Golden Knights vs Kraken Picks, Predictions, and Odds Tonight

This final game of the regular season holds plenty of importance for both Vegas and Seattle. But it may not be the household names who decide this tilt, as our NHL betting picks explain.

The Vegas Golden Knights can wrap up the Pacific Division with a point tonight vs. the Seattle Kraken, whom they just defeated two days ago by a score of 4-1. 

With the injury to Jack Eichel, a rather unknown skater has taken advantage of some more minutes and is getting opportunities on the top power play unit, where he could play a big role vs. Seattle's No. 22 penalty kill.

Find out where my best bets lie in our NHL picks and predictions for Golden Knights vs. Kraken on Thursday, April 13.

Golden Knights vs Kraken best odds

Golden Knights vs Kraken picks and predictions

Since March 1, only the Oilers have had fewer regulation losses than the Golden Knights, who are 15-3-3 and scoring 3.57 goals per game. Vegas has a chance to win the Pacific Division, while the Kraken could potentially finish third. There's a lot at stake tonight in Seattle, but it’s a mostly unknown name that could produce the best value in the NHL player props market.

Pavel Dorofeyev is a 22-year-old winger that’s getting some great opportunities with the Knights. He’s currently playing on the top line with Jonathan Marchessault and Nick Roy, but has also been promoted to the first power-play unit that faces the 22nd-ranked Seattle penalty kill. 

Dorofeyev is playing nearly 16 minutes per game since being scratched six games ago. He ranks third on the team in shot attempts per 60 minutes and sixth in points/60. He’s averaging nearly two minutes per game on the power play of late, and although he has no point prop markets, he does have a power play market that is priced like a skater who plays maybe 25% of the PP time on the second unit.

Vegas draws penalties at a low rate, but this game could see more man-advantage opportunities with the expected “playoff atmosphere” and plenty on the line for both clubs in the last game of the regular season. 

Jack Eichel did travel with the team to Seattle, but he is doubtful to play and has already missed two straight games. The worst-case scenario is that Eichel plays, and Dorofeyev moves to the second unit and still gets 40% of the power play time. There would still be a little value for his power play point prop at +680.

It’s a solid matchup vs. a poor penalty kill and below-average goaltending, but ultimately this is a price play at +680, which should be closer to +300 to +350 for Dorofeyev's new role on PP1. 

My best bet: Dorofeyev Over 0.5 PPP (+680)

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Golden Knights vs Kraken moneyline analysis

These teams met just two days ago in Vegas, with the Golden Knights taking a 4-1 win as a -160 favorite. The win was certainly warranted, as the Knights also won the expected-goal battle by 1.97 goals. 

Now bettors are looking at Vegas -120 on the moneyline on the road. It’s a 40-point adjustment, when I have Vegas as a 25-point home advantage. That means I have a slight price edge on the Knights at -120 in home-ice pricing alone, but are some Vegas injuries making up the difference?

Vegas has a couple of injured skaters in Jack Eichel and Zach Whitecloud, but both those players missed Tuesday’s 4-1 win, so injuries aren’t a big factor in the short pricing on the Knights.

Seattle is a playoff team for a reason, and has been one of the best teams at suppressing quality chances with the No. 2 expected goals against/60 since March 1. However, this is still one of the worst goaltending teams in hockey. 

Phillip Grubauer didn’t start on Tuesday but could go tonight. He owns a sub-.900 SV% on the year, and even during a decent stretch where he is 5-1-1 over his last nine games, he still posted a .900 SV%. He has a 0.00 goals saved above expected/60 (GSAx/60) on the year, which is slightly better than Martin Jones and his -0.158 GSAx/60. 

Vegas is likely to turn to Laurent Brossoit, who has been a rock down the stretch. The No. 4 goalie on the Knights is 6-0-3 with a 2.29 GAA and a .923 SV% through 10 appearances, and is playing for the starting role in the playoffs. 

Vegas at -120 is a play for me in this spot. 

Golden Knights vs Kraken Over/Under analysis

The Tuesday meeting saw a total of 5.44 expected goals in the 4-1 Vegas win. Seattle managed just 21 shots and finished with just seven high-danger chances and scored on none of them. Since March 1, Seattle ranks 25th in high-danger chances for/60 and isn’t generating a lot of quality chances. 

That could make things easier for Brossoit, who ranks 15th in GSAx/60 in a small sample size and is 5-0-1 since being recalled to the team. Over those six starts, he has a 2.33 GAA and a respectable .915 SV%. 

The Vegas offense has also struggled to create expected goals despite scoring 3.57 goals per game since March 1. They rank 19th in xGF at 5-on-5 over that stretch and have been scoring with an unsustainable 11.16% shooting percentage that ranks second in the league over the last six weeks.

Both clubs also rank outside the Top 10 in power play success since the deadline and take penalties at a very low rate — no team takes fewer penalties than Vegas.

Tuesday’s total closed at 6, yet we’re seeing some 6.5s in the afternoon for this one. If you can get a 6.5 at -125 or better, this is an easy Under play with two offenses that are struggling to create a lot of high-danger chances. 

Golden Knights vs Kraken betting trend to know

The Golden Knights are 10-1 in their last 11 when their opponent scores two goals or fewer in their previous game. Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Kraken.