In the midst of an intense start to the season, the San Jose Sharks are in pursuit of their first victory. Their determination will be put to the test as they face off with the Los Angeles Kings this Thursday night. This meeting marks the second game of the Sharks’ four-game journey, a journey that has seen plenty of action but lacks a favorable outcome so far. This matchup against the Kings is more than just a game; it’s a chance for the Sharks to turn the tide and gain some forward momentum.
Team Analysis
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks currently stand at 0-5-2, after their most recent setback against the Anaheim Ducks. This game brought forth the fine margins in competitive sports. Despite close calls from Danil Gushchin and Barclay Goodrow that nearly resulted in goals, the Sharks couldn’t quite clinch it. Nevertheless, with good motivation and a firm resolve to improve, they’re all geared up to face the upcoming challenges.
Los Angeles Kings
Having wrapped up a seven-game road trip with a 3-2-2 record, the Los Angeles Kings are ready to play their home opener. Recent performances, including a 4-1 win over the Ducks and a rough 6-1 loss to the Golden Knights, have brought mixed reactions. They’ve been shining bright, though, thanks to the third line—Warren Foegele, Alex Turcotte, and Alex Laferriere—each bringing in some crucial contributions.
Key Players to Watch
Mikael Granlund from the San Jose Sharks showed promise by scoring the only goal in the previous game against the Ducks. For the Kings, Alex Laferriere and Alex Turcotte have been consistently delivering, making them players to keep an eye on in the forthcoming game.
Final Thoughts
Both the San Jose Sharks and the Los Angeles Kings are ready to dive headfirst into this faceoff. While the Sharks are looking to finally score their first win of the season, the Kings will be looking to fully harness their home advantage. With key players eager to make their mark and teams poised for action, we can expect a thrilling game this Thursday night.
Betting Picks
Moneyline:
The San Jose Sharks come into this game as significant underdogs, which isn’t surprising when you consider their recent performance. They’ve struggled to find consistency this season, with particular issues on offense. As of now, the Sharks rank near the bottom of the league in terms of goals scored per game, and they’ve had particular issues on their power play. The Sharks have also been hit by a few important injuries that have further complicated their season.
On the other hand, the Los Angeles Kings have a substantial edge heading into this game as per their -334 odds. The Kings have found an impressive form with a solid defense core as well as a prolific scoring rate lately. In net, their goaltender has been posting impressive stats, ranking among the top in save percentage in the NHL. Defensively the Kings have been tough to break down, with one of the tightest penalty kills in the league. In terms of injuries, they’re relatively healthy compared to the Sharks.
Analyzing the aforementioned aspects between offensive struggles for the Sharks and a tight defensive scheme for the Kings, the pick here is clear.
Our Pick: Los Angeles Kings -334
Over/Under:
Looking at both the San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings, their recent team performance, goalie stats, and special teams show an interesting picture. The Sharks are currently struggling with their scoring, averaging only 2.5 goals per game this season, which is below the league average. On the other hand, the Kings are not faring much better with their 2.8 goals per game. Furthermore, both teams’ power play and penalty kill percentages are hovering around the league average, which does not indicate a propensity for high-scoring games. As for goalies, San Jose’s Martin Jones has a save percentage of .896, while Jonathan Quick from Los Angeles is slightly better with .902. Both are below the NHL average of .910 which could lead to more goals but their poor offensive performance might neutralize this factor.
Injury-wise, the Sharks are dealing with some significant losses. Their top scorer, Logan Couture is sidelined with an injury and their second top scorer Tomas Hertl is also missing. This could lead to a significant decrease in their scoring ability. The Kings, however, are relatively healthy at this point, which might give them an edge. Yet, it’s important to note, that they are not a high scoring team.
Paying close attention to all noted factors, the more likely scenario seems to be a low scoring game due to both teams’ struggles with scoring coupled with significant injuries on the Shark’s side.
Our Pick: Under 6
