Tag: Sharks

San Jose Sharks at New York Rangers odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s San Jose Sharks at New York Rangers sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The New York Rangers (32-24-4) host the San Jose Sharks (26-30-4) Saturday at Madison Square Garden at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Sharks-Rangers sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Sharks at Rangers: Projected starting goalies

Aaron Dell vs. Henrik Lundqvist

Dell is 12-12-2 with a 2.89 goals against average and .909 save percentage overall. Dell has won three of his past five starts, and eight of his past 14. He has struggled a bit lately, coughing up 12 goals in his previous three starts, and he has dropped each of his past two outings against Eastern Conference teams.

King Henrik is expected to make the start after rookie Igor Shesterkin picked up a 5-2 road win over the Carolina Hurricanes Friday night. Lundqvist has been much better at home, going 8-4-1 with a 2.93 GAA and .9167 SV%, while he is 2-7-2 with a 3.32 GAA and .897 SV% on the road. He has struggled against Western Conference teams, going 3-7-1 in his 11 starts and 13 appearances.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Sharks at Rangers: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Rangers 4, Sharks 2

Moneyline (ML)

The RANGERS (-167) pulled off the 5-2 road win in Carolina, cashing as +155 underdogs. Now, they have a quick turnaround, traveling from snowy Raleigh to New York to battle the Sharks (+135).

San Jose has dropped two straight games, including its first game on the Metro NYC road trip in New Jersey, 2-1, Thursday. The Sharks are starting to sell off assets heading into Monday’s trade deadline, as D Brenden Dillon has already been jettisoned. Expect more to follow. Morale is at a low for the Sharks, and the Rangers will squash them at MSG.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Rangers to win returns a profit of $6, while a $10 wager on the Sharks results in a profit of $13.50.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The RANGERS (-1.5, +155) are worth a roll of the dice on home ice behind King Henrik. New York is on a roll, and the Rangers are 6-2 in the past eight in the second end of a back-to-back situation, while cashing in four of the past five following a straight-up win.

Over/Under (O/U)

The lean is to the UNDER 6.5 (-150), even though the juice is a little high for my liking. If you foresee a lower-scoring game, the UNDER 5.5 (+140) alternative line might be attractive to you. I don’t think this will be a defensive slog, however, and a total of six goals looks good. In fact, a total of six goals (regular time) would cash +375 if my prediction of six total goals connects.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Kobe Bryant once swam with sharks; now one bears his name

There’s not much to say about Kobe Bryant that isn’t already known, but how many of his fans know that he was fascinated by sharks?

There’s not much to say about Kobe Bryant that isn’t already known, but how many of his fans know that the late NBA superstar was fascinated by sharks?

So fascinated that in the summer of 2013, while recovering from a torn achilles tendon, Bryant traveled to Mexico’s Guadalupe Island to dive with great white sharks.

Martin Graf of Shark Diver told FTW Outdoors that the Los Angeles Lakers’ star enjoyed close views of two white sharks while inside the cage, and afterward soaked up the magical atmosphere surrounding the vast and remote volcanic island, 150 miles west of Ensenada.

Kobe Bryant with Martin Graf at Guadalupe Island. Photo: Shark Diver

“It was nice having a conversation with him that had nothing to do with basketball or him being famous,” Graf recalled. “Just a couple of guys talking about sharks.”

ALSO ON FTW OUTDOORS: Coast Guard takes on giant surf in epic training session

Graf shared an amusing side note: Bryant’s feet were too big for the wetsuit booties Shark Diver clients use, so he plunged into the cage wearing his Nike shoes (see photo).

This week, the Marine Conservation Science Institute, which maintains a photo-database of 300-plus great white sharks known to frequent Guadalupe waters, announced that it was naming a newly identified shark Kobe Bryant.

Additionally, MCSI has “reallocated” the shark into the No. 24 spot in the catalog, to coincide with the number Bryant wore for much of his 20-year Lakers’ career.

Kobe Bryant merges from shark cage wearing Nike shoes. Photo: Shark Diver

“We did prepare a press release, but then I pulled the plug on that because I did not want any perception that we’re using Kobe’s tragic death as a way to gain publicity,” Michael Domeier, MCSI’s president and executive director, told FTW Outdoors. “I don’t want it to be about that. We’re just showing our respect and honoring him in a small way.”

As most of the world knows, Bryant, 41, died along with eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter, in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 in Calabasas, California.

The 18-time All-Star played his entire NBA career with the Lakers, winning five championships, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

–Images are courtesy of Shark Diver

Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Anaheim Ducks (19-24-5) and San Jose Sharks (21-25-4) square off at the SAP Center at 10:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Ducks-Sharks sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and betting tips.

Ducks at Sharks: Projected starting goalies

John Gibson vs. Aaron Dell

Gibson has posted a 14-19-3 record with a 2.96 goals against average and .906 save percentage with one shutout overall this season. It’s been a mixed bag for Gibson against the Sharks, as he allowed just one goal on 36 shots in a 3-1 win back Oct. 5 at home, and he allowed five goals on 35 shots in his most recent meeting with San Jose, also at ‘The Pond’, Nov. 14.

