Posted on 4/15/2008 6:32:20 PM

NHL Furious Free Picks 2008 – Sharks In Trouble

By Tim Furious

San Jose Sharks (1-2) vs. Calgary Flames (2-1)

Tuesday, April 15th --- Pengrowth Saddledome, San Jose --- 10:00pm EST

NHL Betting Line: Calgary -135

The Flames are better than I thought they were, or the Sharks or worse than I imagined. Not sure which one to believe, though I imagine it’s much more of the former. The Flames took a firm hold on this series after Corey Sarich decapitated Marleau and caused the Flames to burn up all of the Sharks momentum. Can Calgary continue burning brightly for their betting investors?

The main problem for San Jose is that they’re the “hump team” in the NHL. They are consistent regular season favorites, only to become the destined playoff letdowns that we’ve grown to expect of them. This whole “let’s play solid team defense” isn’t working in this series because they’re letting teams hang around. Even with a three-goal lead in game three, they couldn’t stop the Flames from thundering back.

Calgary has a leg up on San Jose in this series and the regular season series where they went 5-1 SU in their last 6 with San Jose. The Saddledome is an impossible place to play in the playoff time, so bet on Calgary in the UNDER as they light up Nabokov and penetrate the San Jose defense which is playing sub-par in this series so far.

NHL Free Picks: Calgary -135 (UNDER)

Minnesota Wild (2-1) vs. Colorado Avalanche (1-2)

Tuesday, April 15th --- Pepsi Center, Denver --- 10:00pm EST

NHL Betting Line: Colorado -170

Three overtime games. Three 3-2 victories. Both teams are 3-2 SU in their past 5 games. How’s that for betting trends? Minnesota has rallied to take a 2-1 lead in the series, and Colorado desperately needs to win this game. But that will be tough with the pressure mounting and good ol’ Jose Theodore in net.

Theodore is a good goal tender don’t get me wrong. But the reason they ran him out of tow in Montreal is because he collapses consistently under the mounting pressure of expectation. The eight points from the feared Sakic-Forsberg-Hejduk line has steadied the team, but Minnesota is biting back with some offensive punch of their own.

Mikko Koivu has four points and Brian Rolston has three points, while Marion Gaborik has been effectively shut down by Colorado. If you can expect an outburst from anyone, it’s Gabby. Great ready for some heat, Theodore, because Marion’s coming. And that can’t be good for the Colorado betting faithful.

NHL Free Picks: Minnesota +150 (UNDER)

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