With a large portion of the NHL season still to come, it is way to early to crown division winners, no matter how big the lead may be at the top right now. In 3 of the 4 divisions in the NHL, the team at the top has a lead of at least 6 points, and while that may seem like a decent little cushion at this stage of the season, the reality is that it’s a lead that could very quickly be overturned by a team in the chasing pack.
The one division that is the exception at the moment is the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. To say that things are tight in there is putting things more than a little mildly, as you have just 3 points separating the leader from the team in the #5 spot.
The San Jose Sharks are sitting outside of that pack right now and need to start winning today if they are to become part of the conversation. A home win over the division leading Vancouver Canucks would be a good place to start. The sharks are favored by 1 ½, with the goal total set at 6.
Canucks vs Sharks 2020 NHL Spread, Game Info & Betting Pick
- When: Wednesday, January 29 at 10:30 PM EST
- Where: SAP Center, San Jose
- TV: ESPN+
- Radio: Vancouver / San Jose
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Odds: Sharks -1.5
Why bet on the Vancouver Canucks?
The top of the Pacific Division has been like a revolving door, with the team holding the top spot changing on an almost daily basis. The Vancouver Canucks are on top right now and will stay there even if they lose this one, as their current lead is sitting at 3 points. It has been their recent run of form that has propelled them to the top, as they come into this one on a 3-game winning streak that has taken them to 7-3-0 in their last 10 games.
If they do have an Achilles heel, though, it is that they have been a little less than spectacular when playing on the road, sitting 2 games below .500 at 11-13-1. They have, though, been a decent bet against the spread in those games, going 15-10 ATS.
Team Statistics
Offense- Goals: 3.30
- Shots: 31.46
- PP/PK Percentage: 22.70
- Goals: 3.00
- Shots: 32.40
- PP/PK Percentage: 19.02
Why bet on the San Jose Sharks?
While a loss here would not be the final nail in the coffin of the San Jose Sharks by any stretch of the imagination, it would mean that they would be slipping a little further away from the 5-team pack battling it out for playoff spots in the Pacific Division. Things are already a little grim for the Sharks, as their 22-25-4 record and 48 points has them 9 points adrift of the #5 spot in the division.
That is a lot of ground to make up and losing to the teams ahead is never the way to get back into the hunt. The Sharks are coming into this one on the heels of a win that took them to 5-4-1 in their last 10. The Sharks are 14-11-1 on home ice this season.
Team Statistics
Offense- Goals: 2.63
- Shots: 28.86
- PP/PK Percentage: 16.55
- Goals: 3.31
- Shots: 30.53
- PP/PK Percentage: 12.73
NHL Betting Trends for Canucks vs Sharks
- Canucks are 5-1 SU in the last 6 games
- The total went UNDER in 5 of Vancouver’s last 5 games
- Sharks are 7-13 SU in the last 20 games
- The total went UNDER in 8 of San Jose’s last 11 games
Canucks vs Sharks Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
San Jose has lost 2 of their 3 meetings with the Canucks this season, although their lone win did come at home, while both losses were on the road. I think Vancouver might sneak this one, so I am playing them ATS.
Vancouver Canucks 3 San Jose Sharks 2
