San Jose (0-0) at Vegas (0-0)
When: Thursday, April 26th 2018
Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Time: 10:05 ET | TV: NBCS
Opening Odds: Vegas -130/5
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Two of the most dominant teams in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs will have had plenty of rest when they gear up for a second round battle beginning Thursday night as the Vegas Golden Knights host the San Jose Sharks in Game 1. Both teams used a suffocating defense and outstanding goaltending to sweep their opening round series, as the Sharks took care of the Anaheim Ducks and the Knights dispatched the Los Angeles Kings in four games. Vegas’ games with L.A. were more intense with all four decided by one goal and netminder Marc-Andre Fleury allowed just three goals total. San Jose’s Martin Jones allowed four goals, but his team scored 17 on the Ducks including eight in a Game 3 rout. The Sharks also were a little more impressive due to the fact that the first two games were on the road. The Golden Knights are helped by a raucous crowd at T-Mobile Arena and were dominant against Pacific Division opponents, finishing 20-6-3 against them and winning three of four matchups (3-0-1) against the Sharks that included three one-goal affairs.
San Jose will be able to match-up well with Vegas’ four lines thanks to the trade-deadline acquisition of forward Evander Kane, who had nine goals in 17 regular-season games with the Sharks before scoring three times in the first round on the top line with captain Joe Pavelski and Joonas Donskoi. Logan Couture led the Sharks with 34 goals during the regular season and has 74 points in 90 career postseason games, including a playoff-high 30 in leading San Jose to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. Pavelski had three goals and five points during the season series against Vegas. Jones was outstanding against Anaheim but posted a 1-2-0 mark with a 3.32 goals-against average and .899 save percentage versus Vegas this season.
Fleury, of course, has plenty of playoff experience as part of three Stanley Cup-winning teams with the Pittsburgh Penguins and was stoic against the Kings with the four one-goal victories, including a pair of 1-0 shutouts and a 2-1 overtime win. Vegas scored just seven goals against Los Angeles, which set a record for least amount of goals scored during a sweep, but featured four players with at least 25 goals during the regular season, led by William Karlsson (43), who scored four times to go with an assist in the four matchups against San Jose. Reilly Smith had a team-high three points in the first round, but missed the last two meetings versus the Sharks. Forward James Neal has 14 goals and 10 assists in 31 career games versus San Jose.
Boy, this is a tough series to predict, especially since I was on Anaheim and Los Angeles in the first round. I though Vegas would be a little nervous in their first postseason, and they were offensively, but Fleury knows how its done in the postseason. Its also hard to predict which one of these teams benefits the most from the long delay. I’ll say San Jose since that series with the Ducks was pretty physical. I’m going to take San Jose in Game 1, because I believe each of these teams can win on the others’ home ice, and why not the opener.
Pick: Sharks +125
- Sharks are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Sharks are 4-0 in their last 4 overall.
- Sharks are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. Western Conference.
- Sharks are 7-1 in their last 8 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Sharks are 5-1 in their last 6 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Sharks are 10-2 in their last 12 games following a win.
- Sharks are 5-1 in their last 6 Thursday games.
- Sharks are 21-5 in their last 26 vs. Pacific.
- Sharks are 20-8 in their last 28 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Sharks are 4-14 in their last 18 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Golden Knights are 4-0 in their last 4 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Golden Knights are 7-0 in their last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Golden Knights are 4-0 in their last 4 overall.
- Golden Knights are 12-1 in their last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Golden Knights are 5-1 in their last 6 games following a win.
- Golden Knights are 4-1 in their last 5 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Golden Knights are 21-7 in their last 28 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Golden Knights are 22-8 in their last 30 vs. Pacific.
- Golden Knights are 30-11 in their last 41 home games.
- Golden Knights are 26-10 in their last 36 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Golden Knights are 24-11 in their last 35 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Golden Knights are 37-17 in their last 54 vs. Western Conference.
- Over is 5-0 in Sharks last 5 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Over is 4-0-3 in Sharks last 7 Conference Semifinals games.
- Over is 9-2-1 in Sharks last 12 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Over is 4-1-1 in Sharks last 6 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1-1 in Sharks last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Sharks last 5 road games.
- Over is 12-4-2 in Sharks last 18 games following a win.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Sharks last 5 vs. Pacific.
- Under is 5-2 in Sharks last 7 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Over is 12-5-1 in Sharks last 18 overall.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Golden Knights last 4 overall.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Golden Knights last 4 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Golden Knights last 4 vs. Pacific.
- Under is 3-0-1 in Golden Knights last 4 vs. Western Conference.
- Under is 4-0-1 in Golden Knights last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 7-1-1 in Golden Knights last 9 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 7-1 in Golden Knights last 8 home games.
- Under is 7-1-1 in Golden Knights last 9 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
- Under is 9-2 in Golden Knights last 11 Thursday games.
- Under is 4-1 in Golden Knights last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Under is 4-1 in Golden Knights last 5 games playing on 3 or more days rest.
- Under is 10-3-1 in Golden Knights last 14 games following a win.
- Under is 7-3-1 in Golden Knights last 11 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
