San Jose Sharks at New Jersey Devils odds, picks and predictions
The San Jose Sharks (5-16-2) visit the New Jersey Devils (11-9-1) Friday. Opening puck drop at the Prudential Center is slated for 7 p.m. ET (NHL Network). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Sharks vs. Devils odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Sharks lost 3-0 at the Boston Bruins Thursday. San Jose remained winless on the road (0-10-0) in the shutout loss. The lowest-scoring club in the league (1.64 goals per game) has scored just 0.67 GPG on road ice.
The Devils won 4-3 in overtime at the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday. After going just 1-6 from Nov. 7-24, New Jersey has now won 3 in a row. It has scored 16 goals in the process.
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Sharks at Devils odds
BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:40 p.m. ET.
Sharks at Devils projected goalies
Kaapo Kahkonen (2-6-0, 4.12 GAA, .889 SV%) vs. Vitek Vanecek (8-5-0, 3.49 GAA, .879 SV%)
Kahkonen last played on Saturday, stopping 30 of 33 shots against the Vancouver Canucks. But the 27-year-old is coming off a rocky November that saw him post an .876 SV% across 5 starts.
Vanecek is also coming off a rough November (.867 SV% in 9 games). In his last start Tuesday vs. the New York Islanders, he yielded 4 goals, and he has allowed that many in 3 of his last 4 starts.
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Sharks at Devils picks and predictions
Prediction
Devils 5, Sharks 3
Any leverage is lost between these tags. PASS.
BetMGM offers a NEW JERSEY -1.5 (-175) option on the puck line, and that’s the preferred value here.
Getting-healthy New Jersey is much the better club and is 10-5-1 (with a plus-1.07 goal differential) when playing without a day of rest over the last 2 seasons combined. The Devils were short-handed 6 times Thursday and coughed up 47 shots. That stands as aberration after a slew of games that saw them dominate in possessing the puck and get good looks from premium scoring areas.
New Jersey has been a bit porous on the penalty kill and on some nights with its goaltending overall, so the 2.5-goal option is not too attractive.
This one sets up with a default lean on the Over. But the pricing in the market leaves a bit to be desired, and it’s too easy to envision a 5-1 or 4-0 Devils rout.
