Coyotes vs. Sharks Prediction and Odds: San Jose Is on a Downtrend
By Matt De Saro
The 6-21-2 Arizona Coyotes are having a very difficult year and are hoping that the Christmas break was enough to get them back on track if such a thing is possible.
Getting back on track would suggest they were ever on track, however, and they most certainly were not. The Coyotes lost their first 11 games of the season and that kind of set the tone for things to come. They have the fewest points in the entire NHL at 14 and are 1-6 straight up in their last seven games.
Glancing at their overall records, you might assume that the Sharks are a far better team at 15-14-1.
However, the Sharks began to struggle before the break and were just 2-5 in their last seven and 2-3 against the spread in their last five. The Sharks’ struggles are mostly on the offensive side of things and they are 27th in the NHL with an average of 2.6 goals per game.
San Jose needs a win here to keep pace in the Pacific Division playoff picture but has not looked like a team worth betting on lately.
Here are the odds for tonight’s matchup, courtesy of WynnBET Sportsbook.
Coyotes vs. Sharks Odds and Total
Moneyline:
- Coyotes +180
- Sharks -210
Puck line:
- Coyotes +1.5 (-140)
- Sharks -1.5 (+120)
Total:
- 5.5 (Over -+105/Under -125)
Coyotes vs. Sharks Prediction and Pick
The shutdown came just after the Coyotes broke out of a six-game losing streak with a 6-5 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. So, it might have stolen what little momentum that win brought them. Additionally, the Coyotes will be without defensive wizard Jakob Chychrun who is still two weeks away from returning with an upper-body injury.
While they continue to lose, the Coyotes have at least started to look more competitive in recent weeks. And, it is possible they held on to some of that momentum from before the break. Both Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz have 10 points over the last three games and could continue to contribute at a similar level.
The Sharks are very uninspiring right now and are not a team worth trusting as a favorite. It is hard to predict how these teams will perform out of the break but I am willing to bet that the Sharks continue to play below-average as they were heading into the break.
If Arizona can put together a game similar to the Ducks win it has a good shot to reward bettors for taking a chance on Tuesday.