NHL Best Bets, Score Predictions for Wednesday Apr. 14

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

2 minute read

NHL Daily Free Picks & Predictions

VegasInsider.com NHL expert Matt Blunt provides his score predictions and best bets for one NHL game on Wednesday, Apr. 14, 2021.

Anaheim Ducks vs San Jose Sharks

• Money-Line Odds: Anaheim +148; San Jose -175
• Total (Over-Under): 5.5

Score Prediction: San Jose 4 Anaheim 2

Best Bet: San Jose ML and Over 5.5

Always nice to hop in a familiar boat twice in quick succession, and after this angle worked so nicely with the 'over' in the Sharks game last week, there is no reason to turn away from it now that San Jose finds themselves in the same spot.

That spot would be the Sharks coming off a game where they scored one goal or less and how the Sharks specifically have responded. More often than not those responses have ended up in the total going 'over' the number because San Jose's not going to win too many defensive awards either.

It just so happened to be this same Anaheim Ducks team that held them to one goal or less before that Sharks 5-2 win over L.A. on April 9th, which also means that's two straight against the Ducks where San Jose's offense hasn't done anything.

Throw in the fact that San Jose's now an ugly 0-2 SU as chalk of greater than -150 and the two losses have both come to this Anaheim team by a combined 9-1 margin, fading the Sharks as this kind of chalk is going to be seen again.

Since Anaheim wins are usually always correlated with an 'under' look - the 'under' is 10-3 in Anaheim wins this year – it's asking the Ducks to win two in a row for just the third time this year in a spot where the Sharks are more than likely going to find a way to score goals.

San Jose's found ways to score goals in these offensive bounce back spots against pretty much anyone, and with market belief possibly landing on a public dog, adding in a Sharks ML play when history suggests they'll be scoring four or more times more often than not.

Still not entirely convinced the Sharks should be laying this price to anyone, especially in these all-California matchups, but all things considered, I'll lay it this time around with enough positives there for it to make some sense. There is still enough distinction in talent on San Jose's side that probably earns them more respect as a favorite then they are likely going to get tonight.

San Jose's only scored two goals or less once in the previous 10 times they've been off a one goal or less game, meaning they'll likely get at least three here. Three goals from the Sharks should be good enough for a split at worst on the Sharks ML and 'over' plays too. San Jose getting to three should always be the expectation here.

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