Dell has managed an 8-9-2 record with a 2.90 GAA and .909 SV%. Head coach Bob Boughner confirmed Sunday that Dell will tend the twine. He allowed three goals on 33 shots in his only appearance this season against the Ducks Oct. 5, while yielding four goals on just 21 shots in an overtime loss in Anaheim last March 22. His only win in three career starts vs. ANA came Jan. 21, 2018 in SoCal.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Ducks at Sharks: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Sharks 4, Ducks 2

Moneyline (ML)

The SHARKS (-150) are worth a roll of the dice against their Golden State brethren from down south. The Ducks (+125) are 3-9 in their past 12 meetings with the Sharks, while going just 5-13 in their past 18 Bay Area skates. The favorite is also 4-1 in the previous five battles in this series.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The SHARKS (-1.5, +180) are a decent small-unit play at this price, as you can nearly double up. It’s anything but a guarantee, as both of these clubs are subpar, and the goaltending edge might go in Anaheim’s favor. However, the offensive edge definitely goes to San Jose.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 5.5 (-115) bettors might need an empty-net goal late in the game to cash. The over is my lean, but I don’t feel very strongly about it at all. The best bet is to AVOID.

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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WATCH: Fisherman pets mako shark to prove point

Keith Poe spends much of his time offshore, trying to lure large sharks close enough to his boat to bait and tag for research.

Keith Poe spends much of his time offshore, trying to lure large sharks close enough to bait and tag for research.

What does the Southern California-based fisherman do with smaller sharks attracted by his chumming technique?

The accompanying footage shows Poe gently grabbing a free-swimming mako shark by its dorsal fin and stroking its back as casually as one might stroke the back of a dog or cat.

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“Come on, girl. Come here,” Poe says, reaching toward the 6-foot shark. “We’re gonna get you some pets. Come on, come on. Yeah, get you some pets.”

RELATED: Rare ‘super cow’ tuna caught off Cabo San Lucas

It’s a definite don’t-try-this-at-home moment, not advisable for anyone without vast experience working with sharks.

Poe, who tags apex predators for the Marine Conservation Science Institute, has caught an estimated 5,000 sharks and understands their behavior as well as anyone.

A much larger mako shark sent to freedom after it was tagged. Photo: Keith Poe

He told For The Win Outdoors that he was chumming in the San Pedro Channel off Los Angeles when the small mako shark appeared.

“She was just hanging out,” he said. “I was hand-feeding her and petting her for several hours while waiting for an adult shark to show up. I never [bait] them unless they’re mature females 9 feet and up.”

He said the shark was never aggressive, and that he shared the video because mako sharks “are always thought of as such vicious animals, and it’s just not true.

One of the sharks tagged recently off California. Photo: Keith Poe

“They come up to the boat all excited ready to kill something because that’s necessary to eat usually. But after a while they calm down and you get to know their real personality.”

One of the largest mako sharks Poe has tagged is named Cinderella. Her movements can be tracked via the MCSI’s Expedition White Shark app.

“When I tagged Cinderella, an 11-foot, 4-inch mako, I spent a long time with her, feeding her before I caught her,” Poe said. “It’s part of an effort to reduce capture shock. As a result, after I caught her, and tagged and released her, she stayed at the boat for an hour-and-a-half eating out of my hand.”

Poe, who recently had an 18- to 20-foot great white shark “hang out with me for five hours,” said he typically sends the sharks he tags away with an affectionate stroke of the head or back.

Call it a perk.

–Images showing Keith Poe working with sharks are courtesy of Keith Poe

San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s San Jose Sharks at Colorado Avalanche sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The San Jose Sharks (21-23-4) and Colorado Avalanche (25-15-6) square off at Pepsi Center Thursday with puck drop set for shortly after 9 p.m. ET. We analyze the Sharks-Avalanche sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

Sharks at Avalanche: Projected starting goalies

Aaron Dell vs. Philipp Grubauer

Dell has effectively taken over as the starting backstop in San Jose ahead of the stumbling Martin Jones. He has posted an 8-8-2 record with a 2.84 goals against average and .909 save percentage. Dell has posted four of his wins in six starts since flipping the calendar from December.

Grubauer is 12-10-4 with a 2.92 GAA and .909 save percentage so far this season. He will look to rebound after a 3-2 setback in overtime against the Dallas Stars Tuesday, blowing a 2-0 lead.

NHL Special Thursday Bet

Bet $1, WIN $100 (in free bets) if both the New York Rangers and New York Islanders score a goal January 16, 2020. Bet Now!

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Sharks at Avalanche: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 11:10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Avalanche 5, Sharks 2

Moneyline (ML)

The Avalanche (-209) have been tumbling lately, but they have the offensive firepower to break out of their slump at any time. Look for the Avs to be able to crack the combination for Dell early and often in this one.

The home team has cashed in 40 of the last 56 meetings in this series, and the favorite is 37-14 in the past 51 meetings overall.

