Free NHL Picks Today: San Jose Sharks vs Edmonton Oilers 4/8/23

Free NHL Picks Today: San Jose Sharks vs Edmonton Oilers 4/8/23
Sat 8th April 2023

The Edmonton Oilers (47-23-9) and their opportunistic power play offense travel to face the San Jose Sharks (22-40-16), one of the NHL’s top penalty killing teams, at SAP Center at San Jose on Saturday. Edmonton is coming off a 3-1 win over the Ducks on Wednesday, their sixth straight win.

The Oilers committed only one penalty in the game, holding Anaheim without a power play goal. Klim Kostin, Zach Hyman, and Nick Bjugstad each scored once for the Oilers. Kostin added an assist to lead the team in scoring. Jack Campbell saved an impressive 27 of 28 shots (.964%) in the win.

San Jose fell 6-2 to the Avalanche on Thursday. Erik Karlsson and Steven Lorentz both scored once for the Sharks. Karlsson added an assist to lead the team in scoring. Kaapo Kahkonen only had 15 saves on 19 shots (.789%) after starting in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Oilers have won both games between the teams this season, including a 5-4 (OT) victory in their most recent meeting in March, their sixth straight win against San Jose.

Five players had two points for Edmonton. Karlsson (2G 0A) and Alexander Barabanov (1G 1A) each had two points to lead San Jose. Campbell got the win despite allowing four goals on 32 shots (.875%).

FACING OFF

Edmonton is averaging 3.95 goals per game for the season, best in the NHL. The visitors will be looking to take advantage of a Sharks team that is allowing 3.78 goals a game (30th). Meanwhile, San Jose has found the net 2.91 times a game on average, 24th in the league, and the Oilers are allowing opponents to score 3.19 goals per game (18th).

The Oilers’ No. 1-ranked power play offense (32.96%) will face a challenging test against the Sharks, who are the league’s third-best penalty killing team (83.54%).

San Jose, meanwhile, has scored on 18.48% of their power play opportunities (25th), which the home team will be looking to improve on against Edmonton’s 19th-ranked 76.95% penalty killing rate.

TOP PERFORMERS:

With 148 points this season, most in the NHL, Connor McDavid is the top skater for the Oilers. He leads the league in both goals (62) and assists (86). In the net, Stuart Skinner (26-14-5) is Edmonton’s top goaltender by goals against average.

He has a 2.84 GAA and a .911% save percentage. Karlsson leads the Sharks in scoring with 98 points. He has 23 goals and 75 assists (3rd) in 78 games. James Reimer (12-18-8) has the best goals against average for San Jose at 3.31. He has a save percentage of .894%.

HOME AND AWAY

Edmonton has won five straight away from home this season. San Jose is 8-21-11 at home this season.

SportsTips’ NHL Pick:

Edmonton Oilers -1.5 (-135)

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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.

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