The San Jose Sharks look to even the series up against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena in Game 2 of the NHL’s Western Conference Semifinals. The action will get started at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 28 and it is being shown live on NBC.
San Jose Sharks vs. Vegas Golden Knights Odds
Vegas (-185) is currently the favorite over San Jose (+160), and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The line for betting the total stands at -140 for the under and +120 for the over.
Netting moneyline bettors 21.1 units, the Golden Knights are 56-31 straight up (SU) overall thus far. Through 87 regular season contests, 43 of the team’s games have gone over the total, while 41 have gone under and just three have pushed. The team is 32-12 SU at home this year.
Vegas’ offensive skaters attempted 32.8 shots per game in the regular season, resulting in 3.3 goals per outing (ranked fourth overall in the NHL). In the postseason, the club is managing an average of 33.0 shots on goal 2.8 goals per game.
After accounting for the 10th-strongest power-play unit in the regular season (finding net on 21.4 percent of all chances), the Golden Knights have been able to score on 18.2 percent of their postseason power plays. Their penalty kill has gone from 82.7 percent in the regular season to 94.4 percent in the playoffs.
Averaging 28.2 saves per game with a .933 save percentage, Marc-Andre Fleury (34-17-4) has been the top goalkeeper for the Golden Knights this season. If head coach Gerard Gallant chooses to give him the evening off, however, the team could go with Malcolm Subban (15-7-7 record, .910 save percentage, 2.68 goals against average).
William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault will each be focal points for the Golden Knights. Karlsson (83 points) has tallied 44 goals and 39 assists and has recorded two or more points on 19 different occasions this year. Marchessault has 28 goals and 52 assists to his name and has notched at least one point in 48 contests.
On the other bench, San Jose is 49-38 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 3.2 units this year. A total of 45 of its outings have gone under the total, while 39 have gone over and just three have pushed. As an away team, San Jose is 22-22 SU.
San Jose has converted on 21.0 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked second overall and it’s successfully killed off 84.2 percent of all opponent power plays.
San Jose’s skaters have been penalized only 3.3 times per game this season, and 5.6 per game over their last five road outings. The team’s been forced to defend opponent power plays 16.6 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
Martin Jones (2.51 goals against average and .916 save percentage) has been the primary option in goal for San Jose. Jones is averaging 26.0 saves per game and owns a 35-30-7 record.
For the visiting Sharks, the offense will run through Joe Pavelski (23 goals, 48 assists) and Brent Burns (13 goals, 56 assists).
San Jose Sharks vs. Vegas Golden Knights Free Picks
Pick: SU Winner – Sharks, O/U – Under
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Notes
Betting Notes
The under has hit in three of Vegas’ last five outings.
Two teams that have pounded opposing nets with shots, San Jose has registered the league’s eighth-most shots on goal (32.9) and Vegas’s attempted the 10th-most (32.8).
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