Tampa Bay Lightning vs San Jose Sharks Prediction, 3/21/2024 NHL Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Lightning vs San Jose Sharks

Date: Thursday, March 21, 2024

Location: SAP Center in San Jose, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Lightning (-315) Sharks (+245)

The San Jose Sharks (16-45-7) will try to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning (37-25-6) at SAP Center on Thursday. The moneyline on this contest has the Lightning at -315 and the Sharks are opening at +245. The betting total comes in at 7.

The Tampa Bay Lightning were on the winning side of the scoreboard with a 5-3 win against the Golden Knights in their previous contest . Tampa Bay amassed 6 minutes in the box in this outing. They also had 4 attempts on the power play and were able to score 1 goal. The Lightning had a solid offensive output in the win. For the matchup, they netted 5 out of the 21 shots they put on net.

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When it comes to their goal scoring prowess, the Tampa Bay Lightning have racked up 237 goals (5th in the National Hockey League) so far this year and have given up 228. For the year, the have a total of 80 points and their points percentage is .588. Tampa Bay is sitting with 208 power play opportunities and they have added 60 goals out of those advantages, garnering them a percentage of 28.85%. At even strength, the Lightning have given up 192 goals while getting 177 themselves. Tampa Bay has tried 1,970 shots and holds a shooting percentage of 12.0%. The Lightning have had 2,017 shots taken against them and are the owners of a save percentage of .887. Tampa Bay Lightning opponents have recorded 194 power play tries (26th in hockey) and have come away with 36 goals in those attempts.

Protecting the goal for this matchup will be Andrei Vasilevskiy. Opponents have scored 1,173 goals versus Vasilevskiy in his career and his goals against average per game is 2.56. Vasilevskiy has taken the ice for 467 matchups throughout his pro hockey career. His save percentage currently is .917 for his 27,459 minutes in the crease. He has accumulated an overall record of 288-139-29 and was named the starter in 457 games. Throughout his time in hockey, Vasilevskiy has accounted for 259 quality starts and his rate for quality starts is .567. Vasilevskiy has had 14,106 shots taken against him and has gathered 12,933 saves.

When they took the ice last, San Jose faced the Predators in an outing where the Sharks were on the wrong end of the score by a final score of 8-2. The Sharks scored 2 goals out of the 20 shots on goal they tried. They had 1 chance on the power play in this outing but weren't able to put one in the back of the net.

The Sharks have 115 goals at even strength and 34 goals (27th in professional hockey) while on the power play. San Jose has put up 1,744 shots (32nd in hockey) and has a shot percentage of 8.54%, while allowing the opposition 2,394 shots. So far this season, the San Jose Sharks have earned a total of 149 goals, 39 points, and a points percentage of .287. They have allowed 271 goals to be scored by way of 216 goals at even strength and 55 goals while they had less men on the ice. They have recorded 166 power play chances and they have earned a power play percentage of 20.48%. They have a penalty kill rate of 74.42% on their opponents 215 power play opportunities, and their save percentage currently sits at 88.7%.

Across the ice you are going to see Magnus Chrona between the pipes. Opponents are averaging 4.71 goals per game and he has surrendered 37 goals altogether. Chrona's quality start percentage is 37.5% and he has qualified for 3 quality starting assignments in his NHL career. He has made the start in 8 games and has played for a total of 471 minutes. Chrona has compiled a lifetime mark of 1-6-1 and has been in net for 9 contests. He has racked up 225 stops out of 262 shots taken, which gives him a save percentage of .859.

Who will win tonight's NHL game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh's Pick: Take Tampa Bay (-315)

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