What to make of these Sharks? Like the Giants and Bears in the NFL, the recent version of San Jose is looking much different than the early-season iteration. Wins in six of nine, with the offense finally hitting stride, especially on the recent road trip when pumping in 25 goals across the past five games. Kaapo Kahkonen had also won four straight starts in goal before losing in a shootout at Vegas on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Yotes are beginning to skid with four straight losses after winning five in a row. Play Sharks on Money Line

The Sharks got involved in a lower-scoring game at midweek and took out the Jets 2-1, but for the most part, recent San Jose games have featured lots of goals. The Sharks are winning again (six of nine) and the end of the last road trip was like a shooting gallery, with 49 goals scored across the last five games (Sharks scored 25 of those goals). Meanwhile the Yotes are leaking goals (18) in their current four-game skid. Play Sharks-Coyotes "Over"

Fridays tend to be a bit random in the NHL, so I recommend going lighter on this total, but it certainly has the makings of a fun game. No team is allowing more goals or shots per game than the Sharks, and that defense tends to lend itself to the over. It's made more appealing when you see San Jose's offense has woken up, averaging 3.5 goals/game on the road over the past month. Nine of the past 10 meetings between these two teams have seen 6+ goals, with six of them crossing this 6.5 threshold. Worth a bite at +105.

Obviously one issue with picking NHL games early is that a head coach can surprise us with a goalie change. The Blackhawks are my team and I know their patterns, so it should have been the much better Petr Mrazek in net last night in Seattle ... but it wasn't until the end in relief of the awful Arvid Soderblom. So naturally Chicago allowed 7 and we lost Under the total. I only like this if it's Mackenzie Blackwood for San Jose, not Kaapo Kahkonen. Oh, Blackwood stinks too but just a little less fragrant. Could come back and play Arizona ML depending on some injuries, but No. 1 goaltender Connor Ingram already has been confirmed.