Pick Management 
Jacob’s Above Average Plays are back to give you a couple of late presents after a few days away with the family. Jacob’s got two way above average plays in the NHL today to line those pockets heading into the weekend.
Take San Jose Sharks -147 vs LA Kings (10:00 pm EST, Friday 27 December 2019)
This is another case of an above-average team at home taking on a terrible road team. This will be the third time this year these two teams are playing – the first two did not work out so well for the Kings, with the Sharks winning both of those games. The Sharks have been an above-average team on offense this year, however, their defensive struggle is where most of their woes are stemming from. Allowing 3.33 goals per game at home, they rank 29th in overall defense. Luckily for the Sharks, they have seen the Kings and their 29th ranked offense in the NHL twice already. The Sharks are returning home after losing three straight road games, and I think they will be glad to be home. Take the Sharks to get the home win.
Take St. Louis Blues -125 vs Winnipeg Jets (8:00 pm EST, Friday 27 December 2019)
The Blues are one of the NHL’s most above-average teams and they are hot right now. The Blues were perfect in their last six games, winning all of them. These weren’t just bad teams they beat – teams recently taken down by the Blues include Colorado and Vegas. Goalie Jordan Binnington is an above-average goalie, and he has been great this year. Binnington has won eight out of eleven games and is only allowing 2.68 goals per game on the road this year. The Blues have one of the league’s best road records due to his excellent goaltending. On the road this year, the Blues won twelve out of their seventeen games and are scoring an above-average number of goals per game 3.11 – this ranks them 10th in road offense. On the complete other end of the spectrum: We have the Jets. Losers of four out of their last six games, Winnipeg has just been dreadful, especially on defense. The Jets are allowing 2.89 goals per game. However, as of late, they have been giving up a massive amount of goals, allowing four or more goals in four of their last six games. In total, the Jets have allowed an above-average amount of goals (24) in their last six games. Essentially, we have a team that is scoring a lot and doesn’t give up many goals versus a team that doesn’t score a lot and gives up a ton of goals. I’m going with the Blues who score a lot and don’t give up many.
