San Jose Sharks, Vancouver Canucks clash in Western Conference Final
After a long seven-game series, the San Jose Sharks finally dispatched the Detroit Red Wings to advance to the Western Conference Finals to take on the Vancouver Canucks, with Game 1 slated for Sunday (8 pm ET, VERSUS).
The Canucks are a -160 favorite and the over/under total is 5.5 in NHL Betting.
The second round took a little longer to complete than San Jose, and their fans, would have liked, as the series ended up going the full seven games after San Jose jumped out to a three games to none lead over Detroit. The Sharks will be making their second consecutive appearance in the Western Conference Finals, and the team hopes this year’s result is better than last year’s where the Sharks were swept by the eventual Stanley Cup winners, the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Vancouver Canucks have been patiently waiting to see who their next round opponent would be after beating the Nashville Predators in six games. This year marks the first time the Canucks have been to the Conference finals since the 1993-94 season, and the fans in Vancouver have high expectations for this year’s team.
Sporting the best offense and third best penalty kill in the regular season, the Canucks are certainly one of the most talented teams in the league, but will be tested by the fast, physical San Jose Sharks. If Vancouver can get better production out of its star players, the Canucks should win this series.
However, if the Sedin twins continue their postseason struggles, there could be more angst in Vancouver this offseason as fans and team management will feel they let a chance to win the Stanley Cup slip through their fingers.
