Struggling San Jose Sharks to Face Chicago Blackhawks in Battle for Victory
In an upcoming game in Chicago, two struggling ice hockey teams, the San Jose Sharks and the Chicago Blackhawks, will face off against each other. Both teams are hoping to
Game outlook
In an upcoming game in Chicago, two struggling ice hockey teams, the San Jose Sharks and the Chicago Blackhawks, will face off against each other. Both teams are hoping to secure a victory after a series of disappointing performances. San Jose recently suffered a 3-0 defeat by the Buffalo Sabres in a back-to-back away game on Monday. Meanwhile, Chicago lost 3-1 to the Dallas Stars in their previous home game on Saturday. Over their last ten encounters, the Sharks have held a slight advantage with a record of 5 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws. However, in their most recent match on February 25, 2023, the Blackhawks managed to secure a 4-3 shootout win on the road. With the opening betting odds favoring Chicago at -125, the current line stands at Chicago -130.
Betting Odds
Moneyline: Sharks +110 | Blackhawks -130
Spread: Sharks +1.5 (-225) | Blackhawks -1.5 (+180)
Total: Over/Under 6 (-110)
Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Chicago will win straight-up is 57%.
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks suffered their 14th loss in their last 15 games as they were unable to generate any offense during their road game against Buffalo on Monday afternoon. With a season record of 10-31-3, the Sharks currently stand eighth in the Pacific Division, trailing Vancouver by 39 points for the top spot. They are also 27 points behind Los Angeles for the final guaranteed playoff spot and 24 points behind Edmonton for the second wild card spot. In terms of goal scoring, San Jose ranks 32nd in the league with an average of 2.05 goals per game. Defensively, they also rank 32nd in the league, allowing an average of 4.07 goals per game. On the power play, the Sharks are 20th in the league with a success rate of 18.5%. However, their penalty killing struggles as they rank 32nd in the league, successfully navigating only 71.6% of their shorthanded situations. In their recent game against Buffalo, the Sharks were unable to score any goals despite holding a slight edge in shots on goal in the first period. Buffalo outscored them 2-0 in the second period and added another goal in the third period to secure the win. The Sharks' goaltender, Kaapo Kahkonen, made 32 saves in the loss. Mackenzie Blackwood is expected to start in the next game. Overall, the San Jose Sharks have a power ranking of 31 and rank 32nd in offense, scoring an average of 2.00 goals per game, and 32nd in defense, allowing an average of 4.12 goals against per game. Magnifique 🤌 pic.twitter.com/QrEsIWCwis