PASS on the moneyline bet, as a $10 bet on Colorado to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of just $4.80.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The AVALANCHE (-1.5, +125) are the play in this one, mainly because they’re at home. The Sharks (+1.5, -154) have struggled away from home, going 8-12-3 overall, a major reason they’re in the bottom half of the standings and outside of the playoff picture at the moment.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 5.5 (-150) is the lean here, but I don’t like the fact that it’s not ‘regular’ juice. You shouldn’t have to lay -150 on a wager which is generally -110, or -115 at most. Therefore I’d skip this one. You can do an alternate line of OVER 6.5 (+135) at plus-money for a better value, and with the high-powered offenses on both sides, this might be the way to go.

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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WATCH: 2020 Texas commit talks after winning state championship game

2020 commit Xavion Alford won the school’s first state championship Friday night. After the game, Alford caught up with a reporter to talk.

2020 four-star Texas commit Xavion Alford and the Shadow Creek Sharks won the school’s first state championship Friday night against Denton Ryan. With a final score of 28-22, the Sharks were able to stop a last-second hail mary attempt to win the game.

After the game, Alford caught up with a reporter to talk about his season and what it meant for him to win a championship.

“It’s unreal,” said Alford. “This season has been real emotional for me. I got hurt first game of the season.”

After falling short in 2018, Shadow Creek was able to win the 5A Divison 1 state championship in 2019. When asked what it meant to be a state champion, Alford said it meant “a lot.”

Here are Alford’s full comments:

Alford signed his national letter of intent with the Longhorns on National Signing Day. Playing safety, he is the sixth highest-rated prospect in the 2020 class for the Longhorns. Alford joins two other secondary players in the class, as Jerrin Thompson is another safety, while Kitan Crawford is listed as a cornerback.

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New York Islanders at San Jose Sharks odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s New York Islanders at San Jose Sharks sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The New York Islanders (16-3-1) travel cross country to face the San Jose Sharks (11-11-1) at SAP Center Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Islanders-Sharks odds and lines while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Islanders at Sharks: Projected starting goalies

Semyon Varlamov vs. Martin Jones

Varlamov has a 7-2-1 record with a 2.70 goals against average and .912 save percentage. He looks to rebound after giving up a whopping 12 goals in his previous three starts.

Jones has a 8-8-1 record with a 3.34 GAA and .885 SV%. He has won four of his last five starts but has given up three or more goals in four straight outings. Jones has seen one 30-plus shot game over the previous five starts.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Islanders at Sharks: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 10:55 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Sharks 4, Islanders 2

Moneyline (ML)

The SHARKS (-110) are almost dead even on the moneyline at home despite winning six of their last seven games. Yes, the goaltending is less than optimal but San Jose is more than capable of outscoring its goaltender.

The Sharks should be able to take advantage of an Islanders team on the first leg of their West Coast trip.

A $10 bet with San Jose results in a $9.09 profit with an outright win for the Sharks.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

A fast start is vital for the Sharks here. This one is tough but lean to San Jose (-1.5, +215) for the heavy value.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 5.5 (-134) is dangling a carrot and we are taking this hook, line, and sinker. Yes, it carries some inherent risk, but San Jose could score four or more by themselves if Varlamov starts. They have a familiarity with him from his days with the Colorado Avalanche.

Placing a $10 bet here will give a bettor a decent $7.46 profit with a total of six or more goals scored.

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @ChrisWasselDFS and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Great white shark breach catches scientist by surprise

A Massachusetts scientist has discovered that it pays to be quick on your feet while trying to capture footage of great white sharks.

A Massachusetts marine biologist has discovered, for the second time in as many years, that it pays to be quick on your feet while trying to capture footage of great white sharks with a pole-cam.

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The accompanying footage, released Tuesday by the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, shows a 9-foot white shark breaching directly beneath Greg Skomal as he stands on the pulpit of a research vessel off Cape Cod.

RELATED: Can you spot the hidden object in this great white shark photo?

Skomal jumps and shuffles his feet in a startled attempt to distance himself from the shark, which was ultimately tagged as part of an ongoing scientific effort by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.

Great white shark breaches at feet of Greg Skomal. Photo: Atlantic White Shark Conservancy

The footage, captured Nov. 11, shows the primary breach from both sides of the vessel and somebody, perhaps Skomal, can be heard shouting, “Jesus Christ!”

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy stated on Facebook:

“While encounters like this one are rare, this video shows that they can occur. White sharks are wild and unpredictable animals. This is a good reminder of the importance of following safety tips and always staying vigilant when in or on the water.”

Greg Skomal moments before 2018 close encounter. Photo: Atlantic White Shark Conservancy

That’s the same statement issued in June 2018, when a large white shark breached directly beneath Skomal, who exclaimed moments afterward, “Did you see that? Did you see that? It came right up and opened its mouth right at my feet!”

Skomal, who works for the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, and fellow researchers have tagged more than 50 white sharks this season as part of a longterm behavioral study, according to the Cape Cod Times.

–Video and images are courtesy of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy