Canucks vs. Kraken prediction, odds, pick, how to watch
The Kraken will be looking to defend their home ice when the Canucks come to town for a Friday Night clash.
A Western Conference showdown will be in the works to kick off Thanksgiving weekend as the Vancouver Canucks travel to the Emerald State to face-off with the Seattle Krakenseries where our Canucks-Kraken prediction and pick will be made.
Off to a 13-6-1 start to begin the season, the Canucks have lost three of their last four but are on track in to endure a major improvement based on last year's squad. A season ago, Vancouver finished one game above .500 but are well on pace to exceed that mark. Although the Canucks have hit a slight slump one the ice, Vancouver is a much-improved squad and could pull off a gutsy win on the road.
On the other side of things, the Kraken are experiencing heartache after heartache to begin the season including a whopping five overtime losses next to their names. Still, Seattle enters play with a talented roster that is good enough to beat even the top teams in hockey.
Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Canucks-Kraken Odds
Vancouver Canucks: -1.5 (-111)
Seattle Kraken: +1.5 (-108)
Over: 6.5 (-122)
Under: 6.5 (+100)
How to Watch Canucks vs. Kraken
Time: 10:10 ET/7:10 PT
TV: ESPN+
Why The Canucks Will Cover The Spread/Win
For starters, the Canucks' chances of covering the spread remain high in large part due to the excellent goaltending of Thatcher Demko, who has been sizzling hot as of late. Expected to get the start in this one, Demko has simply been a human wall in net en route to helping the Canucks get off to the best start to a season in recent memory. As it stands, the 27-year-old San Diego native is sporting a 2.26 GAA and a dazzling .923 save percentage to boot. In addition, Demko is a combined 9-5-0 which is the second-best record among qualifying goalies.
Overall, the brilliant play of defenseman Quinn Hughes has been a sight for sore eyes for a Vancouver organization who has been desperate for some electrifying play on the ice. Believe it or not, Hughes has 31 points total, which leads the NHL.
A gigantic game changer that may come into play for the Canucks will be staying disciplined and not spending too much time in the penalty box. Against an opportunistic Kraken squad who is prone to scoring goals with their extra-man attack, Vancouver cannot afford to commit sloppy plays that could cost them the game.
Why The Kraken Will Cover The Spread/Win
Undoubtedly, the Seattle Kraken and their boisterous home crowd will surely be rocking at Climate Pledge Arena considering this team us beginning to hit on all cylinders. This team could finally be turning the corner in an attempt to return to their playoff form from a year ago.
After going 3-0-2 in their last five games, the Kraken have all of a sudden found themselves in the final playoff spot out west. As a matter of fact, the main reason why Seattle has upped their game has been due to a slew of playmaking scorers who have turned their scoring prowess into a habit. Without needing proper introduction, the top line of Eeli Tolvanen, Yanni Gourde, and Oliver Bjorkstrand has been tough to handle for opposing teams. More specifically, the latter has been on an absolute tear with nine points in his previous eight games.
Most importantly, this offense has been licking its wounds and is struggling to find the back of the net as they have the 28th-best scoring attack in hockey. In order to make this a ball game, dominating the time of attack while putting up a plethora of good looks offensively could be the missing ingredient to a covering of the spread.
Final Canucks-Kraken Prediction & Pick
Overall, the main concern for the Kraken will be in net as No. 1 goalie Philip Grubauer remains questionable for play after missing the last few games due to injury. Since Seattle won't be as sharp when it comes to their goaltending abilities, expect a Canucks offense that is averaging exactly 4.00 goals per contest to take advantage of this element of the game.
Final Canucks-Kraken Prediction & Pick: Canucks -1.5 (-111)
