The SAP Center is playing host a divisional matchup as the expansion franchise Vegas Golden Knights travel to San Jose to meet the Sharks. The match gets started at 10:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 8, and it can be caught live on NBC Sports California.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks Odds
Vegas (-115) is currently the favorite over San Jose (-105), and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -110 for the over and -110 for the under.
Vegas is 35-18 straight up (SU) and has netted 20.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 53 regular season contests, 30 of its games have gone over the total, while 21 have gone under and just two have pushed. As an away team in 2017-18, the Knights are 16-13 SU.
Vegas has converted on 21.6 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that places them in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, it has the fourth-strongest penalty kill in the league, and the team’s successfully killed off 83.4 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Knights have been sent to the penalty box just 3.3 times per game overall in the 2017-18 season, 3.6 per game over its past five outings total, and 3.6 per game over its last five road outings. The team has had to kill penalties just 7.1 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
With a .935 save percentage and 28.8 saves per game, Marc-Andre Fleury (15-7-2) has been the top option in goal for Vegas this year. If head coach Gerard Gallant decides to rest him, however, the team may roll with Malcolm Subban (12-4-1), who has a .912 save percentage and 2.59 goals against average this year.
Jonathan Marchessault and David Perron will both be relied on to facilitate things for the visiting Golden Knights. Marchessault (52 points) has tallied 19 goals and 33 assists, and has recorded multiple points in 15 different games. Perron has 13 goals and 34 assists to his creditand has logged a point in 33 games.
Over on the other bench, San Jose is 28-25 straight up (SU) and has lost 2.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 53 regular season matches, 33 of its games have gone under the total, while 19 have gone over and just one has pushed. This year, the team’s 14-10 SU at home.
The Sharks have converted on 23.6 percent of their power play chances this season, a figure that places it in the top-5 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked second overall, and it’s successfully killed off 84.6 percent of all penalties.
Sharks players have been penalized 3.6 times per game in total this season, and 2.6 per game over their past five match ups. The team’s had to kill penalties just 8.6 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Martin Jones has stopped 25.4 shots per game as the primary netminder in goal for the Sharks. Jones has 16 wins, 19 losses, and six overtime losses to his credit and has recorded a 2.60 goals against average and a .913 save percentage this season.
The home team will be led on offense by Brent Burns (nine goals, 35 assists).
Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Sharks, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- Over Vegas’ last ten games, five of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-1 in those games).
- The Golden Knights are 11-8 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 25-12 in games where they’re in the box for fewer than 10 penalty minutes, total.
- San Jose is 3-3 in games decided by a shootout this season while Vegas is 2-2 in shootouts.
- The under has hit in four of San Jose’s last five games.
- San Jose is ranked 27th this season with 11.8 giveaways per game. That figure has trended lower lately, however, as it’s averaged 7.6 giveaways over its last 10 games and 6.6 giveaways over its last five.
- Vegas is ranked 15th this season with 9.3 giveaways per game. That figure has trended down recently, however, as the team’s averaged 6.7 giveaways over its last 10 games and 7.0 giveaways over its last five.
