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NHL Free Pick: Canucks vs. Sharks Betting Lines & Preview

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Weekly NHL Betting action sees the Vancouver Canucks taking on the San Jose Sharks December 30 at SAP Center. Cappers Picks provides free NHL handicapping tips all season long.

The San Jose Sharks will try to maintain their recent dominance over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night when the two teams meet at the Shark Tank.

Daily NHL Hockey Odds

Vancouver (20-11-2-1) at San Jose (19-12-1-4)
When: 10:00 PM ET, Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Where: SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, California
Broadcast: SNP, CSN-CA
Canucks NHL Betting Odds: +1½ -250 +122
Sharks NHL Betting Odds: -1½ +210 -135
NHL Over/Under Betting Odds: 5
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The Sharks enter off two losses – to the Ducks and the Kings but are still 9-2-1 in their last 12 games while the Canucks have gone 2-0-1 in their last three games but are just 4-4-2 in their last 10 games.

San Jose has won its last eight games on home ice and is 10-2 versus Vancouver in their last 12 meetings.

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The Vancouver Canucks have been one of the best road teams in the NHL this season – 11-6-2 but will have their hands full against traditionally one of the best home teams in the game.

Vancouver has struggled on the road in their last two starts – last time out was a 2-1 OT loss to Anaheim and before that was another 1-goal outing – the team has totaled just 30 shots in their last two road games.

The offense as a whole has been OK this season averaging 2.88 goals per game. Daniels Sedin has four points in his last three games, Alex Burrows has woken up and has three points in two games and defensemen Yannick Weber and Chris Tanev each have two points in three games.

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The flip side of that is the fact that Radim Vrbata has just two points in his last six games, Chris Higgins has one point in 11 games and Luca Sbisa is pointless in 11 games.

The balanced scoring that Vancouver experienced early on is slowly fading away – reason for concern for the Canucks. The power play is 4 for their last 11 – one area that could bail them out Tuesday.

At least Vancouver’s defense and goaltending has come around after an unflattering stretch a couple of weeks ago. Ryan Miller has been very good in his last three starts – 2-0-1 with a 1.64 GAA and .957 save percentage. He was in the nets for Vancouver’s win earlier this season against San Jose – he made 30 saves.

Miller has won his last six starts against the Sharks with a 1.64 GAA and a pair of shutouts in his last four visits.

The San Jose Sharks had been the hottest team in the NHL before the Christmas break. They have won eight straight on home ice but they are just 1-2-1 in their last four away from home. The good thing for San Jose is that they are at the Tank Tuesday looking to avenge a rare loss to Vancouver earlier this year.

The Sharks have lost two straight games – totaling just three goals in those games. They have averaged 2.72 goals per game – they are much better than they have been playing the last week or so.

Joe Pavelski has led the way offensively – he has 10 points in 10 games but has tallied just twice in his last 15 games against the Canucks.

Melker Karlsson has four points in four games and Brent Burns has eight points in 10 games – they are the extent of the Sharks Hot List.

Names like Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau and Tommy Wingels absolutely have to get going for this team – Wingels is pointless in his last three games and Marleau hasn’t hit the score sheet in his last six games – amazing.

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Antti Niemi will likely get the call between the pipes for San Jose. Before a 3-1 loss to the Kings Saturday Niemi was 7-0-1 allowing 19 goals over that span. He will be looking to bounce back Tuesday night.

He has won six straight at home and is an OK 8-6-2 with a 2.67 GAA in his last 16 starts versus the Canucks.

He was between the pipes in San Jose’s loss to Vancouver earlier this year.

NHL Gambling Trends

• VAN are 2-6 in their last 8 overall.
• VAN are 10-4 in their last 14 vs. Pacific.
• SJ are 9-3 in their last 12 overall.
• Over is 6-2-2 in SJ last 10 Tue. games.
• SJ are 56-22 in their last 78 home games.
• VAN are 2-10 in the last 12 meetings.

The San Jose Sharks, except for one game earlier this year have absolutely owned the Canucks the last couple of years.

NHL Betting 4* Free Play

Add in the fact that the Sharks haven’t lost on home ice in their last eight tries and this looks a lot like a Sharks win here.

San Jose Sharks -135

Vancouver traditionally struggles in California – my guess is that those issues continue!

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By DaveB

Dave B has been a Fantasy Football writer for us for 10 years. A couch potato wannabe, Dave’s insights have been read by 10’s of people for years. He hope’s for world peace + global relaxation. Enjoy and remember only smoke things that are completely natural.