The San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames meet Wednesday in NHL action at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Let’s preview this game and give out a pick and prediction.
The San Jose Sharks are averaging 2.9 goals per game and are scoring on 18.4 percent of their power play opportunities. Logan Couture leads San Jose with 27 goals, Erik Karlsson has 75 assists and Tomas Hertl has 177 shots on goal. Defensively, the San Jose Sharks are allowing 3.8 goals per game and are killing 82.5 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Kaapo Kahkonen has allowed 133 goals on 1,101 shots faced, and James Reimer has allowed 142 goals on 1,299 shots.
The Calgary Flames are averaging 3.1 goals per game and are scoring on 19.9 percent of their power play opportunities. Tyler Toffoli leads Calgary with 34 goals, Elias Lindholm has 42 assists and Nazem Kadri has 265 shots on goal. Defensively, the Calgary Flames are allowing 3 goals per game and are killing 82.5 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Jacob Markstrom has allowed 166 goals on 1,542 shots faced, and Dan Vladar has given up 72 goals on 667 shots.
The Sharks are 17-42 in their last 59 road games and 15-44 in their last 59 overall. The Flames are 4-9 in their last 13 home games and 13-3 in their last 16 Wednesday games. The over is 6-0 in Sharks last 6 overall. The over is 7-2 in Flames last 9 games playing on 1 days rest. The Sharks are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Calgary and 0-4 in the last 4 meetings. The road team is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings. The favorite is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
The Calgary Flames are the better team and should be favored at home, but neither of these teams have anything to play for, and playing at home hasn’t helped the Flames that much. I’m not laying -200 juice with both clubs out of playoff contention. If backing either side at this stage of the season, I need plus money attached. Give me the Sharks and the potential huge payout.