San Jose Sharks vs Minnesota Wild Picks and Predictions January 11th 2025

San Jose Sharks vs Minnesota Wild January 11th 2025

Don’t miss out on the NHL showdown between the Wild and Sharks. The game is starting at 10:00 ET on NBCS, and it’s hosted by the Sharks at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. Get ready to place your bets! The Wild are the -1.5 goal favorite in this Western conference matchup against Sharks. The over/under for the game is set at 5.5 goals.

Sign Up!

Minnesota vs. San Jose Key Information

• Teams: Wild at Sharks
• Where: SAP Center San Jose
• Date: Saturday, January 11th
• Betting Odds MIN -186 | SJ +153 O/U 5.5

The Wild Can Win If…

With a 2-1 overtime win against the Maple Leafs, the Wild moved to 26-12-4 for the season. Minnesota was favored on the puck line, but failed to cover. The total was set at 6 goals, but the teams combined for just 3.

Ryan Hartman opened the scoring for the Wild in the first period, but the Maple Leafs tied it up with only 52 seconds left in the period. Matt Boldy scored the game-winner 2:14 into overtime.

Ryan Hartman opened the scoring for the Wild, netting his 3rd goal of the season at 9:41 in the first period. Matt Boldy followed with his 6th goal, which came 2:14 into overtime to secure a 2-1 win.

Jared Spurgeon picked up two assists, bringing his season total to 3. The Wild fired 33 shots on goal but were held scoreless in the second and third periods before Boldy’s game-winner in OT.

Defensively, the Wild will look to carry over their strong play from their previous game, where they allowed just one goal to Toronto. Goalie Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves and posted a 96.4% save percentage. The defense also recorded 7 takeaways and 22 hits. The only goal they allowed came on a power play late in the first period.

• Over their last three games, the Wild have gone 2-1 straight up. In addition, their puck line record over this stretch is 2-1 while posting a 2-1 over-under mark.
• The Wild have gone 6-4 over their last ten regular season games. This includes going 5-5 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 5-5.

The Sharks Can Win If…

San Jose fell to 13-25-6 after a 3-2 loss to the Canucks. The Sharks held a 2-1 lead in the third period, but Vancouver scored twice to hand San Jose another defeat.

As +1.5 goal underdogs, the Sharks failed to cover the puck line. The total was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 5 fell short of that mark.

San Jose’s offense put 23 shots on goal in their 3-2 loss to Vancouver. Nico Sturm netted his second goal of the season, while Mikael Granlund added his sixth, scoring at 18:43 in the third period to tie the game 2-2.

Luke Kunin picked up his third assist on Sturm’s goal, while Tyler Toffoli and William Eklund earned their fifth and seventh assists, respectively, on Granlund’s goal. The Sharks had 16 giveaways in the game.

San Jose’s defense was solid early, as the Sharks took a 1-0 lead at 17:23 of the second period. However, they gave up the tying goal at 5:19 of the second and two more in the third, including the game-winner with just 26 seconds left. Mackenzie Blackwood made 25 saves with a save percentage of 89.3%. The Sharks’ defense also recorded 6 takeaways and 21 hits.

• San Jose has put together a record of 1-2 in their last three games (regular season). This also includes going 2-1 ATS, and posting an over-under record of 0-3.
• Across San Jose’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 2-8. The team’s record vs the puck line was just 5-5, in addition to an over-under mark of 2-8.

The Lean

For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Sharks to secure a victory over the Wild at home. With the moneyline currently set at +153, I’m locking in my bet on the Sharks straight-up.

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.

With an over/under line sitting at 5.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

The Best Expert Hockey Handicappers

Short-Handed Wild Aim for Rebound Against Struggling Sharks

Minnesota Wild face a tough challenge as they visit the San Jose Sharks on Saturday night, starting a back-to-back road trip. With key players sidelined due to injuries, the Wild aim to rebound from a disappointing loss, while the Sharks look to regain momentum after recent struggles.

Injury Woes for the Wild

The Minnesota Wild are navigating a difficult stretch without several key contributors:

• Kirill Kaprizov: Despite missing the last seven games with a lower-body injury, Kaprizov still leads the team with 23 goals and 27 assists. His absence leaves a significant offensive void.
• Jonas Brodin and Brock Faber: Both defensemen sustained injuries during a 6-4 win over the St. Louis Blues earlier in the week. Faber exited due to an upper-body injury after a collision with Jake Neighbours, while Brodin was hit by a slap shot.
• Jared Spurgeon: The team captain is recovering from a lower-body injury sustained during a game against the Nashville Predators and is expected to miss at least another week.

Despite these setbacks, the Wild are determined to adopt a “next man up” approach. Forward Marcus Foligno emphasized the team’s resilience, stating, “We can’t make excuses. We’ve got to play without these guys for a little bit longer.”

Wild Struggle Against Avalanche

Minnesota’s injury-depleted lineup faltered on Thursday, suffering a 6-1 defeat to the Colorado Avalanche. Defensive lapses plagued the Wild, allowing a goal less than four minutes into the game and four more during the final 27 minutes.

Defenseman Jake Middleton was candid about the team’s underwhelming performance: “That wasn’t us. That’s just not what we do.”

The Wild’s focus now shifts to tightening their defensive coverage and improving puck management as they prepare to face San Jose.

Sharks Seeking Offensive Spark

The San Jose Sharks enter the matchup following a 2-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club. Despite keeping the game close, the Sharks failed to generate sustained offensive pressure, leaving head coach Ryan Warsofsky frustrated.

“Puck play was awful. Just wasn’t enough,” Warsofsky said.

San Jose’s struggles were further compounded by injuries:

• Fabian Zetterlund: The left winger appeared to sustain an injury during a post-game scrum.
• Klim Kostin: The forward exited in the first period with a lower-body injury, and his status remains unclear.

The Sharks have been inconsistent, alternating between brief winning streaks and extended slumps. Forward Mikael Granlund acknowledged the team’s need for improvement, saying, “We’ve got to win some battles and sustain some momentum.”

Keys to Victory for Minnesota

For the Wild, success against the Sharks will require:

1. Improved Defense: With three key defensemen sidelined, the Wild must avoid lapses like those seen in their loss to Colorado.
2. Stepping Up Offensively: Players like Mats Zuccarello and Matt Boldy will need to lead the scoring charge in Kaprizov’s absence.
3. Special Teams Execution: The Wild can capitalize on San Jose’s defensive inconsistencies, particularly during power plays.

Keys to Victory for San Jose

To bounce back, the Sharks must:

1. Elevate Puck Management: Reducing turnovers and maintaining possession will be crucial against Minnesota’s aggressive forecheck.
2. Capitalize on Opportunities: The Sharks need to convert chances, especially during man-advantage situations.
3. Injury Adjustments: Depth players like Kevin Labanc and William Eklund may have to take on larger roles.

Game Outlook

The Wild and Sharks share a common challenge: finding consistency while dealing with depleted rosters. While Minnesota boasts a stronger overall record, their current lineup lacks the star power typically driving their success. Conversely, San Jose’s lackluster season has been marked by struggles on both ends of the ice, though they remain capable of pulling off upsets.

Prediction

If the Wild can tighten their defensive play and receive contributions from depth players, they should have the edge over a Sharks team struggling for cohesion. However, San Jose’s ability to exploit Minnesota’s weakened defense could make this a tightly contested matchup.