Stars vs. Sharks NHL Predictions, Picks and Odds - Dec. 18

The Dallas Stars (22-7-5) visit the San Jose Sharks (17-14-3) on Thursday, Dec. 18, with both teams coming off a win in their last game. The sportsbooks have made the Stars big favorites at -198 on the moneyline, despite being the visitors, and the Sharks are at +164.

Dallas claimed a 4-1 home victory against the Los Angeles Kings in its last game on Dec. 15. The Stars got two points apiece out of three skaters, including Mikko Rantanen (one goal and one assist) and Wyatt Johnston (one goal and one assist).

San Jose won at home in its most recent game on Dec. 16, 6-3 over the Calgary Flames. Macklin Celebrini had four points (two goals and two assists) in that matchup for the Sharks.

Before watching this matchup, here's our pick for which team will bring home the win in Thursday's hockey action.

Stars vs. Sharks Predictions & Pick

Ahead of the upcoming game between the Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks, computer-calculated moneyline, over/under, and score predictions are below, per Dunkel Index.

• Prediction: Sharks 4 - Stars 3
• Pick OU: Over 5.5 (Dunkel projecting 6.97 goals)
  

Pick with the best in the business! Get free picks for every game, every week at the Dunkel Index.

Stars vs. Sharks Moneylines

Snag a look below at the most recent moneylines for the Stars-Sharks matchup.

• Favorite: Stars (-198)
• Underdog: Sharks (+164)

Stars Betting Insights

• The Stars are 17-10 this season when favored on the moneyline.
• When it has played with moneyline odds of -198 or shorter, Dallas is 3-1 (winning 75.0% of the time).
• Based on this contest's moneyline, the Stars have an implied probability of 66.4% to win.
• Dallas and its opponent have gone over 5.5 combined goals in 17 of 34 games this season.

Sharks Betting Insights

• The Sharks have been made an underdog 34 times this season, and won 17, or 50.0%, of those games.
• This season San Jose has won nine of its 19 games, or 47.4%, when it's the underdog by at least +164 on the moneyline.
• The oddsmakers' moneyline implies a 37.9% chance of victory for the Sharks.
• San Jose has played 17 games this season with over 5.5 goals.

Stars Key Stats

• Dallas' 112 total goals (3.3 per game) make it the fourth-highest scoring team in the league.
• Defensively, the Stars have been one of the stingiest squads in NHL action, giving up 88 total goals (2.6 per game) to rank seventh.
• Its goal differential (+24) makes the team second-best in the league.
• The NHL-leading 33 power-play goals the Stars have recorded this season have come on 105 power-play chances.
• Dallas' 31.43% power-play conversion rate is the second-best in the league.
• The one shorthanded goal the Stars have scored this season rank 22nd among NHL squads.
• Dallas kills 82.41% of opponent power plays, the 10th-best penalty-kill percentage in the league.
• Dallas has the seventh-best faceoff win rate in the NHL, at 52.4%.
• The Stars' 13.2% shooting percentage tops the league.

Sharks Key Stats

• San Jose has 101 goals this season (3.0 per game), 15th in the league.
• The Sharks have allowed 112 total goals this season (3.3 per game), 24th in the league.
• With a goal differential of -11, the team is 24th in the league.
• The Sharks have 22 power-play goals (10th-most in NHL) on 119 chances.
• San Jose has the league's 17th-ranked power-play percentage (18.49%).
• In terms of shorthanded goals, the Sharks have two.
• At 78.57%, San Jose has the 23rd-ranked penalty-kill percentage in the league.
• San Jose is 25th in faceoff win percentage in the NHL (47.5%).
• The 12.2% shooting percentage of the Sharks is third in the league.