In a game between two teams that have put themselves squarely in the playoff picture, the San Jose Sharks and the Calgary Flames collide at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Sportsnet ONE will showcase this divisional matchup, which gets underway at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 7.
San Jose Sharks vs. Calgary Flames Odds
San Jose (+115) is playing the role of underdog to Calgary (-135) and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 7 goals. The odds for betting the total sit at -135 money on the over and +115 on the under.
The Flames are 34-19 straight-up (SU) and have earned 9.9 units for moneyline bettors this season. That winning percentage, ranked second in the league in this young season, is a welcome improvement over the 37-45 record from the 2017-18 season campaign. Of the team’s 53 games this season, 30 have gone over the total, while 22 have gone under and just one has pushed. Thus far, the team is 17-9 SU at home.
Calgary’s converted on 22.8 percent of its power play chances this year, a figure that places them in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 16th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 79.6 percent of all penalties.
Calgary, as a collective unit, has been penalized 3.7 times per game overall this season, and 4.8 per game over its past five match ups. The team has had to defend opposition power plays for just 8.3 minutes per game over its last 10 outings, in total.
Boasting a .918 save percentage and 25.6 saves per game, David Rittich (21-10-4) has been the primary option in goal for the Flames this season. If the Flames choose to give him a rest, however, the team may turn to Mike Smith (15-11-11 record, .889 save percentage, 3.08 goals against average).
The Flames will continue looking for offensive production out of Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. Gaudreau (74 points) has tallied 29 goals and 45 assists and has recorded two or more points 22 times this year. Monahan has 27 goals and 35 assists to his name and has recorded at least one point in 35 contests.
San Jose is 31-23 straight up (SU) and has earned -3 units for moneyline bettors this year. A total of 32 of its matches have gone over the total, while 21 have gone under the total and just one has pushed. San Jose’s 13-15 SU as the visiting team this season.
San Jose has converted on 24.7 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that places it in the top-10 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked eighth overall and it’s successfully killed off 82.5 percent of all opponent power plays.
San Jose’s players have been penalized 3.5 times per game in total this season, and 4.6 per game over their last five on the road. The team has had to kill penalties 11.8 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
Martin Jones (2.92 goals against average and .897 save percentage) has been the primary option in goal for San Jose. Jones is averaging 24.8 saves per game and owns a 26-14-4 record.
Brent Burns (10 goals, 48 assists) has been one of the most vital playmaking threats for the visiting Sharks.
San Jose Sharks at Calgary Flames Betting Predictions
Pick: SU Winner – Sharks, O/U – Under
Betting Notes
- For both of these teams, the over has hit in four of their last five matchups.
- Power plays and penalty kills may prove to be critical in the outcome of this game. The Sharks are 14-10 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 23-15 in games where they’re in the box for fewer than 10 total penalty minutes. The Flames are 21-7 when the team serves fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 23-15 in games where their penalty minutes are in the single digits.
- San Jose is 0-3 in games decided by a shootout this season while Calgary is 0-2 in shootouts.
- Calgary skaters have averaged 14.2 takeaways per game over its last five home games, an improvement over its season average of 9.9 takeaways per game (ranked 4th in the NHL).
- San Jose is averaging 4.3 goals per game over the team’s three-game winning streak.
- San Jose has averaged 7.2 takeaways per game over its last five road games, a drop-off from its season average of 9.0 takeaways per game (ranked fifth in the NHL).
