On Wednesday 18th October a match is set to occur between San Jose and Carolina at the SAP Center. Let's consider potential outcomes.
In the previous season, the Sharks finished with an overall record of 22-44-16, amassing a meagre 60 points. This result secured them 14th place in the West.
I'm not particularly confident in the Sharks' performance this season. Due to a reshuffling of the roster, the team will most likely produce a similar result to the prior year. With Erik Karlsson shipped off to Pittsburgh, the squad is nearly void of reliable players. Yes, a few like Ekland, Barabanov, and Duclair remain, but it’s possible the latter two will be given up for trades due to the ongoing restructure and promising future.
The start of the season has not been kind to them, suffering 2 losses in the first games. They were initially defeated by the current champions Vegas with a score of 4-1, and subsequently lost to Colorado in a shootout with the score at 2-1.
Last season Carolina performed superbly with an overall record of 52-21-9, gathering impressive 113 points. They claimed 2nd place in the Eastern Conference and made it successfully to the playoffs. However, Carolina lost to Florida 0-4 in the conference finals. Despite this, the team currently ranks as the main contender for an upcoming Stanley Cup victory according to bookmakers.
The season has started more or less well for Carolina. They clinched a victory in the first match against Ottawa, which is performing rather well now, with a score of 5-3. Carolina then outplayed the Los Angeles Kings in a shootout with a scoreline of 6-5. However, they suffered an unexpected defeat in their last match against Anaheim, concluding the game at 6-3. Overall, the team is displaying exceptionally high-scoring games.
The teams met twice in the previous season, and Carolina took victory both times. Initially, they beat the Sharks with a scoreline of 2-1 before requiring overtime to secure a 5-4 victory in the subsequent encounter.
In the upcoming match, I would suggest betting on a Carolina win. At this stage, the encounter can be seen as a clash between a season favourite and an underdog. Currently, the Hurricanes are scoring a lot in the inaugural games of the season while, in contrast, the Sharks concede quite often. Therefore, I recommend betting on a Carolina handicap (-1.5).
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