San Jose Sharks vs Colorado Avalanche Betting Pick & Prediction 12/17/23

The Sharks and Avalanche are set to face off at 8:00 ET on NBCS. The Avalanche will host the game at Ball Arena in Denver, CO. The odds for this Western conference game currently have the Avalanche as the betting favorite with the over/under line sitting at 6.5 goals.

SAN JOSE SHARKS VS COLORADO AVALANCHE BETTING PICK

The Pick: Colorado Avalanche -1.5

This game will be played at Ball Arena at 8:00 ET on Sunday, December 17th.

WHY BET THE COLORADO AVALANCHE:

• The Avalanche enter this game as 1.5-goal favorites and in our projections and we anticipate them winning by a score of 4-3.
• Take the Avalanche on the moneyline
• On the spread, we like Sharks (+1.5)

Can San Jose Grab a Win on the Road?

In their 30 games, the Sharks have a 9-18-3 record this season. While playing at their home arena, they have a 6-6-2 record, and their record on the road is 3-12-1. This record has them sitting 7th in the Western Pacific division and 14th in the Western conference.

When it came to the puck line, San Jose have posted a 14-16 record. Their road performance against the puck line stands at 6-10, while they are 8-6 at home. On average, San Jose’s games have finished with 6.1 goals per game. The season’s average over/under line stands at 6.3. In total, the Sharks come in with an over/under record of 11-17-2.

In their last three road games, San Jose has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 3. The team’s record in this stretch was 1-2 while going 3-0.

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 31st 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 8-18.

San Jose’s leading scorer is Tomas Hertl. So far, he has 9 goals which is 102nd in the NHL. Hertl also comes into the game with 15 assists.

In terms of defense, the Avalanche head into the game ranked 21st in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 29.2 shots per game against Colorado. So far, they are 22nd in shutouts, achieving 1 shutouts.

Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood gets the start and has made 18 starts this season. His record at this point is 4-11, and his save percentage is 0.934%.

Are the Avalanche Ready for a Home Win?

The Avalanche come in with an overall record of 18-10-2. On the road, Colorado has a 7-6-2 record, whereas they are 11-4-0 at home. They are currently positioned 3rd in the Western Central division and 6th in the Western conference.

Regarding the puck line, Colorado comes in with a 14-16 record. On the road against the puck line, they are 5-10, while their home record is 9-6. This season, Colorado’s games are averaging 6.7 goals per game. Their average over/under line is 6.3. The Avalanche currently have an over/under record of 16-12-2.

In their last three games at home, the Avalanche have a straight up record of 0-3 while going 0-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 2 goals per game in this stretch.

Offensively, the Avalanche come into the game at 3.5 goals per contest placing 3rd in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 10th position in the league. This year, the Avalanche have recorded a 10-6 record in games where they outshoot their opponent. For games with fewer shots on goal, they have 6-4 record.

Colorado’s leading goal scorer is Mikko Rantanen. So far this season, he has 14 goals, placing him 20th in the NHL. Rantanen also comes into the game with 24 assists.

Defensively, the Avalanche are currently 21st in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 29.2 shots per game against Colorado. They also are 22nd in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.

Entering the game, goalie Alexandar Georgiev has started 23 games this season. His current record stands at 14-7, and his save percentage is 0.923%.