The Red Wings have won 3 straight to force a game 7 in San Jose tonight. This is already the second time this playoffs that a team that was trailing 3-0 after the first 3 games of a series rallied to force a game 7. The other team to do this was the Chicago Blackhawks, who showed why they were the defending champs by dominating the top ranked Canucks in games 4 and 5, before losing at the hands of a Burrows overtime clapper in game 7. The Sharks are hoping that they can do like the Canucks did and end this losing streak at 3 and avoid becoming the 4th team in NHL history to give up a 3-0 series lead (Boston did so last season, but made sure not to this year by sweeping the Flyers in the second round rematch).
Detroit Red Wings @ San Jose Sharks
Two legitimate cup contenders battle it out tonight in a winner take all game to see who takes on the top ranked Vancouver Canucks in the Western Conference Finals. The first five games of the series were each decided by one goal, while the 6th game featured an empty net goal allowing the Red Wings to win by a score of 3-1. I expect this game 7 to be another nail biter that comes down to the very end.
Both teams are hoping one of their star players returns from day to day injuries tonight, with the Sharks desperately hoping Ryane Clowe, their leading scorer this playoffs, is available to return after missing game 6 with an upper body injury. The Red Wings on the other hand, would like to see Johan Franzen back in uniform. He missed game 6 with a sore ankle.
The Red Wings have a much more experienced team and the pressure is entirely on the Sharks in this one due to their history of playoff collapses and because they are the team that has given up the 3-0 series lead. The Red Wings are slight underdogs in this one, but I expect them to come out firing on all cylinders and their playoff experience should be enough to push them through this game against a talented Sharks team.
Prediction: Detroit Red Wings +115
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Tagged with: Detroit Red Wings • Game 7 • Round 2 • San Jose Sharks