San Jose Sharks vs. Philadelphia Flyers Betting Preview
Where: Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
When: Saturday, February 11, 2017, 1:00 PM ET
Line: San Jose Sharks at Philadelphia Flyers – view all NHL lines
Betting on the San Jose Sharks (33-17-4)
Moneyline: TBA
A 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday puts the San Jose Sharks’ lead atop the Pacific Division into an even more precarious situation. The Sharks have now lost three-straight games and are 0-2 amidst their current four-game road trip.
San Jose’s normally dependable goalie, Martin Jones, allowed three Boston goals in the first period alone on Thursday. Jones was pulled out of the game by the start of the second frame by backup Aaron Dell, but Dell surrendered another three goals to the Bruins himself. Perhaps the two netminders just had a rough night simultaneously, as the Sharks are still ranked second in the league at just 2.3 goals allowed per contest.
However, the real concern for the team is how its offense isn’t doing enough to make up for its poor goaltending of late. San Jose had 40 shots in each of its last two losses, but only had a total of 26 shots against the Bruins. The team is also winless in its last three games wherein it didn’t score a power play goal.
Still, the Sharks are finding the back of the net rather well in general, averaging 3.2 goals scored over their last five contests overall. Saturday’s match against the Flyers should get them back on the right track, as they haven’t lost in eight-consecutive trips to Philly dating back to the 2004 season.
Betting on the Philadelphia Flyers (26-21-7)
Moneyline: TBA
They may have prevented a third-straight shutout loss from happening, but the Philadelphia Flyers suddenly find themselves out of the East’s playoff picture for the time being after falling to the New York Islanders on Thursday, 3-1. And like San Jose, Philadelphia has now lost its last three games.
The Flyers will wrap up their five-game homestand against the Sharks this weekend, but they’ve caused more frustration than elation for their fans during this stretch. Starting goalie Steve Mason returned to action for the first time in over a week’s worth of rest and made 27 saves against the Isles, but his three goals allowed was more than enough for the crowd to boo him loudly after giving up that third New York goal.
As it stands, Philadelphia’s allowing exactly an average of three goals per contest this season (25th in the NHL), so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the team had another lackluster performance on defense. What’s more troubling, though, is how the team’s offense has simply ran out of gas.
Wayne Simmonds scored the only Philly goal on Thursday, finally snapping his four-game point-less streak after he had racked up six goals in his five prior starts from January 22 to 29. Simmonds, the team’s leading scorer with 21 goals this season, does not have enough support on the attack whatsoever even on home ice. The Flyers have lost four of their last six games at Wells Fargo Center, with the team having scored no more than a single goal in each of those defeats.
Writer’s Prediction
The Sharks put and end to their skid, 2-1.
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