Free NHL Picks Today: San Jose Sharks vs Tampa Bay Lightning 10/29/22

The San Jose Sharks (3-7-0) host the Tampa Bay Lightning (4-4-0) at SAP Center at San Jose on Saturday. Tampa Bay is coming off a 4-2 win over the Ducks on Wednesday. The Lightning committed only two penalties in the game, holding Anaheim without a power play goal. Four players found the net for the Lightning.

Brian Elliott allowed two goals on 21 shots against (.904%) in the win. San Jose beat the Maple Leafs 4-3 (OT) on Thursday. Logan Couture scored twice to lead the Sharks. Kaapo Kahkonen only stopped 22 of 25 shots (.880%).

HEAD TO HEAD

The Lightning won both games between the teams last season, including a 3-2 (OT) victory in their final meeting in February, their fifth straight win against San Jose. Victor Hedman led Tampa Bay with two points (1G 1A). Couture led San Jose with two points (1G 1A). Andrei Vasilevskiy got the win, saving 19 of 21 shots (.904%).

FACING OFF

Tampa Bay is averaging 3.00 goals per game so far this season, 22nd in the NHL, and they are taking on a Sharks team that is allowing 3.00 goals a game (11th). Meanwhile, San Jose has found the net 2.10 times a game on average, 32nd in the league, and the Lightning are allowing opponents to score 3.12 goals per game (16th).

San Jose averages fewer shots a game (27.3) than most teams in the league, ranking 28th, while the team’s 7.7% shooting percentage is 31st. With an average of 31.6 attempts, Tampa Bay ranks 15th.The Lightning’s 25.00% power play percentage ranks ninth in the league, while the Sharks are 26th with a conversion rate of 13.33%.

San Jose has been stronger at penalty killing, boasting the league’s second-highest PK% at 93.33%. Tampa Bay ranks 11th at 82.14%.

TOP PERFORMERS:

With 10 points this season, Nikita Kucherov is the top skater for the Lightning. He is among the league leaders with eight assists (5th) and has added two goals of his own. In the net, Vasilevskiy (2-3-0) is Tampa Bay’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.84 GAA and a .914% save percentage.

Erik Karlsson leads the Sharks in scoring with nine points. He has four goals and five assists in 10 games. James Reimer (2-4-0) has the best goals against average for San Jose at 2.55. He has a save percentage of .923%.