Two of the NHL’s best teams on the power play, the Colorado Avalanche and the San Jose Sharks collide at the SAP Center. Altitude Sports & Entertainment will broadcast this Western Conference matchup, which gets underway at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 1.
Colorado Avalanche at San Jose Sharks Odds
San Jose (-190) is heavily favored over Colorado (+165) and the Over/Under (O/U) has been placed at 7 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -135 over, +115 under.
The Sharks are 37-27 straight up (SU) and have lost 2.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. Among its 64 games this season, 37 have gone over the total, while 26 have gone under and just one has pushed. The team is 19-10 SU at home this season.
San Jose’s converted on 25.3 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that places them in the top-5 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is rated seventh overall, and it’s successfully killed off 81.7 percent of all penalties.
As a collective unit, San Jose has been penalized 3.6 times per game overall this season, and 5.0 per game over its last five contests. The team has been forced to stave off opposition power plays for a whopping 14.6 minutes per game over its last 10 matchups, overall.
Sporting a .896 save percentage and 24.9 saves per game, Martin Jones (30-18-5) has been the most dependable goalkeeper for the Sharks this year. If head coach Peter Deboer chooses to give him a breather, however, the Sharks might turn to Aaron Dell (9-11-11 record, .892 save percentage, 3.01 goals against average).
The Sharks will continue looking for leadership out of Brent Burns and Joe Pavelski. Burns (70 points) has tallied 13 goals and 57 assists and has recorded two or more points on 21 separate occasions this year. Pavelski has 35 goals and 24 assists to his name and has recorded at least one point in 37 games.
On the visiting bench, Colorado is 28-36 straight up (SU) and has lost 14.7 units for moneyline bettors this year. 34 of its outings have gone over the total, while 29 have gone under the total and just one has pushed. As the away team, Colorado is 15-18 SU.
Colorado has converted on 22.3 percent of its power play chances this season, a mark that places it in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 24th overall and it’s successfully defended 77.6 percent of all opponent power plays.
Colorado’s skaters have been called for penalties 4.3 times per game this season, and 5.4 per game over their past five contests. The team has been forced to kill penalties 11.0 minutes per contest over their last five road games.
Semyon Varlamov (27.8 saves per game) has been the primary option in the net for Colorado. Varlamov owns an 18-25-9 record, and has registered a .911 save percentage and 2.80 goals against average this year.
Mikko Rantanen (27 goals, 54 assists) has been one of the most vital playmaking threats for the visiting Avalanche.
Colorado Avalanche at San Jose Sharks Free Picks
NHL Pick: SU Winner – Avalanche, O/U – Over
Betting Notes
- Colorado is 1-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while San Jose is 0-3 in shootouts.
- The under has hit in three of San Jose’s last five games.
- This game features two teams that shoot the puck early and often. Colorado has taken the league’s sixth-most shots on goal (32.9) and San Jose has attempted the fourth-most (33.7). The Avs have averaged 30.2 shot attempts over their last five home games and the Sharks have taken 30.8 shots over their last five home outings.
- Seven of Colorado’s last ten games have been decided by two goals or more. The team is 5-2 in those games.
- Colorado skaters created 20.4 hits per game last season, while the Sharks accounted for 18.4 hits per matchup.
