Expect the Vancouver Canucks to get back on track at home
tonight when San Jose comes to visit. The books have the home side as -155
favorites with the total set at 5.5.
The San Jose Sharks have snapped out of a funk but
they’ll have to careful not to fall back in again as they face the Vancouver
Canucks on Thursday, who are the top team in the Western Conference. The Sharks
have won two straight following a six-game losing streak and they’ll face a
Canucks team that has been on fire since late November.
Considering how Vancouver plays at home, it’s tough to
bet against them.
San Jose Sharks at
Vancouver Canucks NHL Odds
The San Jose
Sharks Can Win Because…:
They’ve won two straight, woken up and their stars are
leading the way.
The San Jose Sharks have won their last two games – both by a
score of 4-2 – but more importantly, it’s their first-liners that are finally
scoring the goals for them. Dany Heatley has registered three straight
multi-point games after failing to even register a single point in the previous
four games. Joe Thornton has produced multi-point efforts in his past four
games while Patrick Marleau also scored in Monday’s win, which was only his
third goal in seven games. When their top line is rolling, the Sharks are tough
to stop.
Vancouver is struggling a little bit right now. As hot as
they were in a stretch from late November until the end of the first week in
January, they have cooled off. They have just two wins in their last five games
and have surprisingly been shut out twice in that span.
They’ll be playing at home for the first time after a
five-game road trip and teams tend to be a bit sluggish at home following
several consecutive away games.
The Vancouver
Canucks Can Win Because…:
They are finally back at home, sweet home.
The Vancouver Canucks are 15-3-3 at Rogers Arena this season, which
is the best home-ice advantage in the NHL. They’ll be happy to be back in front
of their own crowd after an arduous five-game road trip. They are 11-5 this
season when playing at home when the total is 5.5 and 58-29 in their last 87 in
that scenario.
Vancouver is just 2-2-1 in their last five, which is
nothing to blush about, but it’s a far cry from their 16-1-2 stretch from
November 12th to January 7th. In that time, the Canucks
have ascended to the top of the Western Conference and even the top of the NHL.
A four-game home-stand is just what they need to rejuvenate themselves.
The Sharks have won two straight but they are still just
2-6 in their last eight games. The Canucks have already topped them twice this
season, winning by a combined score of 10-4. San Jose is just 2-8 this season
following a divisional game.
In previous years, this would have been a battle for
first place in the conference but right now, the Sharks wouldn’t even be in the
playoffs if they started today.
Outlook & NHL
Betting Prediction:
The Canucks have gone from Megan Fox-hot to Tina Fey-hot
in their last five; the Sharks have gone from Roseanne to Ellen.
In simpler terms, the Canucks have cooled off from their
record-setting pace but have still played decent over the last week whereas the
Sharks didn’t even have a pulse but are now breathing.
The Sharks play a bit better on the road but the Canucks
play significantly better at home. And that home-ice advantage, which has been
such a big one all season long, will be the difference.
Bet the Canucks to get the win.
NHL Pick: Canucks