Golden Knights-Sharks prediction, odds, pick, how to watch

Reunited and it feels so good! The NHL has returned to the front and center of the sports universe and is ready for another thrilling season! It is time to check out our NHL odds series where our Golden Knights-Sharks prediction and pick will be revealed.

One game down, no problem at all! After an entertaining banner presentation that was as Vegas as it gets on Tuesday night, the Golden Knights put on an absolute show for their fans in the season opener in a decisive 4-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Entering the 2023-2024 season, Vegas is once again a premier favorite to take home Lord Stanley's Cup for the second consecutive season.

On the other side of things, the San Jose Sharks will be partaking in their first game of the year in a difficult matchup with the defending champs, and even though this franchise has been in rebuild mode the past couple of seasons, the Sharks are hopeful that they possess a much-improved roster this fall. Last season, it was San Jose that compiled a sloppy 22-44 overall record. Can the Sharks prove that they are here to compete this year?

Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Golden Knights vs. Sharks Odds

Vegas Golden Knights: -1.5 (-104)

San Jose Sharks: +1.5 (-115)

Over: 6.5 (-108)

Under: 6.5 (-112)

How to Watch Knights vs. Sharks

Time: 10:30 ET/7:30 PT

TV: ESPN+

Why The Knights Will Cover The Spread/Win

While being the defending champs alone with a  could be a good enough reason that the Golden Knights will prove to be too much to overcome for the Sharks on this Thursday night, it was Vegas that also started their title defense in style a couple of nights ago as they managed to not skip a beat in their beatdown of the Kraken at home.

For starters, this is a team that loves to start quickly and spend no time looking back. Against Seattle, this happened to be the case as it was Vegas that sprinted out to a 3-0 lead which ultimately ended up being the dagger. While the sample size is small, this was also a tendency in last year's team as well. Simply put, if the Golden Knights can stay ahead of the eight-ball by getting off to a quick start, then the Sharks could be in big trouble when it is all but said and done.

Clearly, the bottom line is that the Knights should be expected to have their way with the Sharks and also boast many advantages over them on paper. While anything can happen in the wild sport of hockey, expect Vegas to create a plethora of turnovers whenever the Sharks enter the zone offensively after holding a more explosive team in the Kraken to only one score with 33 shots on goal.

Why The Sharks Will Cover The Spread/Win

Crazier things have happened, but the Sharks defeating the Golden Knights will prove to be a difficult task even if San Jose is at home. Indeed, starting the season off against the Stanley Cup Champs is not easy, and there is no question that the Sharks will need to keep the mistakes to a minimum to have any chance of covering and winning this contest.

While being efficient on both ends of the ice will end up being an absolute must, the most important thing that San Jose needs to shore up will be a defense that lost some much-needed firepower. After a horrendous defensive effort a year ago that saw the Sharks surrender an average of 3.84 goals per game, the Sharks also lost the services of Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson who decided to take his talents to Pittsburgh. Because of this, this defense is projected to be even worse than they were in 2022-2023, and tonight's game may be up to goalie Kaapo Kahkonen to shore up some holes defensively. Despite only posting a .883 save percentage from last year, the only hope that San Jose may have in this one is for the 27-year-old net-minder from Finland to be the ultimate equalizer en route to a covering of the spread.

All in all, San Jose is at a serious talent disadvantage tonight, and it will end up being critical for the Sharks to get off to a hot start which is also the game plan of the Golden Knights. Arguably enough, the Sharks will be fielded by a raucous home-ice advantage on this Thursday night, gaining a one to two-goal advantage in the early going may be just what the doctor ordered for the Sharks to pull off the shocking upset.

Final Golden Knights-Sharks Prediction & Pick

Don't spend too much time contemplating this one. Although the Sharks will be playing with a ton of energy in their season opener, the Golden Knights will pull away late with a multiple-goal victory.

Final Golden Knights-Sharks Prediction & Pick: Golden Knights -1.5 (-104)