Panthers vs Sharks Betting Odds: Two Slumping Clubs Battle in Bay Area

The San Jose Sharks Continue Homestand

on Thursday night as they welcome the Florida Panthers into the SAP Center. Let’s take a look and preview the Panthers vs Sharks Betting Odds for this clash Thursday night.

Clawless Cats Struggling Right Now

The Florida Panthers haven’t looked like the defending President’s Trophy winners we saw just a season ago. With new Head Coach Paul Maurice, the Panthers have changed from being a fast, free-wheeling hockey team that scores goals in bunches to a balanced team with a cycle-oriented offense and more defensive responsibility. Which so far hasn’t translated over to winning hockey for the squad from Sunrise.

Losing four of their last six games, including Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat to the Arizona Coyotes, the first win for the ‘Yotes in their new temporary 4,600 seat home of Mullett Arena – located on the Arizona State University campus. Forward Colin White scored the lone tally for Florida midway through the second period, before Arizona tied the game up late in the middle frame, then put it away with their second power-play goal and a empty netter for insurance.

Backup Spencer Knight got the start and made 18 saves on just 20 shots registered on goal. It is believed that veteran Sergei Bobrovsky will get the start for this game on Thursday. The 34-year old Russian native is 2-3-1 with a 3.06 goals-against average on the year and has a stellar 11-5-2 mark versus San Jose, with a 2.33 goals-against average, a .931% save percentage and two shutouts over 18 career starts against the San Jose Sharks betting odds.

Sharks swimming around in Circles on the Ice

The San Jose Sharks standings spot took a drop after a tough 6-5 shootout loss on Tuesday night to the Anaheim Ducks, wasting a great effort from defenseman Erik Karlsson, who had a hat trick and an assist in the contest. Forward Timo Meier scored a pair of goals and speedster Tomas Hertl chipped in with a pair of assists.

Backup Kaapo Kahkonen made 39 saves on 44 shots faced as he failed to outduel another second-string netminder in Anthony Stolarz who also went 39 of 44 in saves for the contest. Now San Jose must look to snap this 1-3 skid on their fifth game in a six-game homestand against a Panthers club that is also having their struggles and looking to right the ship and snap their four-game road losing streak before continuing their California road trip.

Panthers vs Sharks Betting Odds

Sportsbooks have the Florida Panthers as big favorites against the San Jose Sharks in the NHL betting odds on Thursday night priced in the range around -215 to -225.

This is the eleventh straight game this season where the Florida Panthers have been favorites, with an overall record of 5-5-1. The San Jose Sharks have been underdogs in ten of their 12 games, posting a 3-7 mark when catching plus money. Florida has won eight of the last ten meetings against San Jose and the Road team has won eight of the last 11 meetings overall.

The total for this contest is set at 6.5 goals shaded heavily to the Over around the -115 to -120 range. The Panthers, with their change in offensive schemes this year, have gone 4-5-1 to the Under thus far, while the Sharks have gone under the total in seven of their 12 games, but four of their last five home games have cashed Over the total. Florida is 8-1-2 to the Under in their last 11 games versus Western Conference opponents, dating back to last season.

Check out all the updated Florida Panthers and San Jose Sharks future odds, stats, recent news, injuries and betting tips, right here at Point Spreads.

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