San Jose Sharks @ Calgary Flames - February 23, 2025

Alright, folks, gather ‘round because we’ve got a clash brewing at the Scotiabank Saddledome this Sunday. The Calgary Flames are set to face off against the San Jose Sharks, and let me tell you, if familiarity breeds contempt, then these two teams are about to serve up a platter of animosity.

Now, I’m not one to shy away from the numbers—after all, they’re what keep our betting game sharp. Calgary opened as hefty favorites at -294 on the moneyline, which tells you they’re expected to come out on top. But with both teams struggling lately, this might be more of a nail-biter than that line suggests.

Calgary’s been reeling from their last outing—a disappointing 3-2 loss at home against Seattle. They were favored in that match too and fell short of expectations. Their recent record isn’t much better; they’ve dropped four of their last five games outright and have only managed to cover the spread once in those contests. The Flames average just over 2.6 goals per game while allowing about 2.8—so there’s potential for a defensive showdown here.

On the flip side, we have the Sharks who’ve seen better days as well. With a record of 14-26-6 SU and having lost ten out of their last eleven games overall, it’s clear they’re in dire straits. Their offensive stats aren’t inspiring either; they score an average of just under 2.6 goals per game with an abysmal power play percentage sitting at around 17.9%. To make matters worse for them, they just took a beating from Dallas in an 8-3 loss—definitely not what you want leading into a matchup against a team like Calgary.

Looking closer at Calgary’s defensive stats reveals that they’re saving around 89.8% of shots faced but have struggled on penalty kills (72%). Meanwhile, San Jose is slightly behind them in save percentage at 88.4%, but they’ve been more effective on penalty kills (75%). Given these stats, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see some missed opportunities during power plays for both sides.

So here’s my prediction: I think Calgary will edge out San Jose in what could be a low-scoring affair—think along the lines of a tight 3-1 or maybe even 2-1 victory for the Flames as they look to right their ship after recent losses.

However—and here’s where it gets interesting—I believe San Jose will cover that spread despite likely losing outright due to their desperate need for redemption and perhaps some late-game heroics or backdoor covers becoming crucial when teams are fighting tooth-and-nail.

As far as totals go? Keep your eye on the UNDER; both teams have shown tendencies toward lower-scoring games recently with Calgary going UNDER in five of their last seven while San Jose has seen OVERs hit only sporadically amid their struggles.

In summary: Flames win but Sharks cover; expect this one to stay UNDER six total goals scored! Now let’s get ready to cash some tickets!