The San Jose Sharks (14-32-6) will welcome the Pittsburgh Penguins (20-23-8) to SAP Center on Monday night in what promises to be a compelling matchup between two teams desperately seeking to reverse their recent fortunes.
Both teams enter the contest amid challenging stretches, with the Sharks riding a six-game losing streak while surrendering 26 goals in their last four outings, and the Penguins having won just three of their previous 13 games.
The situation is further complicated by potential absences of key Penguins players, with star center Evgeni Malkin questionable after suffering a lower-body injury in Seattle, and forward Bryan Rust's status remains uncertain.
This cross-conference battle marks the second and final meeting between these teams this season, following their November encounter that saw Pittsburgh emerge victorious in a 4-3 shootout at PPG Paints Arena.
The defensive struggles of both squads could set the stage for an offensive showcase, as San Jose and Pittsburgh rank 32nd and 31st respectively in goals allowed per game this season.
As these struggling teams prepare to face off at SAP Center, both will be looking to prove they can overcome their recent defensive woes and return to winning form in this intriguing Monday night hockey matchup.
San Jose Sharks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins: who will win?
For tonight's San Jose Sharks vs Pittsburgh Penguins matchup, our predictive model gives the Sharks a 52.33% chance of defeating the Penguins.
San Jose Sharks: 52.33% win probability
- Higher scoring efficiency (137 goals in 52 games vs Penguins' 150 in 51 games)
- Home ice advantage (League average home win percentage advantage of 3.2%)
- More consistent defensive performance (195 GA over 52 games vs Penguins' 189 GA in 51 games)
Pittsburgh Penguins: 47.67% win probability
- Poor recent form (LLWLW in last 5 games)
- Defensive struggles (189 goals against in 51 games)
- Lower points percentage (48 points in 51 games, 0.941 points per game)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts.
San Jose Sharks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins odds
| San Jose Sharks | Pittsburgh Penguins | |
|---|---|---|
| moneyline | +145 (via bet365 US) | -160 (via FanDuel Sportsbook) |
Key stats
- 1The San Jose Sharks have won 14 out of 52 matches this season.
- 2The Pittsburgh Penguins have won 20 out of 51 matches this season.
- 3With 34 points, the San Jose Sharks holds the 16th position in the league standings.
- 4Pittsburgh Penguins's 48 points place them 15th in the rankings.
San Jose Sharks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins form
San Jose Sharks vs. Pittsburgh Penguins head to head
San Jose Sharks
33%
Pittsburgh Penguins
67%
Nov 17, 2024
Pittsburgh Penguins
4 : 3
San Jose Sharks
Mar 14, 2024
Pittsburgh Penguins
6 : 3
San Jose Sharks
Nov 5, 2023
San Jose Sharks
2 : 10
Pittsburgh Penguins
Feb 15, 2023
San Jose Sharks
1 : 3
Pittsburgh Penguins
Jan 29, 2023
Pittsburgh Penguins
4 : 6
San Jose Sharks
Jan 16, 2022
San Jose Sharks
1 : 2
Pittsburgh Penguins
