Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, and the Winnipeg Jets will do battle against Logan Couture, Brent Burns, and the San Jose Sharks at the SAP Center for a Western Conference showdown. The game will get started at 10:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 20, and you can see the game live on The Sports Network.
Winnipeg Jets at San Jose Sharks Odds
The Sharks (-125) are tabbed as the favorites over the Jets (+105) and the Over/Under (O/U) is placed at 7 goals (-115 for the over, -105 for the under).
Winnipeg is 22-12 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 4.7 units this year. 17 of its outings have gone over the total, while 13 have gone under and just four have pushed. As the away team in 2018-19, the Jets are 9-6 SU.
Winnipeg comes into the match up with the second-strongest power-play unit in the NHL, as it’s scored on 30.0 percent of its extra-man advantages this season. Additionally, its penalty kill is ranked 12th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 81.2 percent of its penalties..
Averaging 27.8 saves per game with a .908 save percentage, Connor Hellebuyck (15-11-1) has been the primary option in goal for Winnipeg this year. If Winnipeg decides to rest him, however, they could turn to Laurent Brossoit (7-2-1 record, .930 save percentage, 2.35 goals against average).
San Jose is 19-16 straight up (SU) and has lost 5.0 units for moneyline bettors this year. 20 of its matches have gone over the total, while 15 have gone under and none have pushed. This season, the team’s 11-5 SU at home.
The Sharks have converted on 24.3 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s good enough for eighth-best in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked third overall, and it’s successfully killed off 85.3 percent of all penalties.
Martin Jones (24.6 saves per game) has been the primary selection in goal for the Sharks. Jones has 15 wins, 10 losses, and three OT losses and has recorded a poor .901 save percentage and 2.81 goals against average this season.
Winnipeg Jets vs. San Jose Sharks Betting Predictions
Free NHL Pick: SU Winner – Sharks, O/U – Over
Betting Notes
- Eight of San Jose’s last ten games have been decided by two or more goals, and the team is 6-2 overall in those games.
- Penalties and power plays may have a key role in this game. The Jets are 12-5 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 14-8 in games where they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes. The Sharks are 10-7 when the team serves fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 14-12 in games where total penalty minutes are in the single digits.
- San Jose is 0-2 in games decided by a shootout this season while Winnipeg is 1-1 in shootouts.
- For both of these clubs, the game went over the total in three of their last five matchups.
- Winnipeg skaters have averaged 6.0 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 9.5 giveaways per game (ranked 13th overall).
- San Jose is ranked 11th this season with 9.2 giveaways per game. That figure has trended upward recently, as it’s averaged 12.2 giveaways over its last 10 games and 11.0 giveaways over its last five.
