Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone, and the Vegas Golden Knights are set to do battle against Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, and the San Jose Sharks at the SAP Center for a Pacific Division showdown. The puck drops at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, December 22, and you are able to view the game live on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.
Vegas Golden Knights at San Jose Sharks Odds
The Golden Knights (-140) are the favorite over the Sharks (+120), and the Over/Under (O/U) has been placed at an even 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -120 over, +100 under.
Vegas is 19-19 straight up (SU) and has lost 9.8 units for moneyline bettors this year. 19 of its contests have gone under the total, while 18 have gone over and just one has pushed. This 2019-20 Golden Knights team is 9-10 SU on the road.
Vegas has converted on 22.1 percent of its power play chances this year, a mark that’s good enough for eighth-best in the NHL. Its penalty kill is ranked ninth overall, and the team’s successfully killed off 83.1 percent of its penalties..
Averaging 27.5 saves per game with a .915 save percentage, Marc-Andre Fleury (14-11-3) has been the primary option in goal for Vegas this year. If Vegas decides to rest him, however, they may roll with Malcolm Subban (5-8-3 record, .903 save percentage, 2.96 goals against average).
On the other bench, San Jose is 16-20 straight up (SU) and has lost 7.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. 17 of its outings have gone over the total, while another 17 have gone under and just two have pushed. It’s 10-9 SU at home this year.
The Sharks have converted on just 14.8 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a figure that places them in the bottom 5 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked first overall, and it’s successfully killed off 88.4 percent of all penalties.
Martin Jones has stopped 24.8 shots per game as the primary selection in goal for the Sharks. Jones has 12 wins, 15 losses, and one OT loss and has recorded a mediocre 3.30 goals against average and a fairly-weak .888 save percentage this year.
Vegas Golden Knights at San Jose Sharks Free Picks
Free Prediction: 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 3-5 overall in those games.
- The Sharks are 7-10 SU when they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Golden Knights are 9-9 SU in games where they spend more time in the box than their opponent.
- San Jose is 2-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Vegas is 3-0 in shootouts.
- The under has hit in three of San Jose’s last five games.
- Vegas skaters have averaged 10.8 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 9.1 giveaways per game (the ninth-fewest in the league).
- San Jose is ranked 11th this season with 9.5 giveaways per game. That figure has trended down recently, however, as it’s averaged 8.2 giveaways over its last 10 games and 7.2 giveaways over its last five.
- This game features a couple of the tougher defenses in the league. Vegas skaters have accounted for the fourth-most hits in the league (27.0 per game) while the Sharks have registered the 10th-most (22.2).
