Red Wings at Sharks Game 7 Odds and Predictions – Free NHL Picks 5-12-11

Free NHL Playoffs Picks and Odds – Game 7 Detroit Red Wings at San Jose Sharks Favorite, Moneyline, Total and Predictions 5/12/11: The Detroit Red Wings are one step closer to completing the impossible. Last night, in front of a packed house at Joe Louis Arena, the Wings erased a 1 goal deficit and skated to a 3-1 win over the slumping San Jose Sharks. The game was won in the trenches as the Wings scored the go ahead goal by digging the puck out of the corner and setting up the tally. The determination and will the Red Wings showed on Tuesday night was indicative of the coaching philosophies pasted down by their head coach Mike Babcock. As times were dark and grim a week ago for Detroit it was Babcock who continued to pound the message that they needed to work a little harder and skate a little faster. The three wins the Wings have accumulated in this series were simply won by hard work and mental toughness. Each player is taking accountability for their play and effort and it has paid off on the score sheet and playoff bracket. The Wings, however, would be no where if it were not for the brilliance and poise of goaltender Jimmy Howard. A question mark coming into the playoffs, Howard has responded to media scrutiny by putting together an exceptional postseason campaign. He is making the big save needed to turn games and he has also already stolen a few games this postseason run, essential elements of a championship winning team. Howard will need to find a comfortable groove early in San Jose to avert the Wings from missing another Stanley Cup finals appearance.

The San Jose Sharks are experiencing your prototypical playoff breakdown. Up 3 games to 0 is usually a series that is all but in the books, but the Sharks have not been able to answer the Wings furry of determination in the past three outings. In order to avert one of the greatest playoff collapses in recent memory the Sharks will have to dictate the play on Thursday night and come out of the gates smoking. The first three wins saw the Sharks start fast and end fast, wheras the past three loses have seen San Jose start slow and end slow. Joe Thornton will need to rally his troops to seek the first goal in this tilt as the team who has scored the first goal has won 85% of games this postseason. Antti Niemi will have to make a few saves he not suppose too, as well. Niemi has been shaky to say the least in this series and many are questioning whether head coach McClellan should make a move in net prior to Thursday nights puck drop.

The complimentary selection in game 7 will be the Detroit Red Wings on road ice. The Wings have proven over the past three games that they are the superior club as analysts believed before the series commenced action. They are four lines deep and they have the game’s best defensemen logging the better half of the games minutes. Jimmy Howard might be the most underrated goaltender in the game and he is a serious candidate for the Conn Smythe if he can steer his club to a finals appearance. The Sharks have folded, just like in postseasons of past, and it might finally be time for this club to be ‘blown’ up. The Red Wings are also an excellent road hockey club and the elements of the Shark tank will not dictate the outcome of this game. Detroit is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road and is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games when playing San Jose. We will consider the Wings riding the momentum they have gained in the past three outings right on through to the western conference finals with the Vancouver Canucks. Cheers!

Free Pick: Detroit Red Wings +115(Moneyline)
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