The Detroit Red Wings (8-4-0) and San Jose Sharks (4-6-2) square off Sunday. Puck drop from the SAP Center at San Jose, California, is set for 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Red Wings vs. Sharks odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
2024-25 season series: Sharks won 2-0
The Red Wings (+109) saw their 3-game winning streak end Friday in a 5-2 defeat to the Anaheim Ducks as the Over (6.5) cashed. They failed to capitalize on special teams, converting just 1 of 7 power-play chances. Wingers Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond each tallied a goal and an assist.
The Sharks picked up their second straight win Saturday, edging the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in overtime. San Jose cashed as a +209 home underdog with the Under (6.5) hitting. C Philipp Kurashev sealed the victory 1:48 into overtime with his second goal of the game, while C Macklin Celebrini also found the back of the net.
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Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:01 a.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Red Wings -190 (bet $190 to win $100) | Sharks +154 (bet $100 to win $154)Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Red Wings -1.5 (+125) | Sharks +1.5 (-150)Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)Red Wings at Sharks projected goalies
Cam Talbot (4-1-0, 2.94 GAA, .897 SV%) vs. Alex Nedeljkovic (2-2-1, 3.59 GAA, .886 SV%)
The 38-year-old Talbot picked up a win in his last start Thursday, stopping 36 of 39 shots in a 4-3 victory over the LA Kings (.923 SV%). The veteran netminder was tagged for 5 goals on 34 shots in his last meeting with the Sharks on Nov. 11, 2024. Talbot holds an 8-9-0 career mark versus San Jose with a 3.43 GAA and .884 SV% in 21 games.
Nedeljkovic earned a 5-2 win in his last start Thursday, stopping 29 of 31 shots against the New Jersey Devils. His previous outing versus Detroit, on Nov. 11, 2024, was a 3-2 loss in which he allowed 3 goals on 31 shots. He owns a 4-1-1 career record against the Red Wings with a 2.84 GAA and .902 SV% over 6 games.
Red Wings at Sharks picks and predictionsPrediction
Red Wings 5, Sharks 3
PASS.
The Red Wings (-190) will go into San Jose and get a victory on Sunday, but I’ll take my wager to the puck line.
BET RED WINGS -1.5 (+125).
Detroit enters this matchup playing some of its best hockey of the young season, winning 6 of its last 8 games and rediscovering its offensive punch. The Red Wings rank 11th in the NHL at 3.55 goals per game, and they’ve caught fire recently with 11 goals over their last 2 outings. This isn’t last year’s inconsistent Detroit team — the roster is deeper, faster, and more balanced. Players like C Dylan Larkin and RW DeBrincat continue to set the tone offensively, while the supporting cast of young talent adds scoring from throughout the lineup.
Contrast that with San Jose, still deeply entrenched in a rebuild. The Sharks rank 31st in goals allowed (4.36 per game), routinely giving up high-danger chances and struggling to defend late in games. San Jose’s lack of depth forces its top forwards to carry an outsized load, and the defensive structure routinely breaks down, especially against teams that push the pace.
Detroit is also trending the right direction defensively and has shown the ability to string together wins, including a recent 5-game streak. San Jose, meanwhile, continues to battle the same issues — no secondary scoring, shaky goaltending, and costly defensive mistakes.
With superior firepower, depth, and momentum, Detroit is simply the better team.
The OVER 6.5 (-115) looks like the smart play when Detroit meets San Jose. These teams have a track record of fireworks — the Over has hit in 4 straight meeting and in 5 of the last 6 overall. Detroit has gone Over in 6 straight, while the Sharks have hit it in 5 of 7. With the Red Wings firing offensively and San Jose’s defense faltering, expect another high-scoring night.
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