Thus far this has been a classic NHL playoff betting matchup and there will be hardly any arguments from the sports betting arena that whatever team wins this series is the most worthy to participate in the Stanley Cup finals. These two teams have been the greatest in the West all season long and so it’s only fitting that they come together in the hockey conference finals.

It’s challenging to claim that either team has established its prominence over this NHL playoff betting series and its turning out to be a finish to the death. Game was a very close competition and the 2-1 result may have gone either way. But following the Chicago Blackhawks’  4-2 beat down in Game 2 the Blackhawks have the upper-hand right now in the hockey betting.

Hawks captain Jonathan Toews continues to play outstanding hockey for the duration of the NHL playoff betting action and leads all players with 23 points (7 goals, 16 assists) in 23 games. He is critical to Chicago’s hockey betting success and if this team is intending to advance to the Stanley Cup betting finals it will be his responsibility. The Sharks have to find a way to keep this beast out of the scoring column but easier said than done taking into account how well he’s playing and how well he sees the ice.

Toews is the youngest full captain in the National Hockey League at the moment. Aside from a gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics, Toews in addition has won gold medals at the 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championships, 2007 World Championships, and the 2005 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, an international ice hockey competition hosted in Canada. Despite a knee sprain that prevented him from playing in 16 games in his rookie season, he scored the most goals out of all rookies and finished third in points. Toews was named the Chicago Blackhawks team captain in merely his second season with the team. He has been a risk to any team the Blackhawks play against.

Thankfully the Sharks have among the best defenses in the NHL betting competition (215 GA in regular season) and have the players to make life challenging for Toews. The Sharks are also a very good road team as evidenced by their NHL betting road record, 24-14-3. And they’ll need to be at their best to defeat the red hot Chicago in front of their hometown crowd. More probable, Chicago will win Game 3 at home with an excellent NHL playoff betting performance by Toews and company. If so, this NHL odds competition could be done in the near future.

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