Golden Knights vs. Sharks: Game 3 Prediction, NHL Playoff Odds
The Western Conference semifinal series between the Golden Knights and Sharks shifts to San Jose on Monday for Game 3. This NHL matchup is knotted up 1-1.
Golden Knights vs Sharks Stanley Cup Playoffs Betting Analysis
Isn’t hockey a fickle game? The expansion Vegas Golden Knights looked like the Wayne Gretzky dynastic Edmonton Oilers in trashing San Jose in Game 1 of their playoff series, 7-0. So, naturally, the Sharks won Game 2, 4-3 in double overtime. That means every team left in the postseason has now lost a game as both Vegas and San Jose had swept their first-round opponent.
During the regular season, the Golden Knights and Sharks split their two meetings in San Jose. On Feb. 8, Vegas won 5-3. James Neal scored the go-ahead goal at 15:10 of the third and Jonathan Marchessault added the clincher on the power play at 18:39. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 35 shots in the win and Martin Jones 28 in taking the loss. On March 22, the Sharks won 2-1 in overtime. Logan Couture scored 39 seconds into the extra session. Brent Burns had the other San Jose goal, and Jones made 24 saves. Tomas Tatar scored the lone goal for the Golden Knights, with Malcolm Subban making 42 saves. Tatar has been a healthy scratch for Vegas since Game 3 of the first round. Subban won’t play in this series barring injury to Fleury.
On the Sports Interaction series line, Vegas is now -139 and San Jose +100. The Knights are +220 favourites to win the West and the Sharks +500.
Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas nearly won Game 2, but Marchessault’s backhander past Jones with 3:02 left in OT was waived off on video review due to goalie interference. While cutting in front of the crease, Marchessault made contact with Jones’ stick. Bit of a controversial call. The Knights led 2-0 early in the second period. William Karlsson had two goals and Nate Schmidt the other, tying it 3-3 at 13:28 of the third. Fleury stopped 43 shots. Vegas was a bit undisciplined in a much more physical game, allowing the Sharks seven power-play chances, on which they scored twice. The Knights were 0-for-2 with the man advantage. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare played despite suffering an injury on an illegal check in Game 1 by the Sharks’ Evander Kane. Bellemare had two shots on goal in 11:30.
San Jose Sharks
Kane was suspended for Game 2 due to that hit on Bellemare, making the win all the more impressive. Kane had nine goals and five assists in 17 regular-season games after being acquired at the trade deadline from Buffalo. He has three goals and an assist in the playoffs. Timo Meier took his spot on the No. 1 line at first alongside Joe Pavelski and Joonas Donskoi. Logan Couture was the No. 1 star of Game 2 with two goals, including the winner at 5:13 of the second OT on the power play. Burns also had two goals to go with an assist. Jones stopped 26 of 29 shots and frankly sold the goalie interference call that wiped out the potential game-winning goal.
