The Sharks are now up 3-2 in this closely fought series against the Avs, and fans are hopeful that Joe Pavelski may return soon to give their team an even greater chance of closing this series out in Denver.
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Sports Interaction Staff
Sharks vs. Avalanche Game 6 Prediction: NHL Playoffs Betting Odds
Sharks vs. Avalanche Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Analysis
Tomas Hertl was the difference maker for Game 5 between Colorado and San Jose, scoring twice to give the Sharks their 2-1 win and the 3-2 series lead. Goalie Martin Jones stopped 21 shots on net to push his team within a win of moving forward to the Western Conference final.
The Avalanche couldn’t catch a break for their top three goal scorers as Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen were held to just five shots altogether on goal. Without production from those three, the Avalanche might see their playoff run end tonight.
Philipp Grubauer made 37 saves in the 2-1 loss which was a playoff career-high for the regular season backup netminder. The Avalanche are slight favorites at home tonight, but 53 percent of Sports Interaction bettors are putting their money on the Sharks to win tonight and take the series.
San Jose Sharks
Joe Pavelski is headed to Denver for Game 6, but as of this writing it is unknown if he will play with the team tonight. Pavelski hasn’t played since Game 7 of the team’s series against the Vegas Golden Knights, when he was cross-checked and hit his head on the ice. Pavelski has been skating since Wednesday.
These two clubs have alternated wins and losses throughout this series, something that the Sharks hope can shift tonight. Coach Peter DeBoer said to the press:
“We don’t want to extend this if we don’t have to, but there’s another team that’s going to play with a whole lot of desperation because their season is on the line, so we know that. Tough building to win in, and we’ve got to go in and try and do that job.”
“As much as I enjoyed my first Game 7, I’d like to forego it maybe this series,” Evander Kane said. “Anytime you get an opportunity to close out a team, you want to do it.”
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche know it’s do or die tonight, and they hope that home ice advantage will give them the push they need to force a game 7, even though the possibility that Joe Pavelski returns is looming.
“He is an all-star and he is one of the best players on their team,” Gabriel Landeskog said. “I don’t know exactly how old he is — he’s north of 30 and he’s putting up points and producing every year, year in and year out. I mean, he’s an elite player. Obviously, he’s their captain, and he means a lot to their group. You just saw how they rallied in Game 7 against the Golden Knights. So I’m sure there will be a boost for them.
“But for us, it doesn’t change anything. We prepared going into the series as if he was going to play, and to be honest, we don’t really care who is in or who is out for them.”
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