Game 1 of Round 1 in the NHL Pacific Division is in the books, with the San Jose Sharks sending Vegas back to the locker room in a 5-2 win for the home team. Through the regular season, the teams met four times with each taking 2 games apiece and thus the Sharks now have the edge. Going into game 2, NHL futures price the Golden Knights at +1400 to win the Stanley Cup, while the Sharks are +1200 to do the same. This Friday night Vegas looks to even the odds before heading back home on Sunday.
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Betting Preview for the Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks NHL Playoffs Round 1 Game 2 on April 12 2019
Where: SAP Center, San Jose, California
When: Friday, April 12, 2019, 10:30 PM ET
Line: Vegas Golden Knights (odds) vs. San Jose Sharks (odds) – view all NHL lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Vegas Golden Knights (43-32 Regular Season Record)
Vegas had 26 shots of goal (SOG) against San Jose on Wednesday, but only two hit the target, both of which were courtesy of right winger Mark Stone who added a late one in the third, a goal scored on a power play to make it 4-2 before San Jose returned to take advantage of an empty netter to seal the deal. The rest of the team was pretty much absent on the offensive end, while goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made 28 saves. This was an uncharacteristic start for Vegas against the Sharks (more on this below) so don’t expect game 2 to go the same on offense. Vegas will come out with hockey sticks a-blazing and will push San Jose defense to its limits.
The league-young Golden Knights are 52-47 against the spread (ATS) on the road, all time.
Betting on the San Jose Sharks (46-27 Regular Season Record)
You’d better believe that San Jose head coach Peter DeBoer had reminded his team that Vegas had scored the first goal in 10 of the 14 match-ups all-time against San Jose, giving the Golden Knights a 9-5 all-time record advantage over the rival (live bettors take note in game 2). The Sharks responded in kind by keeping Vegas scoreless in the first half of the first period, and never once took the foot off the gas. Offense took 33 shots on goal (seven more than Vegas) and spread the wealth with five players accounting for 5 goals. Better yet, four of the five (including Evander Kane) each had an assist to boot, making for a very well rounded offensive effort. Goalie Martin Jones did his part defensively even if allowing 2 goals (with one coming late in the third period) while saving a total of 24.
Defense will remain strong in game 2, but will San Jose sustain the offensive momentum on Friday? It’s a big ask as they attempt to chip away at Vegas’ dominance over them over the past couple of years.
The Sharks’ over/under record is 24-16-1 when playing at home this season.
Writer’s Prediction
Vegas evens the score and wins, 3-2, before heading home for game three.
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