2011 when they take the ice tonight. “Based on how the series has been played, it should come down to one game in a Game 7,” San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said. “We worked all year for home-ice advantage in this situation and we intend to take advantage of it.” The Sharks have been dominant with the man advantage, cashing in on their only opportunity in Game 6 to improve to 11-for-39 in the playoffs. Logan Couture has been the best player for San Jose in this series scoring five goals and adding three assists to give him 14 points in 11 postseason games. Forward Matt Nieto is questionable for Game 7 after missing Wednesday’s practice with an injury sustained in Monday’s loss. Nieto has a goal and two assists this postseason. Goaltender Martin Jones has been great at home this series with three wins and five goals allowed.
The home team has won each game this series and I don’t expect that to change tonight. The Sharks a big favorite, but we’re going to lay the price with confidence.
Pick: Sharks -175
