NHL Playoffs: Predictions for May 9th

We have a pair of Western Conference Game 6s on the docket tonight. Let’s take a look at the top picks, plays and predictions for this day in the NHL Playoffs.

Here are tonight’s starting goaltenders, courtesy of LeftWingLock.

#1 Stars vs #2 Blues: The Dallas Stars are on the ropes tonight. Down 3-2 in the series, they now head out on the road after being shut down on home ice.

The St. Louis Blues have a chance to advance to the Western Conference Final for the first time since 2001. They have been to the Western Conference final four other times, including 1986 and three straight seasons to begin their history in 1968, ’69 and ’70. They have never won a Stanley Cup in three trips to the Final.

The Blues rebounded nicely after an overtime loss in Game 4. Robby Fabbri lucked into a goal to start the scoring in Game 5, banking a pass off the right skate of Brett Ritchie to take a 1-0 lead. A turnover generated by Jason Spezza set up Alex Goligoski to pick a corner and tie things up minutes later.

Dmitrij Jaskin buried a goal in his first playoff game this year in the second period.

https://twitter.com/myregularface/status/729011085622259712

Late in the second, Troy Brouwer buried a goal in the paint to make it 3-1. Paul Stastny picked up an empty netter late in the third to stick the dagger in Dallas.

Now all that’s left to do is twist the knife.

Okay, gruesome metaphor.

The Stars will be sticking with Kari Lehtonen in Game 6 for lack of a better option. The sad thing is that Kari Lehtonen was not awful in Game 5, and he really has not been all that terrible this series. Bad goalies can find their way to the Cup Finals and even hoist the Cup itself if they have a good enough team in front of them, or they just get hot at the right time.

The problem is that the Blues have been incredibly tough to score on, just as they were in the regular season. They simply do not make enough mistakes, and Brian Elliott has been brilliant.

Ironically, Kari Lehtonen was the only playoff starting goaltender drafted in the top two rounds (Marc-Andre Fleury is shelved, and Matt Murray has been spectacular). Take that for what it’s worth.

Patrick Eaves traveled with the team and is a possibility for Game 6. Tyler Seguin is not.

The Stars are 1-4 in their last five visits to St. Louis. The Blues can sense something big happening on home ice.

Prediction: My prediction is on the verge of becoming a reality. Take the Blues to win tonight and close things out. Play the under.

#3 Sharks vs WC1 Predators: Tonight is a mix of good news and bad news for the Nashville Predators.

Here’s the good news: a must-win Game 6 is on home ice. Where else would you rather be? Nashville has played very well against San Jose at home in both the regular season and this series. Their play at Bridgestone Arena has been encouraging and has eliminated the Sharks’ daunting road-warrior status. The Sharks are 1-8 in their last nine trips to Tennessee.

Here’s the bad news. This franchise has a horrid record when down three games to two in a series. Last series against Anaheim was the first time in franchise history the Preds have managed to overcome a 3-2 series deficit in six attempts. It was the first Game 7 Nashville has ever seen as an organization.

And Game 5 was a disaster for the Preds.

San Jose routed Nashville 5-1. The Preds went 0-for-3 on the man advantage while allowing their fifth powerplay goal this series. Shea Weber and Roman Josi looked just a half-step too slow all night for the first time really this series.

Nashville will have to rely on their ability to limit the Sharks’ offensive attack on home ice. The Sharks have scored only four goals in almost nine periods this series on the road.

The Sharks are favored tonight. I have enough faith in the Predators’ ability to extend this series to a seventh game tonight. They will need a big offensive night to do so.

Prediction: Take the Preds to live another day. Play the over.