Columbus Blue Jackets (21-17-6) vs San Jose Sharks (14-26-6)
Game Info: Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 7:00 pm (Nationwide Arena)
The Line: Betting Odds: Columbus Blue Jackets -175 / San Jose Sharks +145 — Over/Under: 6.5
In this article, we will formulate a San Jose Sharks vs Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction for this NHL game on Thursday, January 16th at the Nationwide Arena. To formulate this prediction, we will look at:
-The Sharks’ recent form and recent player performance
-The Ble Jackets’ recent form and recent player performance
-Recent Betting trends and streaks involving San Jose
-Recent Betting trends and streaks involving Columbus
-Recent betting trends in games played between San Jose and Columbus
-A summary that ties it all together produces a favorable betting outcome for Today’s Game between the Sharks and Blue Jackets.
Sharks Look for Second Straight Win
The Sharks are looking for their straight win after they really impressed in the last game. The Sharks faced off against the Detroit Red Wings and they scored six goals and they ended up winning by three goals. William Eklund finished with one goal and two assists and Tyler Toffoli also finished with a goal and two assists. Alexander Georgiev was in goal and he saved 25 of the 28 shots that he faced. Two games ago against the Minnesota Wild, they scored only one goal, and that led to the defeat.
The Sharks are averaging 2.61 goals while their defense is giving up 3.41 goals per game. The offense is ranked 28th in the league while the defense is ranked 28th in the league. They are averaging only 27 shots per game which is 27th in the league. Mikael Granlund has scored 12 goals and added 25 assists so far this season. In this game, the Sharks are going to need the defense to be good.
Blue Jackets are Hot
The Blue Jackets are hot heading into this game and they have won five games in a row. Two games ago against the St Louis Blues, the Blue Jackets secured a 2-1 victory and in the last game against the Philadelphia Flyers it took overtime, but they were able to secure a 3-2 victory. Zach Werenski scored two goals to pace the team. Daniil Tarasov was in goal and he saved 23 of the 25 shots that he faced.
The Blue Jackets are averaging 3.36 goals, while their defense is giving up 3.47 goals per game. The offense is ranked 5th while the defense is ranked 29th. The offense has been good for this team, but the defense has left a whole lot to be desired. Zach Werenski has scored 15 goals and added 35 assists so far this season. Getting the start in goal for the Blue Jackets will be Elvis Merzilikins and he sits with a 15-10-3 record overall and is giving up 3.13 goals per game.
Why the Blue Jackets Will Beat the Sharks
- The Blue Jackets have won seven of their last eight home games.
- The Sharks have lost 10 of their last 12 night games.
- The Blue Jackets have covered the puck line in each of their last five games.
- The Sharks have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last three games at Nationwide Arena.
- The Sharks have lost the second period in each of their last three games as road underdogs.
Total Goals Facts
- Nine of the Blue Jackets’ last 10 games after coming off overtime have gone OVER the total goals line.
- Each of the Sharks’ last four games against Metropolitan Division opponents has gone UNDER the total goals line.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 3′ market has hit in each of the Blue Jackets’ last 12 games as home favorites.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 2′ market has hit in each of the Sharks’ last six road games against the Blue Jackets.
San Jose Sharks vs Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction
The Sharks are coming off a win, but it’s not going to be the same in this game. The Blue Jackets offense overall is averaging 3.36 goals per game which is 5th best in the league. Compare that to San Jose which is averaging only 2.61 goals per game. The Sharks offense is going to really struggle to get any sort of offense going here, and the Blue Jackets will get the job done. Back the Blue Jackets on the puck line.