The Pittsburgh Penguins (37-20-6) wrap up what has been a forgettable road trip against the San Jose Sharks (27-33-4) Saturday at SAP Center at 10:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Penguins-Sharks sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Penguins at Sharks: Projected starting goalies
Tristan Jarry vs. Martin Jones
The All-Star Jarry is expected back in the crease. He has a 20-10-1 record, while sporting 2.23 goals against average and .927 save percentage across 29 starts and 31 appearances overall. He made the start in the first meeting in the Steel City on Jan. 2, falling to the Sharks 3-2 in overtime while making 29 saves.
While Aaron Dell won that OT game in Pittsburgh, Jones is confirmed to start in this one. He is 15-19-2 with a 3.08 GAA and .894 SV% in 36 starts and 37 appearances. Jones has been solid since the All-Star break, going 2-3-0 with a 2.22 GAA and .920 SV% with one shutout in his five starts.
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Penguins at Sharks: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 7:50 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Penguins 3, Sharks 2
Moneyline (ML)
The PENGUINS (-167) aren’t really going to go 0-for-3 on their California road trip against non-contenders, are they? Pittsburgh have dropped five in a row, getting outscored 19-8, and they have lost four in a row overall. The Sharks (+135) should be the elixir to cure their ills, or else Pittsburgh fans are really going to start wringing their hands. Keep in mind that the Pens are 1-4 in the past five meetings, and 4-13 in the past 17 trips to San Jose, so go lightly.
New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Penguins ML returns a profit of $6 if they win, while a $10 wager on the Sharks (+135) results in a profit of $13.50 if the home team prevails.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The Penguins (-1.5, +165) are tempting at this price, as you have to figure they’re going to break out offensively. Why not against a non-contender? But just the same, they scuffled against Los Angeles and Anaheim in a similar situation. The Pens simply cannot be trusted against the Sharks (+1.5, -200). AVOID.
Over/Under (O/U)
Go lightly on the UNDER 5.5 (+120), perhaps in a small parlay with the Pens on the moneyline. The under is 12-4-1 in the past 17 meetings in this series, and 4-1-1 in the past six battles in the Bay Area.
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