Blues Slim Favorites in Western Conference Final Rematch with Faltering Sharks
- St. Louis Blues make first appearance in San Jose since last season’s decisive playoff victory
- Blues have not missed a beat since their Stanley Cup win, marching to the top of the Western Conference standings
- Sharks find themselves on the verge of a lost season after losing seven of their past eight games – read below for our prediction
The St. Louis Blues will look to add insult to injury when they visit the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night as -135 favorites in the Blues vs Sharks odds. It’s the first clash between these two teams since last season’s Western Conference Final.
St. Louis Blues vs San Jose Sharks Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Blues | -1.5 (+180) | -135 | O 6.0 (-105) |
| San Jose Sharks | +1.5 (-220) | +115 | U 6.0 (-115) |
*Odds taken on 12/21/2019
Conference-Leading Blues Ride Four-Game Win Streak
The Blues arrive in San Jose for Saturday night’s matchup at SAP Center riding a four-game win streak that leaves them comfortably perched atop the Western Conference standings. Conversely, the Sharks continue to look for answers to a dismal 1-6-1 run that has dumped them out of the playoff picture, seven points back of Calgary in the hunt for the second wild card.
Four home games. Four home wins.
And they say we're just a good road team. #stlblues pic.twitter.com/QshbduPyf3— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) December 19, 2019
The last time these two teams met the Blues outclassed San Jose in a 5-1 win to complete an impressive comeback in their Western Conference Final series matchup, setting the stage for their first ever Stanley Cup victory. St. Louis has avoided the proverbial Stanley Cup hangover in the early going of this season, while the Sharks have taken a huge step back during a shaky start that ultimately cost Pete DeBoer his job.
The last time these two teams met the Blues outclassed San Jose in a 5-1 win to complete an impressive comeback in their Western Conference Final series matchup, setting the stage for their first ever Stanley Cup victory
San Jose marks the first stop on a four-game road trip for the Blues, who are riding high after completing the sweep of a recent four-game home stand with a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers as -160 chalk on Wednesday night.
Overall, St. Louis has paved their road to the top of the conference standings with wins in 10 of 15 outings, and now sits as a solid +1300 bet in the Stanley Cup odds. While the Blues sport a respectable 10-4-3 road record this season, they have struggled in recent outings away from Enterprise Center, falling to defeat in each of their past two road games while scoring just two total goals. That extends a trend that has seen them lose four of their past seven road contests while scoring two or fewer goals on four occasions.
Sharks on the Verge of Freefall
The Blues’ woes pale in comparison to San Jose’s. The Sharks are pegged as generous +115 home underdogs after falling to defeat in two of the first three dates on their current seven-game home stand. Offensive production has emerged as a serious problem for San Jose during the team’s current swoon. The Sharks have scored two or less goals in six of their past eight outings, and have potted more than three goals in just two of their past eight home games.
Here's the bottom line: The Sharks played well tonight. But as long as this team has the below issues, they will not make the playoffs at this rate.
1. Streaky Top-6
2. Pathetic Power Play
3. Ineffective Bottom-6
4. Inconsistent goaltending#SJSharks— Josh (🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈ALLY) #BLM #CMCISANINER (@SharksJosh95) December 18, 2019
With the Sharks on the verge of freefall, are they prepared to confront the team that snuffed out their Stanley Cup hopes? The Blues ended San Jose’s playoff run in spectacular fashion, posting three straight wins while outscoring them 12-2. In addition to being outshot by a wide margin in three of their past four outings, the Sharks have also been largely ineffective on the power play, potting just one total goal with the man advantage over their past 15 games, while surrendering six power play markers over their past six games.
MARTIN JONES pic.twitter.com/UTr5DkbbuS
— Lebron’s a Bum (@speendawg) December 13, 2019
San Jose goaltender Martin Jones has also been less than dominant during the club’s slide, allowing 12 goals on just 82 shots in his past three starts, all of them losses. Jones has stood tall in recent regular-season matchups with St. Louis, earning the win in each of his past three regular-season starts against the Blues, while giving up just four total goals. But with these two teams clearly headed in different directions, it is tough to see the Sharks reversing their current slide against the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Indeed, this one could get ugly.
Picks: Blues -1.5 (+180); OVER 6.0 (-105)
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
