KEY POINTS

  • Penguins try to snap skip against Sharks
  • Sharks are well out of Playoff contention
  • Sharks are underdogs at home

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been punished by a downward trend that has them falling to the third spot of the Metropolitan Division by virtue of a disastrous five-game losing skid. They seek a reversal when they visit the San Jose Sharks on Saturday to cap a four-game road trip. The Philadelphia Flyers surpassed the Penguins for second place in the division, now leading the latter by the slimmest of margins, after winning their last five assignments. The Washington Capitals, meanwhile, are keeping a four-point buffer over Pittsburgh at the top.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins have agonized with a five-game skid for the first time since 2012. Saturday’s clash against the Sharks will also be their last crack to avert getting swept in California after they fell against Los Angeles on Wednesday, 1-2, and Anaheim on Friday, 2-3. Long-time Shark Patrick Marleau will face his former team technically in his second return as an opponent to San Jose as he was dealt with Pittsburgh during the trade deadline. Over his two games with the Penguins, the veteran skater was a plus-1 with two shots as he has played 29:13.

San Jose Sharks

The Sharks are playing with virtually nothing to lose as they are well out of playoff contention having a 27-33-4 losing record which is second to the last in the Pacific Division. But that does not mean their guards are completely down to be battered for the remainder of the season. They even battled tooth and nail against New Jersey on Thursday, hanging tough to escape with a 3-2 win in OT over the Devils to arrest a five-game losing streak.

Odds and Trends

The sportsbooks are keeping their faith on the Penguins, tagging them as favorites on the road at -160 to win. The Sharks are placed on the underdog side tasked to defy a +140 money line price on the updated NHL Betting Odds.

The Penguins are 8-3 in their last 11 vs. Pacific and 5-2 in their last 7 in the third game of a 3-in-4 situation.

The Sharks are 8-20 in their last 28 games as an underdog and 1-5 in their last 6 overall.

Prediction

Penguins win, 3-2

Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh Penguins
Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on as he skates against the Ottawa Senators in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canadian Tire Centre on May 23, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Getty Images