Vancouver Canucks vs. San Jose Sharks Prediction, NHL Odds
The Sharks are short favourites on the NHL odds.
Canucks vs. Sharks NHL Betting Odds
Thursday is the second meeting of the season between the teams – they were supposed to also play Dec. 21 in San Jose but that was postponed. They faced off there Dec. 16 and the Canucks won 5-2 behind two goals from Brock Boeser and a goal and two assists from JT Miller. Thatcher Demko made 34 saves. That was when Vancouver got red-hot after coach Bruce Boudreau took over. Adin Hill made 25 saves for the Sharks.
It’s a bit unusual that the Canucks have been off since Saturday and that this is the lone road game in between two three-game homestands. Vancouver and San Jose are ahead of only expansion Seattle in the Pacific Division but a playoff spot isn’t out of reach for either … but also not likely. The Canucks are +375 to make it and the Sharks +613.
The favourite is 14-5 in the past 19 meetings.
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver has alternated losses and wins over its past eight, so that may mean a loss here as the Canucks knocked off the visiting Toronto on Saturday. Vancouver blew a 2-0 second-period lead but Juho Lammikko’s fourth goal of the season at 18:30 of the second was the winner. JT Miller (17th) and Brock Boeser (14th) also found the net. Thatcher Demko was the easy call for No. 1 with a career-high 51 saves (one shy of franchise record set by Dunc Wilson). Toronto outshot Vancouver 24-7 in the second period and 17-6 in the third.
Defenceman Quinn Hughes missed a third straight game in COVID protocols but is expected to join the team in San Jose. Centre Matthew Hightower also has missed the past three in protocols but was set to return to practice Wednesday. The Canucks are 0-4 in their past four after a win.
San Jose Sharks
San Jose dropped its fourth in a row Monday, 3-0 at home to Edmonton – Stuart Skinner had his first NHL shutout for the Oilers, who outshot the Sharks 41-20. San Jose might have been rusty in its first since Feb. 1 and first home game since Jan. 22. “I think that you can see there wasn’t a lot of sharpness to our game, and that’s the worry after being on a break that long,” San Jose coach Bob Boughner said.
James Reimer made 36 saves and is 13-10-3 with a 2.82 GAA and .916 SV. Winger Rudolfs Balcers (15 points) suffered an upper-body injury in the loss and is day-to-day. The Sharks are 1-4 in their past five at home.
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