PREMIUM
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(NHL) San Jose vs. Colorado,
Money Line: -110.00 San Jose (Away)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -110.00 San Jose (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: Veteran center Joe Thornton (13 goals & 36 points) went down with a knee injury back Jan. 23 for the San Jose Sharks. San Jose lost its first three games without Thornton but has responded with 3-1 victories over Columbus and Carolina to move into second place (28-16-8) in the Pacific Division, 10 points behind Vegas. The Sharks will cap a five-game road trip Tuesday against the Colorado Avalanche (28-19-4), who now sit just one point out of wild-card position in the Western Conference. This coming on the heels of the Avs finishing with an NHL-low 22 wins and 48 points last season. Colorado is returning home after going 2-3-1 on a pair of three-game road trips sandwiched around the All-Star break.
San Jose: Defending Norris Trophy winner Brent Burns (nine goals & a team-high 44 points) has three goals and 16 assists in his last 16 games and will be counted on even more with Thornton out of the lineup. Burns, who had a goal and an assist Sunday versus Carolina, is a team-worst minus-21, which coach Peter DeBoer told reporters "he could care less about.'' Fellow defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (nine goals & 21 points) has scored four goals in his last nine games and is averaging 22 minutes, 42 seconds of ice time. Logan Couture took a puck to the face Friday night and it looked like San Jose would be down another key forward. However, for the Sharks, Couture returned for the end of the 3-1 win at Columbus and seems to have avoided a major injury. He was also on the ice for San Jose's 3-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday and enters as the team's top goal-scorer with 22 (39 points).
Colorado: The Avalanche welcomed the return of No. 1 goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who made 29 saves in Saturday's 3-0 loss at Winnipeg, after missing 11 contests with a groin injury. "I thought (Varlamov) played great," Colorado coach Jared Bednar told reporters. "It was great to see him back in the net and he was our best player (Saturday). The Avs should fell confident as they return to the Pepsi Center where they have won eight in a row, giving them an 18-7-1 home record. Alexander Kerfoot (12 goals, 32 points) has taken MacKinnon's place on the top line but the rookie hasn't recorded a point since his promotion. Mikko Rantanen (17 goals, 50 points) has also been quiet while Gabriel Landeskog (19 goals, 40 points) had two assists in Thursday's 4-3 overtime victory in Edmonton.
The pick: Home may be where the heart is for Colorado but the team is in the midst of 13 of 16 games away from home. Tuesday's game is a quick stop before a three-game swing through St. Louis, Carolina and Buffalo. The return of top goaltender Semyon Varlamov may be good news but after he, played his first game since Jan. 2 on Saturday, he will back up No. 2 goaltender Jonathan Bernier (15-9-2, 2.68 GAA & .917 SP) against San Jose. The Sharks have looked good at the end of this road trip and I expect them to get the better of Colorado in this "rare" home game (see above). Make San Jose a 10* play.
San Jose: Defending Norris Trophy winner Brent Burns (nine goals & a team-high 44 points) has three goals and 16 assists in his last 16 games and will be counted on even more with Thornton out of the lineup. Burns, who had a goal and an assist Sunday versus Carolina, is a team-worst minus-21, which coach Peter DeBoer told reporters "he could care less about.'' Fellow defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (nine goals & 21 points) has scored four goals in his last nine games and is averaging 22 minutes, 42 seconds of ice time. Logan Couture took a puck to the face Friday night and it looked like San Jose would be down another key forward. However, for the Sharks, Couture returned for the end of the 3-1 win at Columbus and seems to have avoided a major injury. He was also on the ice for San Jose's 3-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday and enters as the team's top goal-scorer with 22 (39 points).
Colorado: The Avalanche welcomed the return of No. 1 goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who made 29 saves in Saturday's 3-0 loss at Winnipeg, after missing 11 contests with a groin injury. "I thought (Varlamov) played great," Colorado coach Jared Bednar told reporters. "It was great to see him back in the net and he was our best player (Saturday). The Avs should fell confident as they return to the Pepsi Center where they have won eight in a row, giving them an 18-7-1 home record. Alexander Kerfoot (12 goals, 32 points) has taken MacKinnon's place on the top line but the rookie hasn't recorded a point since his promotion. Mikko Rantanen (17 goals, 50 points) has also been quiet while Gabriel Landeskog (19 goals, 40 points) had two assists in Thursday's 4-3 overtime victory in Edmonton.
The pick: Home may be where the heart is for Colorado but the team is in the midst of 13 of 16 games away from home. Tuesday's game is a quick stop before a three-game swing through St. Louis, Carolina and Buffalo. The return of top goaltender Semyon Varlamov may be good news but after he, played his first game since Jan. 2 on Saturday, he will back up No. 2 goaltender Jonathan Bernier (15-9-2, 2.68 GAA & .917 SP) against San Jose. The Sharks have looked good at the end of this road trip and I expect them to get the better of Colorado in this "rare" home game (see above). Make San Jose a 10* play.
