NHL Best Bets: Kraken vs. Devils Game Picks
Two of the most surprising teams in hockey this year will collide tonight, with the New Jersey Devils hosting the Seattle Kraken.
Seattle Kraken (+126) vs. New Jersey Devils (-152) Total: 6.5 (O -106, U -114)People that say they expected the Kraken and Devils to be among the NHL’s top teams are flat-out lying. Settle is in its second season of existence and has already taken significant strides. At the same time, the Devils appear to have found the right mix, finding success and exhibiting good underlying numbers. This will be the season’s second meeting between these clubs, with the Kraken picking up a 4-3 victory in the first contest.
The Devils are currently listed at -152 favorites on the moneyline tonight, while the Kraken are +126. New Jersey comes into this game playing much better hockey, having an 8-1-1 record over their last ten games, compared to the Kraken’s 5-4-1.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the Kraken are expected to start Martin Jones in the net, while the Devils should do the same with Vitek Vanecek. The Kraken netminder has a 23-8-3 record with a .894 save percentage, while Vanecek is 22-5-2 with a .916 save percentage.
Even though the Kraken have been a solid road team, that shouldn’t hinder us from siding with the red-hot New Jersey Devils. The home side is playing much better hockey at the moment and is priced at an excellent number of -152, which warrants consideration.
Best Bet: Devils moneyline (-152)
Offense has been a significant strength for both clubs. The Kraken sit fifth in the league in goals scored per game, while the Devils are sixth. New Jersey has an edge in the goals allowed department, sitting seventh, while the Kraken are 16th. Over the Kraken’s last five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored in two, while the Devils have also seen that in a pair of games. With recent trends, it’s hard to look away from the value the under 6.5 presents at -114.
Best Bet: Under 6.5 (-114)
There’s a lot of under-the-radar offensive talent in this matchup tonight. Since we expect the Devils to win this game, it makes sense to target one of their offensive leaders. Jack Hughes has broken out this year, tallying 35 goals in 50 games, and leads the club with six goals over their last five. Hughes is listed at an attractive +128 to score.
Best Prop: Jack Hughes to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+128)
