Sunday's best NHL bets
Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators (+110, 5.5)
Great players do great things. Like Sidney Crosby putting the Pittsburgh Penguins on his back in the third period of Game 2 Friday night.
With under five minutes remaining in the game, Crosby danced through the Senators defense, keeping the offensive push alive, before finding point man Kristopher Letang for the go-ahead goal in Pittsburgh?s 2-1 win at Mellon Arena.
Crosby may be able to carry the offensive load for the defending Cup champs, but the issues on the blueline are out of his reach.
Pittsburgh?s defense is wearing thin heading into Sunday?s Game 3. With just five healthy bodies, the physical play in the first two games of this series has taken a lot out of the Pens. They managed to hold Ottawa to just seven shots in the third period (20 on the game) but will head to Scotiabank Place, where the Senators went 26-11-1-3 and averaged almost three goals per home game in the regular season.
Expect Crosby and the offense to do what they do best and try to end up on the right side of a goal-filled gunfight Sunday.
Pick: Over
San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche (+130, 5.5)
The Sharks held on to some of their bite with a 6-5 overtime win against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 Friday night. But, while the win is welcome, the Western Conference?s top team has some problems to solve before Sunday.
One glaring issue is the play of goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, who allowed five goals on just 22 shots and was caught out of position on a couple of the Avs? scores.
?I wasn?t able to make any key saves,? Nabokov admitted to the media following Friday?s win.
His playoff resume isn?t all that impressive, going just 33-32 with a 2.26 GAA in 67 postseason appearances. In the past two seasons, Nabokov is 3-5 and has a goals against average of 3.10 in these games.
?I guess before you get up you have to come down,? Nabokov told reporters. ?I hope this gives us some momentum.?
Nabokov will need every bit of momentum in Colorado Sunday. In his two starts at the Pepsi Center this season, he gave up a total of 10 goals on 60 shots.
Pick: Colorado
Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators (+110, 5.5)
Great players do great things. Like Sidney Crosby putting the Pittsburgh Penguins on his back in the third period of Game 2 Friday night.
With under five minutes remaining in the game, Crosby danced through the Senators defense, keeping the offensive push alive, before finding point man Kristopher Letang for the go-ahead goal in Pittsburgh?s 2-1 win at Mellon Arena.
Crosby may be able to carry the offensive load for the defending Cup champs, but the issues on the blueline are out of his reach.
Pittsburgh?s defense is wearing thin heading into Sunday?s Game 3. With just five healthy bodies, the physical play in the first two games of this series has taken a lot out of the Pens. They managed to hold Ottawa to just seven shots in the third period (20 on the game) but will head to Scotiabank Place, where the Senators went 26-11-1-3 and averaged almost three goals per home game in the regular season.
Expect Crosby and the offense to do what they do best and try to end up on the right side of a goal-filled gunfight Sunday.
Pick: Over
San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche (+130, 5.5)
The Sharks held on to some of their bite with a 6-5 overtime win against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 Friday night. But, while the win is welcome, the Western Conference?s top team has some problems to solve before Sunday.
One glaring issue is the play of goaltender Evgeni Nabokov, who allowed five goals on just 22 shots and was caught out of position on a couple of the Avs? scores.
?I wasn?t able to make any key saves,? Nabokov admitted to the media following Friday?s win.
His playoff resume isn?t all that impressive, going just 33-32 with a 2.26 GAA in 67 postseason appearances. In the past two seasons, Nabokov is 3-5 and has a goals against average of 3.10 in these games.
?I guess before you get up you have to come down,? Nabokov told reporters. ?I hope this gives us some momentum.?
Nabokov will need every bit of momentum in Colorado Sunday. In his two starts at the Pepsi Center this season, he gave up a total of 10 goals on 60 shots.
Pick: Colorado
