The Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks will renew their California rivalry on Wednesday night after the Sharks took the first game of the two-game series 2-1 on Monday.
Monday’s match had some pre-game physicality that saw San Jose’s Kurtis Gabriel pick up a $3k for a crosscheck in the back of an L.A. defenseman. Gabriel later had to drop the mitts, so Monday’s bad blood could spill over into tonight.
Oddsmakers have Wednesday’s matchup as a pick ‘em with the total opening at 5.5 and trending to the Over.
Here are our free picks and predictions for Los Angeles Kings vs San Jose Sharks for Wednesday, March 24 (10:30 PM EST).
L.A. Kings at San Jose Sharks betting preview
Injuries
Kings: Olli Maatta D (questionable), Martin Frk F (out).
Sharks: Matt Nieto F (questionable).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Sharks are 2-12 SU in games following a win. Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Sharks.
NHL sharp money and line movement report
By Patrick EversonThe line opened at L.A. -108, with the total at 5.5. The juice has bounced around a little on both lines, but the numbers remain relatively stable at most books. Check back later for a full report from Patrick!
Check out the full line movement for this gameMoneyline pick
The Sharks and Kings will meet for the fourth time this year and the second time in three days on Wednesday. The Sharks lead the season series 2-1 SU, but L.A. has outscored them 10-8.
Monday’s 2-1 San Jose win snapped a season-high four-game losing streak from the West’s seventh-place team who have been horrendous at home this year with just 10 points in 12 games (4-8 SU). There have not been many bright spots to the Sharks’ season to date.
San Jose sports a bottom-10 offense at home (2.50 goals per game) with the league’s 8th-worst power play. The Sharks also roll with two goalies with sub-.900 save percentage and have a goals saved above average below 0 — meaning they’re worse than league average.
The Kings haven’t been great this year, but they've shown flashes of an above-.500 team with the re-emergence of Anze Kopitar and the play in net by Cal Petersen.
Kopitar sits seventh in league scoring and has 13 points in his last 10 games including four multi-point games. Petersen has won back-to-back starts and has surrendered one goal in three of his last four starts. Look for Petersen to get the start on Wednesday after Jonathan Quick was saddled with the loss on Monday.
Despite the 2-1 defeat, the Kings held the Sharks to just 1.68 expected goals thanks to a defense that has been giving up just 2.57 goals since the calendar hit February, which is a Top-10 mark. The Kings have also been playing better opponents of late, with games against the Knights and Avalanche before this series against the Sharks.
There’s a reason why the Sharks are not favored at home, even against a non-playoff team like Los Angeles. We’re taking the visitors in this Wednesday nightcap.
PREDICTION: Los Angeles (-110)
Over/Under pick
San Jose was one of the better Over teams to begin the season, but things have changed of late. Thanks to some actual goaltending and below-average scoring, the Sharks are 6-3 to the Under since March 8.
Petersen and his .926 save percentage should see the crease on Wednesday. The 26-year-old netminder is 1-1 SU against the Sharks this year but has stopped 66 of 71 shots, good for a .930 save percentage. Petersen sits fourth in the league in goals saved above average, which puts him in some serious company that includes the league’s best goalies.
San Jose’s Martin Jones had a GAA near 4.00 after the first two months of the season but has turned it on lately. Through five March starts, the Sharks’ starter has a 2.20 GAA (.935 SV%). The Under is 4-1 in his last five starts.
Neither team boasts a Top-10 power play, while each team has struggled to score at even strength this season. The Sharks sit in 19th with 1.96 five-on-five goals a game, while the Kings are even worse at 1.64 (26th). Both teams’ power plays went a combined 0-for-9 on Monday.
Los Angeles has been rewarding Under backers of late as the division’s sixth-place team is 5-1 to the Under over its last six games. San Jose has also been cashing Under tickets when playing the West’s worst, as the Sharks are 4-0-1 to the Under in their last five against teams with sub-.500 records.
We’re doing the Under dance on Wednesday in what could be a physical and hard-fought game after what transpired on Monday.
PREDICTION: Under 5.5 (-105)
Kings vs Sharks betting card
- Los Angeles ML (-110)
- Under 5.5 (-110)
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