NHL: San Jose Sharks vs New York Islanders Prediction, Odds & Best Bets

Betting this NHL this season has been kind of strange. Whether you are betting sides, totals or props – things have been tough this year. Another thing that has been tough is watching the San Jose Sharks play hockey.

The Sharks sit last in the league with a 6-17-2 record and are taking on the New York Islanders (10-7-6) tonight. This is the 4th game of their very tough 5-game road trip. They have already faced the Bruins, Devils and Rangers. After the Islanders, they will face the Red Wings Thursday night to end the trip.

San Jose isn't what we would call "road warriors" as they just got their 1st road win over the Devils the other night. Still shocking to see the Devils lose that game, even if they their backup started. The Sharks are 1-11-0 overall on the road this year.

Although they've stunk so far, they're playing their best hockey right now. San Jose is 3-2 in their last 5 games and 4-5-1 in their last 10 games, which is big for them considering they only have 6 total wins. They had some big wins against teams like the Devils and Canucks.

Tonight, Mackenzie Blackwood is expected between the pipes. He has a record this year of 3-11-2 with a 3.72 GAA and .899 save percentage. Blackwood use to be the goaltender for the Devils, so he has history vs the Islanders. He is 3-1 his last 4 games vs the Islanders with a 2.00 GAA and a .919 save percentage. He could be the difference maker tonight for the Sharks.

New York is coming into this game on a 2-game winning streak. They're 5-2-3 in their last 10 games, so this is a great game for them to keep the momentum going. The Isles have been very up and down this year, especially when it comes to finishing games.

The Islanders biggest struggle of late is getting through the 3rd period. There have been numerous games this year that they went into the 3rd period leading and lost the game. This team just can't keep it together for a full 60 minutes.

In the last 2 wins that the Islanders had, they almost let the lead go to the Panthers and had to win in OT vs the Canes. Center Mat Barzal missed their last game vs the Panthers, so we like to think if he was playing that the game wouldn't have slipped towards the end.

Looking like backup goalie Semyon Varlamov will get the start. He had a hot start to the season with 2 shutouts and has won his last 2 games. Goaltending has been the key for the Islanders contention in games and the standings. They will rely on Varly to get the job done again.

Betting Odds

Puck Line

• San Jose Sharks +1.5 (-105)
• New York Islanders -1.5 (-115)

Moneyline

• San Jose Sharks +230
• New York Islanders -290

Totals

• Over 6 (-105)
• Under 6 (-115)

Odds courtesy of MyBookie

Game Information

• Venue: UBS Arena, Elmont, NY
• Date: Tuesday, December 5, 2023
• Puck Drop: 7:30pm EST
• TV: MSGSN, NBCS-CA

San Jose Sharks vs New York Islanders Prediction and Picks

Prediction and Pick: Game Total Under 6 (-115) MyBookie

Both these teams rank in the bottom of the league for almost all offensive categories. We will have one goalie with experience vs their opponent and another who is a proven solid backup.

The Islanders rank 25th in the league and the Sharks rank last in the league for shots on goal per game. They both also rank in (almost) the same positions for goals scored per game. New York for once has a decent power play and San Jose ranks 20th in the league for penalty minutes per game.

This will probably be what a lot of people call Islander hockey, and that is boring. Boring or not, I don't see this game going over. I could see a 3-1 or 4-1 Islander win. If you want to get frisky, pair the under with the Islanders Moneyline for plus chicky.

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