NHL: San Jose Sharks vs Colorado Avalanche Prediction, Odds & Best Bets

The sad and sorry San Jose Sharks have been showing signs of life! Although they're coming off a loss, they're 6-3-1- in their last 10 games. This team grinded out wins vs the Devils and Jets and also stole 2 overtime winners vs the Islanders and Red Wings.

There isn't too much to talk about offensively with this team. Ranking in the bottom of the league in almost every category, the Sharks are finding ways to come back late in games and steal wins. Now this isn't a sustainable way to play all year, but they'll take what they can get.

San Jose (9-18-3) sit 7th in the Pacific Division and will be headed to Colorado to take on the Avalanche (18-10-2) at Ball Arena. The Sharks are not a very good road team with a record of 3-12-1 and will have a tough task in front of them with the Avs who are 11-4-0 at home.

Logan Couture has been on the IR for the Sharks, which hasn't helped. Tomas Hertl has taken the role of trying to lead this team with 24 points. New addition Mikael Granlund has been able to contribute with 3 goals and 16 assists. One thing I've noticed out of the Sharks as of late is they have stepped up their passing game.

Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood has had a rough year so far. He is 4-11-2 with a 3.67 GAA and a .900 save percentage. Blackwood is coming off a solid win vs the Jets where he allowed 1 goal on 37 shots. He is expected to get the start tonight vs the Avs.

Will the Avs roll through the Sharks, or will they find late heroics?

Colorado has battled some injuries with Cale Makar fighting a lower body injury and Valeri Nichushkin with an undisclosed illness. Although the injuries, the Avs have been doing just fine. They sit in the 3rd spot of the Central Division.

The Avalanche offense has been firing as they have in the past. They rank 6th in the league for goals scored per game (3.53) and 10th for shots on goal per game (32.2). Colorado's defense has done its part, only allowing 3.1 goals per game on 29.4 shots per game.

Goalie Alexander Georgiev is expected to get the start tonight. He has a 3.00 GAA and a .884 save percentage this season with a record of 14-7-1. Georgiev was pulled in his last start vs the Flames, so he'll be looking to bounce back tonight in front of the home crowd.

Based on the stats on paper, this looks like a really one-sided matchup. Even their first matchup, which was their first game of the year, shows this could be a close game as the Sharks forced overtime in a 2-1 final. Well, it looks that way because it is. Let's take a look at the odds and then talk about the game.

Betting Odds

Puck Line

• San Jose Sharks +1.5 (-105)
• Colorado Avalanche -1.5 (-115)

Moneyline

• San Jose Sharks +220
• Colorado Avalanche -280

Totals

• Over 6.5 (-110)
• Under 6.5 (-110)

Odds courtesy of MyBookie

Game Information

• Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• Date: Sunday, December 17, 2023
• Puck Drop: 8pm EST
• TV: ALT, NBCS-CA

San Jose Sharks vs Colorado Avalanche Prediction and Picks

Prediction and Pick: Colorado Avalanche -1.5 (-115)

With the way the Sharks have been playing, you'd think I'd give them a little more credit, but I am not. I don't see how they stay in this game. Colorado is a much faster, stronger team that is more skilled than San Jose.

Goaltending is another big factor to this game. Blackwood hasn't been good this season at all, so putting him up against this Avs team is not going to go well. In 2 games started vs the Avs in his career, he is 0-2 with a 2.59 GAA and .930 save percentage.

Give me the puck line for this game. The Avalanche should easily take care of business tonight. They out match the Sharks in every aspect of the game and have much more skilled players. This will definitely be a multiple goal victory for Colorado. The -2.5 alt line looks nice at +134, but just saying.

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