NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Golden Knights vs Sharks (Monday, February 19)
Via Jeff Bottari/Getty Images. Pictured: Jonathan Marchessault #81 of the Vegas Golden Knights skates during the first period against the Minnesota Wild at T-Mobile Arena on February 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Golden Knights vs. Sharks Odds
| Golden Knights Odds | -275 |
| Sharks Odds | +220 |
| Over / Under | 5.5 -128 / +104 |
Here's everything you need to know about the Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks on Monday, February 19 – our expert NHL prediction and pick.
This Vegas team is beaten up but should get to full strength soon enough. The Knights are still a force to be reckoned with, even shorthanded, but all teams go through some pain eventually in a season.
Despite having the second-worst record in the league, the Sharks have played well lately. They’re 5-3-2 in their last 10 games, and in their past three, they have either kept it within one goal or won outright. All things considered, this isn’t a very good team, but the Sharks find a way to stay in games.
Will the Sharks protect home ice on Monday afternoon?
Find my Golden Knights vs. Sharks prediction and NHL betting preview below.
Even with the news that most of the injured players are skating, I doubt we see Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore and William Carrier. Mark Stone has done very well with points in three straight games, while Jonathan Marchessault has notched points in nine of his last 10 games. While the Knights have been shorthanded, everyone has been stepping up.
The Golden Knights aren’t very flashy when playing 5-on-5. They rank 16th in Expected Goals with a 50.81 xGF% and are 13th defensively with a 2.56 xGA/60.
However, it's surprising that Vegas’ special teams are also pretty mediocre. It scores on the power play 19.5% of the time, and the penalty kill sits at 80%.
It's too early to tell, but I expect to see Logan Thompson in net today. Adin Hill has played lights out all season — and Thompson hasn’t seen the ice since January 27 — but it seems like Thompson is due with a poor team on the horizon. Thompson is a solid goaltender and one of the best backups in the league as he has played to a .906 SV% and a 3.5 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx).
For the foreseeable future, the Sharks will be without leading scorer Tomas Hertl, who’s recovering from knee surgery. However, youngster William Eklund has been San Jose’s brightest star recently after registering a point in four of his last five games.
They’ll need more out of Fabian Zetterlund and Mikael Granlund for the rest of the season. Outside of Zetterlund breaking his scoreless streak on Saturday, both have been very quiet as of late.
It should be no surprise that the basement-dwelling Sharks have the second-worst 5-on-5 stats. They’re 31st in Expected Goals with a 41.22 xGF% and last defensively with a 3.23 xGA/60.
Along with its inefficiency at even strength, their special teams aren’t very special. The Sharks score on the power play at a 17% clip, and their penalty kill is 29th at 74%.
At this rate, I’ll never know who the Sharks will start in net until warmups. However, it doesn’t seem to matter because they get decent goaltending no matter who starts. Kaapo Kahkonen skated on Saturday, so maybe we will see Mackenzie Blackwood today. Blackwood has had a fine season behind the league’s worst defense with an .899 SV% and a 2.5 GSAx.
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Golden Knights vs. Sharks
Betting Pick & Prediction
The Knights-Sharks rivalry isn’t as intense as it once was because there’s a massive discrepancy in talent. While the Knights aren't exactly the best 5-on-5 team, they clearly can overwhelm the Sharks, who have the second-worst offense and the worst defense.
The last time these two teams faced each other, the Knights won in a shootout by a score of 5-4. However, the first time they faced each other, the Knights shut the Sharks out.
This is a different matchup with San Jose playing better and Vegas hobbling along, but I tend to err on the side of talent. The Sharks are incredibly volatile, which is why the odds in every one of their games are so lopsided.
Expect the Knights to win this by at least two goals in a matinee at the Shark Tank.
Pick: Vegas Golden Knights -1.5 (-108)
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