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The San Jose Sharks (2-0-0) and Dallas Stars (0-2-0) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 8:00 p.m. EDT at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Stars are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 6.5 (-100o / -120u). The Stars are a -189 favorite to win outright, while the Sharks are +155 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Sharks vs. Stars predictions and NHL picks, and be sure to download the Action Network app for more picks and analysis.
Sharks vs. Stars Odds, Pick
| Sharks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -167 | 6.5 -100o / -120u | +155 |
| Stars Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +139 | 6.5 -100o / -120u | -189 |
Sharks vs. Stars Spread: Stars -1.5 (+139 ), Sharks +1.5 (-167)
Sharks vs. Stars Over/Under: 6.5 (-100o / -120u)
Sharks vs. Stars Moneyline: Sharks +155, Stars -189
Sharks vs. Stars Preview, Prediction
So far the Sharks are living up to the hype, as they enter at 2-0-0 with overtime victories over the Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings. As expected, their young stars have shown great offensive upside, while their overall defensive play has been quite sloppy.
The Sharks have allowed 4.18 xGA/60 in a tiny sample of two games, but the important caveat is obviously that this is the level of play that was expected from their defensive core.
Darnell Nurse and Jacob Trouba are proven NHL talents capable of bringing a physical edge, but they are still likely to be below-average options skating in the top four. While Michael Kesselring is highly underrated, he's arguably the team's top defender, and that is certainly a clear weakness and a concern entering a matchup versus one of the deepest offensive lineups in the league.
Dallas did not have a good showing in its season opener loss versus the Blues, but it feels safe to say that we know what the current roster is and the floor feels extremely high for a roster holding six elite talents, great goaltending and solid overall depth.
At +1600, Dallas is still one of my favorite bets to win it all, and this seems to be a good spot to back them earning a comfortable win on home ice versus a Sharks team that will likely still have some significant flaws on the back end.
Best Bet: Stars -1.5 (+145, DraftKings | Play to +140)
