Current Form: The team from California is unfortunately still disappointing its fans. At the moment, they occupy the last spot in the Western Conference, with only 34 points from 50 games. Despite starting 2025 with hopes of improving their results, their performances remain unstable. Recent victories, including unexpected wins over teams like Tampa Bay (2-1) and New Jersey (3-2), have been overshadowed by poor results. The latest road losses to Columbus (1-4), Islanders (1-4), and Boston (3-6) only highlight these issues. With weak offensive plays and inconsistent defense, “Sharks” are far from being favorites in the upcoming matchup.
Key Players:
Strengths: Despite their offensive struggles, the Sharks continue to play a physically demanding game, averaging 23 hits per match. They often rely on their physicality, which can disrupt their opponents’ flow. However, the lack of consistency in attack and regular defensive mistakes leave them vulnerable.
Injuries and Suspensions: The Sharks will be missing several key players, including Vitek Vanecek, Tyler Toffoli, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Klim Kostin, Nikolai Kovalenko, and Logan Couture, all of whom are sidelined due to injuries.
Current Form: In contrast to San Jose, the Predators have been going through a much more positive period. Despite a rough start to the season, they’ve started gaining momentum during the winter and now sit at 14th in the standings, but with ambitions to keep improving. Under Andrew Brunette’s coaching, Nashville has claimed four straight wins, and their attack has been strong, scoring 21 goals in their last 5 games. While they still struggle with defense and sometimes concede too many goals, they’ve been able to deal with the pressure and get the job done in attack. Their recent 7-5 victory over San Jose exemplified their fighting spirit.
Key Players:
Strengths: Though they struggle defensively, their offensive power has significantly improved in recent weeks. Scoring 21 goals in their last 5 games, Filip Forsberg has been the focal point of their attack. The Predators also engage in a physical style of play, with an average of 25 hits per game, making them tough opponents to face.
Injuries and Suspensions: Only Luke Evangelista is definitely out for the game, while the participation of Jeremy Lauzon, Cole Smith, and Mark Jankowski is uncertain.
Based on the current form of both teams and their recent performances, it seems likely that Nashville will come out on top. The Predators have been in strong form lately and have shown an impressive offensive display. Their goaltender, Juuse Saros, will look to minimize defensive errors, while the attacking power, led by Forsberg, will likely be the deciding factor in this game. Prediction: Nashville to win, likely with a 5-3 or 6-4 scoreline. It’s important to note that both teams show inconsistency, but currently, the Predators are in much better shape and are expected to continue their winning streak.
San Jose almost got a positive result in the away match, having started the game well in Tennessee. Nashville is trying to get out of the bottom of the conference standings, but Andrew Brunette's team continues to show inconsistent results. We doubt that after such a tough match, the Predators will be able to easily cope with the opponent in California. We expect the hosts to win and bet on them with a positive handicap.
Bookmakers give a coefficient of 4.10 on San Jose, 4.60 on a draw, and 1.70 on Nashville. Total over 5.5 goals is offered for 1.70, total under - for 2.15
Prediction - San Jose victory with an Asian handicap (+1.5) for 1.70.
