[Quote: Originally Posted by Dr2Half]
$$$$ NASHVILLE-ANAHEIM UNDER 5 -115 GAME 7 $$$$
I hardly ever put 2 full-game picks out in the same day, as I am mainly a 2H bettor as my username would suggest. However, I love both games on tonight's card.
Let me start with the Ducks. I saw many of you on Anaheim for Game 6, and why not? They had totally destroyed the Preds in the previous 3 games. But I will tell you why I stayed away from Anaheim. It was the first time the Ducks had a lead in that series. Some people or teams can't handle prosperity. I was curious to see how Anaheim would play when ahead in the series, and the answer was they were not good. Nashville clearly was the better team on Sunday night.
I live here in Las Vegas, so I am blacked out from watching NBCSN's coverage of Ducks games. I have to watch the Anaheim telecast on Fox Sports West, which is a shame because I don't get to hear the best in the business, Doc Emrick, call tonight's game. In watching the Ducks' telecast before game 3 when they were on the road down 0-2 in the series, Bruce Boudreau was asked what Anaheim was going to do to get back in the series. His answer was a simple one. The Ducks led the NHL in goals allowed this season and he said, "We are going to focus only on our defense and let everything else take care of itself."
I thought they got away from that a little bit in Game 5 even though they won and certainly in Game 6, but I would look for them to definitely have that mindset once again tonight in game 7. It worked for them during the regular season after a horrible start, and it has worked when that has been their focus in this series. Andersen has been great between the pipes, having only allowed 3 goals in 3 games, and with the right mindset by Anaheim goals should once again be very hard to come by for the Predators.
So why not just take the Ducks after saying all that? One reason. Welcome back, Pekka Rinne!! After being mostly pedestrian for the entire series, the old Pekka Rinne came to life on Sunday. He was outstanding and truly looked locked in for the first time during these playoffs. And as we have seen in the NHL playoffs, once a goalie gets locked in, he can stay locked in. You think the Flyers are kicking themselves for having waited so long to start Neuvirth in their series with Washington? Nashville has shown in this series they can shut down the Ducks' offense, having held them to 2 or fewer goals in their 3 wins.
If Anaheim plays the way they should, and the way I think they will, goals will be scarce for the Predators. With a locked in Rinne now in net for Nashville, this should be a great low-scoring Game 7. Enjoy a fun night of hockey, everyone.
Nice hit Doc!!!
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