Matching up for the fourth and final time this year, the San Jose Sharks and the Edmonton Oilers clash at Rogers Place in a divisional showdown. The matchup will get started at 9:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 14, and fans at home can watch the game live on Sportsnet ONE.
San Jose Sharks at Edmonton Oilers Odds
San Jose is 37-32 straight up (SU) and has lost 1.8 units for moneyline bettors thus far. Through 69 regular season matches, 40 of its games have gone under the total, while 27 have gone over and just two have pushed. As an away team in 2017-18, the Sharks are 16-18 SU.
San Jose has converted on 21.2 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a mark that’s good enough for 10th-best in the NHL. Its penalty kill is ranked first overall, and it’s successfully killed off 85.0 percent of all penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Sharks have been whistled for penalties just 3.3 times per game overall in the 2017-18 season, and 1.9 per game over its past ten. The team has been forced to defend opponent power plays just 3.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 25.8 saves per game with a .917 save percentage, Martin Jones (24-25-7) has been the top option in goal for San Jose this season. If head coach Peter Deboer decides to rest him, however, the team may turn to Aaron Dell (14-12-3), who has a .914 save percentage and 2.65 goals against average this year.
Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns will both lead the way for the visiting Sharks. Pavelski has 55 points on 18 goals and 37 assists, and has recorded multiple points 11 times. Burns has 10 goals and 43 assists to his name (and has registered a point in 38 games).
Over on the other bench, Edmonton is 30-39 straight up (SU) and has lost 15.3 units for moneyline bettors this year. 33 of its matches have gone under the total, while 32 have gone over and just three have pushed. It’s 16-19 SU as the home team this season.
The Oilers have converted on just 14.9 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a figure that places them in the bottom overall among NHL teams. Its penalty kill is also ranked 31st overall, and it’s successfully killed off 74.6 percent of all opponent power plays.
Oilers players have been sent to the penalty box 3.7 times per game in total this season, and 3.0 per game over their last ten match ups. The team’s been forced to kill penalties just 6.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Cam Talbot (27.4 saves per game) has been the top option in goal for the Oilers. Talbot has 26 wins, 30 losses, and two OT losses to his name and has maintained a fairly-weak .907 save percentage and 3.00 goals against average this season.
Connor McDavid (33 goals, 51 assists) will pace the attack for the Oilers.
San Jose Sharks at Edmonton Oilers Free Picks
NHL Pick: SU Winner – Sharks, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes
The Oilers are 13-24 SU when they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent while the Sharks are 12-12 SU in games where they serve more minutes than their opponent.
Two of Edmonton’s last ten games have been decided by a shootout. The team is 2-0 in those games and 4-1 overall in shootouts this year.
The total has gone under in three of Edmonton’s last five outings.
Edmonton is ranked 30th this season with 12.6 giveaways per game. That figure has trended upward recently, as it’s averaged 14.7 giveaways over its last 10 games and 16.6 giveaways over its last five.
San Jose is ranked 23rd this season with 10.5 giveaways per game. That figure’s trended down lately, however, as the team’s averaged 6.1 giveaways over its last 10 games and 7.2 giveaways over its last five.
The Oilers this season have registered the second-most hits in the league (27.2 per game), but the club has averaged 31.8 over their last five games as the home team.
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