San Jose Sharks vs Ottawa Senators Picks and Predictions for Thursday October 22 2026
San Jose had no business winning Tuesday night. The Sharks were down two goals in Montreal with the third period getting away from them. Then Michael Misa scored, Tyler Toffoli tied it, and Macklin Celebrini finished the comeback in overtime. A 4-3 win after looking dead in the water. That’s the sort of game that can give a young team a little confidence.
Ottawa isn’t going to be particularly impressed. The Senators are 6-3, Linus Ullmark has been terrific, and they’ve been doing a much better job keeping the puck out of their net than San Jose. The Sharks can score, but they also give opponents plenty of chances. That’s a dangerous habit against a team with Ottawa’s talent.
San Jose visits Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Thursday, October 22, 2026. Puck drop is at 7:00 PM ET on TSN5, RDS, and NBC Sports California. The available betting market has Ottawa favored at home, with the total at 6.5 goals. The Senators have been the stronger defensive team, but I'd check the latest moneyline before betting. You can find more predictions in our free NHL picks.
San Jose Sharks Have Been Fun To Watch
San Jose is 5-4-1 after beating Montreal 4-3 in overtime. The Sharks have been entertaining, although I imagine their coaches would prefer a few games that don’t require a third-period rescue mission. They lost to Toronto on Monday, then went into Montreal and pulled off that comeback the following night. That’s a pretty good response. It also tells you something about this team. San Jose isn’t going to quit just because it’s down a couple of goals.
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The Sharks have scored 26 goals and allowed 34 through 10 games. That’s 3.4 goals against per night. Too many. San Jose has enough offensive talent to win games, but it keeps making things harder than they need to be. Ottawa has been much better defensively, so the Sharks can’t count on scoring four goals every time they get into trouble. They need to stop giving up easy chances around the net and make their goalies’ jobs a little easier. That’s been the problem.
Celebrini scored twice against Montreal, including the overtime winner, and now has four goals and eight points. Ivar Stenberg made the pass on the winning goal and has seven points in his first 10 games. Will Smith has seven points too, and Toffoli gives the Sharks another veteran scorer. The offseason brought Mason Marchment and Kiefer Sherwood into the mix, so there’s more depth than San Jose had a year ago. The goaltending is a different story. Alex Nedeljkovic has a 2.37 goals-against average and .917 save percentage, while Yaroslav Askarov is at 3.67 and .865. That’s a pretty big difference, and I’d want to know who’s starting before putting money down.
Ottawa Senators Have Been Getting The Job Done
Ottawa is 6-3-0, and the Senators have been winning games without needing to score five goals every night. That’s a nice change. They’ve been getting good goaltending, playing better defense, and finding enough offense to get by. It’s not always pretty hockey, but two points count the same whether you win 2-1 or 6-5. Ottawa has been doing the little things well enough to put together a strong start.
The Senators allow 2.56 goals a game. Compare that with San Jose’s 3.4, and you can see why I like Ottawa here. The Sharks have been giving up too many good looks, and the Senators have enough talent to take advantage. Ottawa doesn’t always generate a ton of shots, but it doesn’t need to when Ullmark is playing this well. The one thing I’d worry about is Celebrini getting loose in transition. He’s dangerous with open ice, and San Jose has been finding ways to score late. Ottawa can’t afford to get careless with a lead.
Tim Stützle has two goals and four assists, while Drake Batherson has scored twice. Ullmark has been the big story, going 6-1-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average and .945 save percentage. Those are outstanding numbers. Ottawa did lose William Eklund to an ankle injury, and he’s expected to miss 10 to 12 weeks after surgery. Eklund came over from San Jose in June, so it’s unfortunate he won’t get to face his old team. Jake Sanderson and Artem Zub have also been dealing with injuries. Ottawa needs those defensemen healthy, especially with the way Ullmark has been carrying the load.
San Jose Sharks vs Ottawa Senators Picks and Predictions
Ottawa Senators Moneyline (+179)
I’ll take Ottawa on the moneyline, although I’d be careful about the price. The Senators have been the better defensive team, and Ullmark has been excellent. San Jose has more scoring talent than it did last season, and Celebrini can beat anybody when he gets going. But the Sharks have been giving up too many goals, and Ottawa has been better at controlling games. The biggest question is the goaltending matchup. If Ullmark starts and San Jose goes with Askarov, I like Ottawa even more. At this price, I’m willing to back the home team.
Under 6.5 Goals
I’m going under 6.5. San Jose has been playing some wild games, and that worries me. The Sharks can score, but they also give up plenty. Ottawa is a different opponent with Ullmark in net, though. He’s been stopping almost everything, and the Senators have been much better defensively than San Jose. I don’t expect the Sharks to score four again, especially after playing two tough games earlier in the week. Ottawa should have enough chances to win without turning this into a shootout. Ottawa 3, San Jose 2.
Final Picks: Ottawa Senators Moneyline (+179, verify price) and Under 6.5 Goals (price dependent)
This preview was completed October 21, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, and starting goaltenders may change before puck drop.
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