Free NHL Picks Today: San Jose Sharks vs Carolina Hurricanes 10/14/22

The San Jose Sharks (0-2-0) welcome the Carolina Hurricanes (1-0-0) at SAP Center at San Jose on Friday. The Hurricanes are -200 favorites, and the total is 6. Carolina is embarking on a six-game road trip coming off a 4-1 win over the Blue Jackets on Wednesday. The Hurricanes committed only two penalties in the game, holding Columbus without a power play goal. Four players found the net for the Hurricanes. Martin Necas scored and provided two assists to lead the team in scoring. Frederik Andersen had a great performance with 31 saves (.969%) in the win. San Jose fell 3-2 to the Predators on Saturday. Logan Couture and Luke Kunin both scored once for the Sharks. Mario Ferraro had two assists to lead the team in scoring. Kaapo Kahkonen saved only 15 of 18 shots against (.833%) in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The teams split their two meetings last season, the last of which was a 2-1 victory for the Hurricanes in January. Andrei Svechnikov and Vincent Trocheck were on the scoresheet for Carolina. Andersen got the win, saving 27 of 28 shots (.964%).

FACING OFF

Carolina averaged 3.38 goals per game last season, ninth in the NHL, and they are taking on a Sharks team that allowed 3.18 goals a game (21st). Meanwhile, San Jose found the net 2.57 times a game on average, 30th in the league, and may not find goals any easier to come by against the Hurricanes’ stout defense, which held opponents to 2.44 goals per game, the best in the league. The Hurricanes converted 21.98% of their power play opportunities (13th), while San Jose’s 85.20% penalty kill percentage ranked as the second-best. The Sharks scored on 18.98% of their power play chances (22nd). Carolina’s PK% of 88.04 ranked No. 1.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Kunin (1G 1A) and Ferraro (0G 2A) lead the Sharks in scoring on the season with two points apiece. James Reimer (0-1-0) has the best goals against average for San Jose at 3.05. He has a save percentage of .903%.