NHL Hockey Free Picks

NHL betting on tap for Sunday as the Chicago Blackhawks head to San Jose to face the Sharks in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.  At least *this* side of the bracket makes sense, with the #1 and #2 teams facing each other as opposed to the bizarre #7 vs. #8 matchup back East.  Both teams had a relatively easy time in the previous round–again, unlike the Eastern Conference Final where Montreal and Philadelphia both come in off of 7 game series.  This game goes at 12:05 PM Pacific and will air on NBC in the US.

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VS. SAN JOSE SHARKS:

Game 7 between the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins gives us a nice hockey betting value opportunity.  Not content with having knocked the Presidents’ Cup winning Washington Capitals out of the playoffs, the Habs now have the defending Stanley Cup champions on the ropes.  Montreal had the fewest points of any playoff team heading into the postseason, but here they are one win away from playing in the Conference Finals.  Tonight’s game goes at 4:05 PM Pacific from Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VS. MONTREAL CANADIENS:

So what happened to the Montreal Canadiens?  Have they been possessed by the spirits of “Boom Boom” Geoffrion, Maurice Richard, Toe Blake and Jacques Plante?  After losing a 6-3 decision to Pittsburgh in Game 1 its been nothing but close hard fought games since then.  Jaroslav Halek is playing out of his mind and since the opening game loss the Habs have allowed only 10 goals in 5 games.  Michael Cammalleri, who came over from Calgary in the offseason, has been Montreal’s offensive catalyst scoring six goals in six games.

The Stanley Cup playoffs continue tonight in Vancouver, and we’ve got a good NHL betting proposition on the game between the hometown Canucks and the Chicago Blackhawks.  Vancouver won the first game of the series in Chicago, the Blackhawks have won the next two games and the series shifts back to the Windy City following tonight’s Game 4 at GM Place.  We had some interest in playing the Blackhawks here, but an even stronger position appears to be the total in the game.  By the way, we’re not showing preferential treatment for the Blackhawks in this matchup but the Canucks apparently don’t have ice girls!

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VS. VANCOUVER CANUCKS:

Two NHL betting opportunities on tap for Wednesday, and we’ll take a look at the Eastern Conference matchup between the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers.  Bruins won the first two games at the TD BankNorth Garden–both by one goal.  The series now shifts to the City of Tazer Happy Cops…er….the City of Brotherly Love….for Games 3 and 4.  The big storyline in the series so far has been an alleged bite delivered by the Bruins’ Marc Savard to the Flyers’ Daniel Carcillo.  According to Savard, Carcillo stuck his fingers in his mouth.  No idea what really happened, but just as an FYI sticking your fingers in a NHL hockey player’s mouth probably isn’t the wisest idea.

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS VS. BOSTON BRUINS: