NHL Hockey Prediction: New Jersey Devils vs. San Jose Sharks: March 2nd 2010

New Jersey Devils vs. San Jose Sharks
Free NHL Pick: San Jose -150 (March 2nd 2010 – Nick Parsons)
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San Jose (40-13-9) and New Jersey (37-21-3), who could potentially meet in the Stanley Cup finals, had a combined 13 players make the trip to Vancouver; for a number of different reasons I believe the home team offers decent value in this position: The Devils got a chance to rest and clear their heads after stumbling into the break, going 5-10-2 despite acquiring Ilya Kovalchuk in a trade with Atlanta on Feb. 4. However, Martin Brodeur was showing signs of tiring, going 3-4-1 with a 3.20 GAA in his last eight games. Also keep in mind that New Jersey is just 5-7 (-3.7 units) in non-conference games. On the other side of the rink: The Sharks are eager to play again after losing 3-1 to Buffalo on Feb. 13 in their last game before the break. San Jose is 21-9 (+8.2 units) when playing against a team with a winning record; meaning the Sharks tend to play at their best when faced with stiff competition. Bottom line: Home ice advantage can’t be overlooked in this case; consider a play on the decently valued SHARKS.

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1. Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls: NBA Basketball Prediction: March 1st 2010
2. Free NHL Hockey Betting Picks: December 23rd 2009
3. Free NBA Pick: Portland Trailblazers vs. New Jersey Nets: February 23rd 2010