Don’t miss out on the NHL showdown between the Sharks and Avalanche. The game is starting at 8:00 ET on NBCS, and it’s hosted by the Avalanche at Ball Arena in Denver, CO. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this Western conference contest is set at 6.5 goals, with the Avalanche being the favored team playing at home against the Sharks.

SAN JOSE SHARKS VS COLORADO AVALANCHE BETTING PICK

The Pick: Colorado Avalanche -1.5

This game will be played at Ball Arena at 8:00 ET on Sunday, December 31st.

WHY BET THE COLORADO AVALANCHE:

  • Our prediction for this game is that the Avalanche will come out on top with a projected score of 4-2.
  • Take the Avalanche on the moneyline
  • The Avalanche should also cover at -1.5

Will the Sharks Make it Happen on the Road?

For the season, the Sharks currently hold an overall record of 9-24-3. On the road, San Jose has gone 3-15-1 and they are 6-9-2 at home. They are currently positioned 8th in the Western Pacific division and 16th in the Western conference.

When it came to the puck line, San Jose have posted a 14-22 record. Their road performance against the puck line stands at 6-13, while they are 8-9 at home. Games involving San Jose have an average of 6.2 goals per game this season. Their average over/under line is 6.3. In terms of their over/under performance, the Sharks come in with a record of 14-19-3.

Although San Jose has a straight up record of 0-3 in their last three road games, they have not held up as well vs the puck line going 0-3. The team averaged 2 goals per game in these games.

Offensively, the Sharks come into the game at 2.1 goals per contest placing 32nd in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 32nd position in the league. Looking at how the Sharks’ offense is performing during power plays, they are 24th in power play goals and 27th in shorthanded goals.

The leading scorer for San Jose’s offense is Tomas Hertl. Coming into the game he has 12 goals, ranking 75th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 15 assists so far.

Colorado defense takes on the Sharks ranked 21st in goals allowed. On average, opponents are averaging 29.2 shots per game against Colorado. They alsso are 23rd in shutouts, with 1 shutouts.

Heading into this matchup vs. Colorado, goalie Mackenzie Blackwood has started 21 games in this season. His current record is 4-14, and his save percentage stands at 0.92%.

Will the Avalanche Secure A Victory as Home Favorites?

So far this season, the Avalanche have an overall record of 22-11-3. On the road, Colorado is 8-7-3 and 14-4-0 at home. This record has them sitting 1st in the Western Central division and 3rd in the Western conference.

Regarding the puck line, Colorado comes in with a 17-19 record. On the road against the puck line, they are 5-13, while their home record is 12-6. For the season, the average number of goals per game in matchups featuring Colorado is 6.7. The season’s average over/under line is currently at 6.3. The Avalanche come in with an over/under record of 19-15-2.

Across the Avalanche last three home games, the team averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. Their record vs the puck line in these contests was 0-3, while going 1-2 straight-up.

On the offensive side, the Avalanche are scoring an 3.6 goals per game this season, ranking 2nd in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 4th in the league. This season, the Avalanche have a 12-7 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. In games with fewer shots on goal, they hold a 8-4 record.

The leading scorer for Colorado’s offense is Nathan MacKinnon. Coming into the game he has 19 goals, ranking 9th in the NHL. In addition to his goal scoring, MacKinnon has 37 assists this season.

Defensively, the Avalanche come into the season ranked 21st in goals allowed. Opponents are averging 29.2 shots per game against Colorado. For the season, they are ranked 23rd in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.

Goalie Ivan Prosvetov comes into the game having made seven starts this season. So far, his record is 4-3 and he has a save percentage of 0.4%.