Sharks Favored Over Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks roll into San Jose riding a four-game winning streak and they’ll be looking to make it five in a row at the expense of the Sharks on Saturday night at SAP Arena. The hosts, in the meanwhile, are coming off a loss and they’ll be keen to get back into the win column.
How do the NHL odds stack up for this matchup? Which side offers value for your NHL picks? These are just some of the questions we aim to answer in this betting primer.
Let’s check the latest NHL news, stats, injury reports, and NHL lines for Blackhawks vs Sharks. We’ve got plenty of NHL picks for you to consider.
Blackhawks Rolling
Chicago props up the Central Division with a 20-32-5 record and 45 points from 57 games. But recent form shows a four-game winning streak. What’s more, three of these four wins have come against playoff-worthy teams.
The Blackhawks upset the Ottawa Senators 4-3 on the road and then both the Toronto Maple Leafs (5-3) and the Vegas Golden Knights (3-2) at home. Most recently, they got the measure of the Dallas Stars 4-3 on the road.
In all of these contests, Future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane played an instrumental role, collecting 10 points with seven goals and three assists during this stretch. Kane, however, has been prominently mentioned as a trading piece with the deadline approaching. (Update: Kane left the team before the game and is flying back to Chicago, so a trade seems imminent).
Chicago got off to a poor start in Dallas on Wednesday night, and before they knew it, they were down 3-0 to the Stars five minutes into the second period. Max Domi scored Chicago’s first goal halfway through the second period. Then Kane netted back-to-back goals in the space of three minutes, late in the second period, to draw the Blackhawks level. In overtime, Domi scored his second goal of the night unassisted to give Chicago the come-from-behind win.
PATRICK KANE STUNS VEGAS AS THE BUZZER! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/RPko0yoRi4
— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) February 22, 2023
Sharks Sinking
San Jose is seventh in the Pacific Division with an 18-30-11 record and 47 points through 59 games. The recent form stands at a paltry 3-5-2 in their last 10 games and includes one win in their last five games.
The Sharks served up a stunning 4-0 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night, but they failed to back it up in Thursday’s clash with the Nashville Predators as they lost to the visitors 6-2.
For the first period and a half, the Sharks were in it and down 2-1 to the Predators, but then the floodgates opened. The Predators outshot and outmuscled the Sharks, scored on two of three power play opportunities and scored shorthanded.
It’s safe to say, backup goalie James Reimer, the hero of the shutout against Seattle, had a rough time between the posts. When all was said and done, he allowed six goals on 31 shots, three in the second period.
Martin Kaut’s first goal as a SHARK! 🦈@kauly61 | #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/yrfnKAoE34
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) February 24, 2023
Blackhawks vs Sharks Game Injuries
Blackhawks vs Sharks Head-to-Head
The Blackhawks are 4-6-0 versus the Sharks in the last 10 games, a run of form that includes a 6-3-0 record in total betting. San Jose is 6-3-1 during this same period.
This season, the pair have split their meetings. Chicago won the first game 5-2 on the road on Oct. 15, 2022. Then, San Jose bounced back with a 5-2 win in the Windy City on Jan. 1, 2023.
Blackhawks vs Sharks Game Information
- Game: Blackhawks (20-32-5) vs Sharks (18-30-11)
- Location: SAP Center at San Jose
- Day/Time: Saturday 10:07 p.m. ET
- Blackhawks vs Sharks Live Stream: NHL TV
Blackhawks vs Sharks Betting Lines
Blackhawks vs Sharks Picks and Prediction
At the face of it, this is a matchup between teams that are going back to the drawing board this offseason. Little separates them in terms of their standings and overall output. That means, the playing field is level and the win is up for grabs.
Early NHL betting markets corner this game with the Sharks. San Jose expects to have No. 1 goalie Kaapo Kahkonen starting and that fact could be the reason for their favorable betting online odds.
Separately, the Blackhawks could be trading Kane. Should the Blackhawks pull off such a significant trade, it’s going to not only impact the betting but Chicago’s performance as well.
Thus, with so much up in the air, bettors should probably wait until closer to game time before pulling the trigger.
For those looking to back the moneyline, the Vegas NHL lines take a firm stance in favor of the hosts, despite their less-than-stellar form of late.
San Jose is listed at -190 in our Vegas lines. So, if you wager $100 on the Sharks, there’s a chance to win $53. Chicago is +165, with a chance to win $165 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives San Jose a 65.52% chance to win, with the Blackhawks at 37.74%.
Blackhawks vs Sharks Trends
Blackhawks vs Sharks Edge
Blackhawks vs Sharks Results
Blackhawks vs Sharks Game Summary
