In their third and last head-to-head meeting of the regular season, the San Jose Sharks and the Nashville Predators face off at Bridgestone Arena in a Western Conference matchup. The action will get started at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 29 and it will be shown live on NBC Sports California.
San Jose Sharks vs. Nashville Predators Odds
Nashville (-160) is currently favored over San Jose (+140) and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total stand at -115 money on the over and -105 for the under.
Nashville is 49-27 straight up (SU) and has earned 14.5 units for moneyline bettors this year. That win percentage, ranked second in the league so far this season, is a solid improvement compared to how the team performed during last year’s regular season (41-41). Through 76 regular season outings, 38 of the team’s games have gone under the total, while 37 have gone over and just one has pushed. The team’s 26-12 SU at home this season.
The Predators have converted on 20.3 percent of their power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, their penalty kill is rated ninth overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 82.4 percent of all penalties.
As a team, the Predators have been called for penalties 4.5 times per game overall this season, 4.0 per game over their last five matchups total, and 4.2 per game over their last five at home. The team has been forced to kill penalties for just 8.0 minutes per game over their last five matchups, overall.
With a .929 save percentage and 29.1 saves per game, Pekka Rinne (41-15-4) has been the primary option in goal for Nashville this year. If the Preds, however, decide to rest him, the team may roll with Juuse Saros (8-13-13 record, .925 save percentage, 2.44 goals against average).
The Preds will continue looking for leadership via Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg. Arvidsson (58 points) has tallied 28 goals and 30 assists and has recorded multiple points on 17 separate occasions this year. Forsberg has 21 goals and 34 assists to his name and has recorded a point in 39 contests.
On the other side of the ice, San Jose is 44-33 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 4.3 units this year. A total of 42 of its contests have gone under the total, while 33 have gone over and just two have pushed. The Sharks are 20-19 SU as a road team this season.
The Sharks have converted on 21.0 percent of their power play chances this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked third overall and it’s successfully killed off 84.5 percent of all opponent power plays.
San Jose’s players have been penalized only 3.2 times per game in total this season, and 2.0 per game over their last five road outings. The team has been forced to kill penalties just 5.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Martin Jones (2.45 goals against average and .918 save percentage) has been the primary option in goal for San Jose. Jones is averaging 26.1 saves per game and has 30 wins, 25 losses, and seven OT losses to his credit.
Brent Burns (11 goals, 51 assists) has been one of the primary playmakers on offense for the visiting Sharks.
San Jose Sharks at Nashville Predators Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Sharks, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes
Three of Nashville’s last ten games have ended in a shootout. The team is 1-2 in those games and 6-7 overall in shootouts this season.
The total has gone under in three of Nashville’s last five outings.
Over San Jose’s last ten games, six of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 5-1 in those games).
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