Looking to win big? The Sharks and Wild face off at 8:00 ET on NBCS. The Wild are hosting the game at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. The over/under for this Western conference contest is set at 6 goals, with the Wild being favored by -1.5 goals at home against the Sharks.

SAN JOSE SHARKS VS MINNESOTA WILD BETTING PICK

The Pick: Minnesota Wild -1.5

This game will be played at Xcel Energy Center at 8:00 ET on Thursday, March 28th.

WHY BET THE MINNESOTA WILD:

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

Do the Sharks Stand a Chance in St. Paul?

On the season, San Jose is 16-47-8 and sits in 8th place in the Pacific Division. In the Western Conference, the Sharks are 16th. Over their last ten games, San Jose has gone just 1-9, and they have lost five straight games.

When playing on the road this year, the Sharks are just 6-26-4, and they have lost six straight games away from home. As the underdog, San Jose has gone 16-47-8 this year.

On the road this season, the Sharks have a puck line record of 16-20, and they have gone 6-4 vs. the puck line in their last ten games away from home. So far, San Jose has lost 39 games by multiple goals and 16 games by one goal.

Overall, the Sharks have a puck line record of 32-39, including going 3-7 vs. the puck line in their last ten games. In their last five games, San Jose’s puck line record is 1-4.

For the season, San Jose’s games have finished with an average of 6.3 goals per game. Their average over/under line for the season is 6.2. Overall, the Sharks have an over/under record of 33-35-3.

In their last three games away from home, the Sharks have a straight up record of 0-3 while going 0-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 2 goals per game in this stretch.

For their offensive performance, the Sharks come in averaging 2.2 goals per game this season, which is 32nd in the NHL. In the category of shots on goal per game, they are 32nd in the league. In terms of power play goals, the Sharks offense is 27th in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they are 31st in the NHL.

San Jose’s current leading scorer is Fabian Zetterlund. This season, he has 20 goals, which puts him 105th in the NHL. Zetterlund also comes into the game with 15 assists.

Minnesota defense takes on the Sharks ranked 24th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are averaging 29.7 shots per game against Minnesota. They also are 10th in shutouts, with 5 shutouts.

Entering the game, goalie Mackenzie Blackwood has started 34 games this season. His current record stands at 9-20, and his save percentage is 0.791%.

Can the Wild Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?

As the 10th seed in the Western Conference, the Wild have an overall record of 34-28-9 and have gone 20-20 against Western Conference opponents. In the Central Division, Minnesota is in 6th place with an 8-14 record against divisional foes.

At home this season, the Wild have gone 18-12-5 and have been the favorite in 34 of their 71 games. Overall, Minnesota has gone 22-7-5 when favored and have gone 6-4 in their last 10 games.

At home this year, the Wild have gone 17-18 against the puck line, and they have a puck line mark of 37-34 for the year. So far, Minnesota has 23 wins by multiple goals and 11 by just one.

Overall, the Wild have an average scoring margin of -.1 goals per game. In their last 10 home games, Minnesota has gone 5-5 against the puck line, and their puck line record as the favorite is 14-20.

Games involving Minnesota have an average of 6.3 goals per game this season. Their average over/under line is 6.1. In terms of their over/under performance, the Wild come in with a record of 34-33-4.

Across their three previous road games, San Jose has an puck line mark of 0-3. Their straight up record in these matchups was 0-3 while averaging 2 goals per game.

On the offensive side, the Wild are scoring an 3.1 goals per game this season, ranking 19th in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 21st in the league. Coming into the game, the Wild have a 20-13 record when they have more shots on goal than their opponent. When they have fewer shots on goal, they are 13-15.

Minnesota’s current leading scorer is Kirill Kaprizov. This season, he has 36 goals, which puts him 15th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 43 assists so far.

The Wild defense is currently 24th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 29.7 shots per game against Minnesota. In terms of shutouts, they come into the game ranked 10th with 5 shutouts.

Goalie Filip Gustavsson comes into the game having made 38 starts this season. So far, his record is 18-15 and he has a save percentage of 0.782%.