The New Jersey Devils (24-14-3) travel to face off against the San Jose Sharks (12-23-6) on Saturday, January 4th. This game will be played at SAP Center in San Jose and televised on NBCS. Both the Devils and Sharks will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 ET.

Devils vs Sharks

The New Jersey Devils Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

New Jersey’s 3-0 loss to the Flames dropped their record to 24-14-3. The Devils were favored on the puck line, but failed to cover. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 3 fell well short of that mark.

All of the scoring came in the 3rd period, with the Flames breaking the tie at the 5:34 mark. New Jersey’s offense struggled, managing only 22 shots on goal and committing 19 giveaways.

The San Jose Sharks Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

San Jose fell to 12-23-6 after a 3-2 loss to the Canucks. The Sharks took the lead in the second period, but Vancouver responded with three unanswered goals, including the game-winner with just 26 seconds left.

The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined 5 goals fell short. San Jose, as the underdog on the puck line, didn’t cover. Nico Sturm and Mikael Granlund each scored for the Sharks.

New Jersey Offense Breakdown

In their latest game, the Devils were shut out, managing 22 shots on goal but failing to score. They had 19 giveaways, contributing to their offensive struggles.

New Jersey was held scoreless through three periods, including a 0-0 tie heading into the third. The Devils’ record now stands at 24-14-3.

Sharks Offense Breakdown

San Jose took 23 shots on goal in their recent 3-2 loss to Vancouver, but only found the net twice. Nico Sturm opened the scoring with his second goal of the season, while Mikael Granlund added his sixth goal, tying the game 2-2 with 1:17 left in the third period.

The Sharks recorded 16 giveaways and were held scoreless in the first period. They got on the board at the 17:23 mark of the second period. San Jose finished with three assists, including William Eklund’s seventh of the season.

New Jersey Team Defense

Defensively, the Devils held up well until the third period, where they allowed three goals, including an empty-netter. Jacob Markstrom made 29 saves with a 93.5% save percentage. The defense also contributed 5 takeaways and 22 hits.

San Jose Team Defense

Defensively, the Sharks will be looking to bounce back after allowing a late goal with just 26 seconds left in the 3rd period in their previous game, which resulted in a 3-2 loss to the Canucks. Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves with a save percentage of 89.3%, and the Sharks’ defense added 6 takeaways and 21 hits.

Devils vs Sharks Trends

• Through their last three road contests, the Devils offense has averaged 1 goals per game while allowing an average of 3. New Jersey posted an overall record of 0-3 while going 0-3 ATS.
• Through their last three home contests, the Sharks offense has averaged 1 goals per game while allowing an average of 2. San Jose posted an overall record of 1-2 while going 1-2 ATS.
• The last ten games that San Jose was the underdog, they have an puck line mark of 6-4 while going 2-8 straight up.
• In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Devils have a strong straight up record of 3-2. In addition, their puck line record was 3-2 in these scenarios.

Devils vs Sharks Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Sharks to defeat the Devils while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at +249, I’m placing a wager on the Sharks to win outright.

Our projections have the Sharks pulling out a win as the underdog. But if you’re not as bullish as we are on the Sharks, we’d recommend at least getting a bet down on them to cover the puck line.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.

---

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

---

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.