PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's Stanley Cup Saturday Destroyer
(NHL) Edmonton vs. San Jose,
Money Line: 128.00 Edmonton (Away)
Result: Win
Money Line: 128.00 Edmonton (Away)
Result: Win
San Jose is the oldest team in the NHL and it showed during its overtime loss to the Oilers two days ago.
The Oilers' key players are all much younger than San Jose's and so have the fresher legs.
The Sharks played into mid-June last spring. San Jose's best players also competed in the World Cup of Hockey. Only one other team logged more travel miles than the Sharks during the season. Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Paul Martin are all at least 36 years old. Joe Pavelski and Ben Burns are 32. The Sharks have a lot of wear and tear.
It's going to be tough for the Sharks to regain their momentum and energy after such a mentally-draining overtime loss. It would be one thing if I regarded San Jose as the superior team. But I don't. Edmonton is the better team.
The Oilers have won 15 of their last 19 games. They have defeated the Sharks six of the past eight times, too.
This is Edmonton's time. The Sharks had their shot last season. Now their window has closed.
The Oilers' key players are all much younger than San Jose's and so have the fresher legs.
The Sharks played into mid-June last spring. San Jose's best players also competed in the World Cup of Hockey. Only one other team logged more travel miles than the Sharks during the season. Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Paul Martin are all at least 36 years old. Joe Pavelski and Ben Burns are 32. The Sharks have a lot of wear and tear.
It's going to be tough for the Sharks to regain their momentum and energy after such a mentally-draining overtime loss. It would be one thing if I regarded San Jose as the superior team. But I don't. Edmonton is the better team.
The Oilers have won 15 of their last 19 games. They have defeated the Sharks six of the past eight times, too.
This is Edmonton's time. The Sharks had their shot last season. Now their window has closed.