San Jose Sharks vs. Detroit Red Wings Game 6 Line

Here is the San Jose Sharks vs. Detroit Red Wings Game 6 line for Tuesday night: 

Sportsbook.comLine/Total: Detroit -140, San Jose +120/5.5 over -115

Facing a 3-1 third period deficit in Game 5 on the road and 18 minutes from elimination, the Red Wings showed the heart and attitude of true champions. Detroit scored three unanswered goals in the final period to defeat the Sharks and force Game 6 back home in Detroit. Now the Red Wings are 60 minutes from heading back to San Jose for a Game 7, and potential history.

San Jose doesn’t have to look very far for the warning signs. Twice in the last two postseasons has a team taken a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven series only to be forced to play a Game 7. While the Vancouver Canucks were fortunate enough to win their Game 7 in the Western Conference Quarterfinals against the Blackhawks this year, Boston was unable to hold off Philadelphia’s 3-0 series comeback in the 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals. While the Bruins got their revenge this season by sweeping the Flyers, the Sharks are hoping they won’t be facing the same circumstances as Boston did. In order to prevent a Game 7 and potential collapse, the Sharks need to quickly compose themselves and forget about the chance they blew in Game 5. Heading into Game 4, the Sharks seemed to have received all the bounces and calls in winning the first three games by one goal. After rallying from down a goal in the third period in Game 3 and winning in OT, the Sharks smelled blood and looked to defeat and discouraged Detroit team. Even after they were swamped in the first period of Game 4 and fell behind 3-0, they managed to keep their head and tie the game in the third period, in a contest that seemed destined for another one-goal victory. However, Darren Helm put the game-winner past Antti Niemi with 1:27 remaining and gave the Wings new life. After their Game 5 collapse, the Sharks are starting to look over their shoulder and perhaps all the breaks they have been getting are now going the other way.

Patrick Marleau is still a no-show in this series. After registering two goals and three assists against the Kings, Marleau has gone without a single point, and is a minus-1 for the series. After allowing just two goals in the first two games of this series, Antti Niemi has given up 11 goals in the past three games. If the Sharks want to end this series in Game 6, they need Niemi and Marleau to return to form.

For the fourth time in their long playoff history, the Red Wings won a playoff game in which they trailed by at least two goals in the third period. Detroit has managed to force a Game 6 with Valtteri Filppula and Johan Franzen each not recording a point and combining to register a minus-5. Nicklas Lidstrom has shown why he is a first ballot Hall-of-Fame defenseman with his play this series, scoring four goals and registering two assists. No other Detroit player has more than one goal in this series. In a testament to the incredible depth the Red Wings have, nine other players have scored a goal in this series. Pavel Datsyuk assisted on three goals in Game 5, including the game-winner by Tomas Holmstrom with just over six minutes remaining. Jimmy Howard has been solid when it has counted the last two games, coming up with big saves in the third period.

Mike Modano, who has played only one game this postseason, registering an assist against the Coyotes in Game 4 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, will replace Johan Franzen in the lineup if Franzen (ankle) is unable to play in Game 6. Another sure first ballot Hall-of-Famer, Modano played in 40 regular season games for the Wings, scoring four goals and registering 11 assists. 

The Sharks are feeling the heat right now, but this is still a team that advanced to the Conference Finals last season and has recorded at least 105 points for five straight seasons. San Jose needs to get off to a good start and control the tempo, otherwise attitudes and the overall aura of this series, which has already started to shift to Detroit, might just overwhelm them.

- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com