Los Angeles Kings vs San Jose Sharks Betting Pick & Prediction 12/19/23

This article was published on Dec 19, 2023. Today’s picks NHL picks

Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Kings versus the Sharks? The puck drops at 10:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. The Kings come into this Pacific division matchup as the favorite to pick up the win. Currently, the over/under for the game is at 6 goals.

LOS ANGELES KINGS VS SAN JOSE SHARKS BETTING PICK

The Pick: San Jose Sharks +1.5

This game will be played at SAP Center at 10:30 ET on Tuesday, December 19th.

WHY BET THE SAN JOSE SHARKS:

Despite being 1.5 goal underdogs, we predict the Sharks to come out on top with a final score of 4-3.
We like the Sharks on the moneyline (+200)
The Sharks are also our pick on the spread at +1.5

Will the Kings Pull Through as the Favored Road Team?

Facing the Sharks, the Kings have a record of 17-6-4 so far. At home, their record is 5-5-3 and 12-1-1 on the road. Their current record places them 3rd in the Western Pacific division and 6th in the Western conference.

In terms of the puck line, Los Angeles are 15-12. When playing on the road against the puck line, they are 9-5, while their overall home performance is 6-7. This season, Los Angeles’ games are averaging 6.1 goals per game. Their average over/under line is 6.2. The Kings currently have an over/under record of 11-16-0.

Across the Kings last three road games, the team averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. Their record vs the puck line in these contests was 0-3, while going 1-2 straight-up.

In terms of their offensive performance, the Kings are averaging 3.6 goals per game this season, putting them in the 12th spot in the NHL. When it comes to shots on goal per game, they are ranked 23rd in the league. So far this year, the Kings are 11-4 in games they have had more shots on goal than their opponent. They are 5-1 in games with fewer shots on goal.

Los Angeles’ current leading scorer is Trevor Moore. This season, he has 14 goals, which puts him 27th in the NHL. In addition to his goal scoring, Moore has 9 assists this season.

Entering the game, the Sharks’ defense ranks 20th in takeaways, averaging 6.1 takeaways per contest. In the NHL, they currently stand at 1st in terms of goals allowed, giving up an average of 3.8 goals per game.

Entering the game, goalie Cam Talbot has started 19 games this season. His current record stands at 13-5, and his save percentage is 0.8333333333333334%.

Can the Sharks Secure a Win at Home?

As they head into their game vs. the Kings, the Sharks have a 9-19-3 record thus far. While playing at home, their record stands at 6-6-2, and they have 3-13-1 mark on the road. They are currently positioned 8th in the Western Pacific division and 15th in the Western conference.

Analyzing their performance against the puck line, San Jose has a 14-17 record. On the road they are 6-11 against the puck line, while their overall home performance is8-6. This season, San Jose’s games are averaging 6.1 goals per game. Their average over/under line is 6.3. The Sharks currently have an over/under record of 12-17-2.

Across their last three home contests, San Jose has a 2-1 record vs the spread. Their overall mark in these games was 0-3, while averaging 2 goals per game.

In terms of their offensive performance, the Sharks are averaging 2.1 goals per game this season, putting them in the 32nd spot in the NHL. When it comes to shots on goal per game, they are ranked 30th in the league. The Sharks went 1-0 in games where they had more shots than their opponents. However, in games with fewer shots on goal, their record was 8-19.

San Jose’s leading scorer is Tomas Hertl. So far, he has 11 goals which is 61st in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 15 assists so far.

Goalie Kaapo Kahkonen gets the start and has made 12 starts this season. His record at this point is 5-7, and his save percentage is 0.6666666666666666%.