PREMIUM
Rogers' *10* Opening Night ICE BREAKER >> Wednesday!
(NHL) Los Angeles vs. San Jose,
Money Line: -120.00 San Jose (Home)
Result: Win
Money Line: -120.00 San Jose (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The LA Kings (2015-16: 48-28-6, 2nd in Pacific) visit the San Jose Sharks (2015-16: 46-30-6, 3rd in Pacific) as the two California teams (Southern and Northern) open the 2016-17 NHL season. The Sharks took down the Kings 4-1 in the opening round of last year's playoffs and made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals, before falling 4-2 to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Sharks open the season in defense of their first-ever Western Conference title, while the Kings hope to spoil the home opener against the team that ended their season during a five-game first-round playoff series.
Kings: Los Angeles is without scoring winger Marian Gaborik, who sustained a broken foot during the World Cup of Hockey tournament. Forward Tanner Pearson is suspended for the first two regular-season games for a preseason infraction and winger Milan Lucic left the team via free agency. The Kings will feature a new look on their top line with center Anze Kopitar (team's newly anointed captain) surrounded by Dustin Brown and Devin Setoguchi, who is trying to resurrect a career that got sidetracked due to substance abuse. Goaltender Jonathan Quick has led the Kings to two Stanley Cup titles in his career and comes off a season in which his 40 wins were a franchise-record.
Sharks: San Jose's key offseason acquisitions were LW Mikkel Boedker (from Arizona) and defenseman David Schlemko (from New Jersey), who each signed four-year contracts on the first day of free agency. Veteran Joe Thornton (team-leading 63 assists, 82 points) and captain Joe Pavelski (team-high 38 goals) are back, as is goalie Martin Jones (37-23-4 with a 2.27 GAA). The Sharks did lose some players off last year's team but overall, the Sharks have the best depth they've ever enjoyed, as the franchise opens its 26th season.
The pick: San Jose struggled at home last season (18-20-3) and in fact, LA's lone win in the team's 4-1 opening loss to San Jose came at the Shark Tank. At first blush, the idea of "playoff revenge" could make sense but there's a feeling among some (many?) that the window is closing on the team that won two titles in three seasons (2011-12, 2013-14). Quick is off a strong season but San Jose goalie Martin Jones had a good season as well and owned a .913 save-percentage against his former team in going 3-1-1 against the Kings last year. San Jose finished fourth in goals per game (2.89) and third in power play percentage (22.5) last season and I'm backing them in their home opener. San Jose is a 10* play.
Kings: Los Angeles is without scoring winger Marian Gaborik, who sustained a broken foot during the World Cup of Hockey tournament. Forward Tanner Pearson is suspended for the first two regular-season games for a preseason infraction and winger Milan Lucic left the team via free agency. The Kings will feature a new look on their top line with center Anze Kopitar (team's newly anointed captain) surrounded by Dustin Brown and Devin Setoguchi, who is trying to resurrect a career that got sidetracked due to substance abuse. Goaltender Jonathan Quick has led the Kings to two Stanley Cup titles in his career and comes off a season in which his 40 wins were a franchise-record.
Sharks: San Jose's key offseason acquisitions were LW Mikkel Boedker (from Arizona) and defenseman David Schlemko (from New Jersey), who each signed four-year contracts on the first day of free agency. Veteran Joe Thornton (team-leading 63 assists, 82 points) and captain Joe Pavelski (team-high 38 goals) are back, as is goalie Martin Jones (37-23-4 with a 2.27 GAA). The Sharks did lose some players off last year's team but overall, the Sharks have the best depth they've ever enjoyed, as the franchise opens its 26th season.
The pick: San Jose struggled at home last season (18-20-3) and in fact, LA's lone win in the team's 4-1 opening loss to San Jose came at the Shark Tank. At first blush, the idea of "playoff revenge" could make sense but there's a feeling among some (many?) that the window is closing on the team that won two titles in three seasons (2011-12, 2013-14). Quick is off a strong season but San Jose goalie Martin Jones had a good season as well and owned a .913 save-percentage against his former team in going 3-1-1 against the Kings last year. San Jose finished fourth in goals per game (2.89) and third in power play percentage (22.5) last season and I'm backing them in their home opener. San Jose is a 10* play.
