Mini-Vacation Upcoming
Both the Pittsburgh Penguins (24-15-9) and San Jose Sharks (14-25-11) try to snag one more victory before the All-Star break when theclubs meet Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena. The win seems more likely for Pittsburgh, who are 14-5-4 at home on the year and -245 favorites on the NHL betting lines for this matchup. San Jose has lost four in a row and seven of eight games.
Let’s check the latest NHL news, stats, injury reports, and NHL lines for Sharks vs Penguins. We’ve got plenty of NHL picks for you to consider.
Sharks Fighting, Just Not Winning
Not that it matters 50 games into the season with the Sharks being the second worst team in the Pacific ahead of only Anaheim, but the Sharks have at least picked up points the last two games in OT losses to Detroit (3-2) and Carolina (5-4).
Not only is San Jose wrapping up a five-game road trip on Saturday night with eyes toward the All-Star break, but it will be playing on the back-to-back after Friday’s loss to the Hurricanes. The Sharks are 17-38 in their last 55 on zero days’ rest and have won a mere 15 of their last 54 road contests.
Being on no rest means Kaapo Kahkonen is likely in net against Pittsburgh’s top-10 scoring offense after James Reimer allowed five goals against Carolina on Friday. Kahkonen has had some struggles recently, allowing 11 goals in his last two starts and giving up 4+ in seven of his last nine outings.
Penguins Trending for a Win
You’d really like to string consecutive victories together as the fifth-place team in the Metropolitan that looks like it will be in a fight to hold on to the second wild-card spot. At the least, the Penguins have avoided a losing streak by alternating wins and losses over their last seven games. That trend also has them in line for a victory on Saturday after falling 3-2 in a shootout at Washington on Thursday.
The Pittsburgh offense should be licking their chops to face Kahkonen, the San Jose goaltender who has a 3.88 GAA and has a .869 save percentage. That should allow Sidney Crosby to stay hot, as he has two goals and eight assists in his last seven games.
Tristan Jarry (upper body) is out until after the break, so Casey DeSmith is likely to make his third straight start in net as a -245 favorite when betting online. DeSmith gave up six goals on Tuesday but was bailed out by his offense in a 7-6 win over Florida, but he bounced back to stop 43 of 45 shots from the Capitals.
Sharks vs Penguins Game Injuries
Sharks vs Penguins Head-to-Head
There isn’t a ton of notable history in this Eastern Conference vs. Western Conference matchup, but Pittsburgh did pick up both meetings a season ago, winning 8-5 at home and then 2-1 in OT on the West Coast.
Sharks vs Penguins Game Information
- Game: Sharks (14-25-11) vs Penguins (24-15-9)
- Location: PPG Paints Arena
- Day/Time: Saturday, 7 p.m. ET
- Sharks vs Penguins Live Stream: NHL TV
Sharks vs Penguins Betting Lines
Sharks vs Penguins Prediction
Pittsburgh, priced at -245 in the Las Vegas odds, isn’t horrible because this is a game that really should go their way. The Sharks are ready to wrap up a long five-game road trip and are already mentally into the All-Star break – plus, they are playing on the back-to-back as well.
This is a game the Penguins absolutely must have as they try to hold on to the second wild-card spot. With backup goaltenders likely starting, it also wouldn’t be a shocker if this game went ‘over’ the 6.5 total.
Pick: Penguins -1.5 (Ev)
The odds in this chart are based on the time of publication. They are subject to change.
Sharks vs Penguins Trends
Sharks vs Penguins Edge
Sharks vs Penguins Results
Sharks vs Penguins Game Summary
