Canadiens vs. Kraken Odds
| Candiens Odds | +205 |
| Kraken Odds | -260 |
| Over/Under | 6.5 (-104 / -128) |
| Time | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | ROOT-NW |
| Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Seattle Kraken could be the most surprising team early this season. The NHL's newest franchise sits second in the ultra-competitive Pacific Division and has just six regulation losses this season.
They are in a team-friendly spot on Tuesday night, hosting the Montreal Canadiens on the second night of a back-to-back.
Can the Kraken secure their eighth win in nine games?
Rough Road for Montreal Canadiens
Woof. The Habs are coming off a disappointing effort against the Vancouver Canucks last night, blowing a 4-0 lead before going on to lose 7-6 in overtime. Still, one point was more than the team deserved, as the Canadiens were handily outplayed on the road.
That's been the trend on their current road trip. The Canadiens are hemorrhaging chances in their own end. We're not expecting that to change against Seattle on the second night of a back-to-back.
Opponents are running roughshod over the Habs, with two of three teams attempting at least 11 high-danger and 26 scoring chances at 5-on-5 to start the trip. As expected, that's had a negative effect on goals-against, and Montreal has given up 12 goals over its last two games.
The Canadiens are now at a deficit on Tuesday night, playing as the visitors on consecutive nights with travel.
Those alarming defensive trends have been a constant throughout the season. Montreal ranks in the bottom 10 in scoring and high-danger opportunities allowed, giving up an average of 24.3 and 10.1, respectively, this season. Consequently, they have one of the worst team save percentages, ranked third-last with an 89.8% mark at five-on-five and eighth-last at 89.1% across all strengths.
Montreal's offensive abilities are dwarfed by their concerning defensive play. Those woes are compounded by a challenging travel schedule, giving the Kraken an unneeded advantage in Tuesday's inter-conference affair.
Seattle Kraken Put Focus on Scoring
You wouldn't know it from their third-worst points percentage, but the Kraken were better than advertised in their inaugural season. Seattle accumulated just 60 points last year, relegating them to the bottom of the Pacific Division.
A year later, they've maintained their solid defensive play, adding a couple of offensive catalysts in the offseason, and that has made all the difference for the Kraken.
In 2021-22, defensive responsibility was the hallmark of Seattle's play. The Kraken allowed the seventh-fewest high-danger and sixth-fewest scoring chances at 5-on-5, contributing to a top-six expected goals-against rating. Goaltending, though, was their undoing. The Kraken finished with a league-worst 88.0% save percentage across all strengths, ranking one place higher at five-on-five.
They have replicated that team success early in the 2022-23 campaign and have had average goaltending, which has staked them to the second-best record in the Western Conference.
One of the more profound differences this year is the Kraken's ability to score. They have the second-best shooting percentage at 5-on-5, scoring on 10.2% of their shots, jumping to an NHL-best 12.6% across all strengths.
Jared McCann leads the way among players with at least 20 shots, tallying on 24.4% of shot attempts. He's one of 13 Kraken players with a 10.0% shooting percentage or better.
McCann and company will have an opportunity to improve their shooting percentages against a tired Habs squad that has abandoned defensive zone coverage.
Canadiens vs. Kraken Pick
Circumstances favor the Kraken in this one. Seattle has been one of the best offensive teams in the league this season, and they've outplayed their opponents in four of their past five games.
Conversely, the Habs have posted an expected goals-for rating above 50.0% just twice over their previous eight outings.
The price on the Kraken is steep, but they're worth the investment at home on Tuesday night.
Pick: Seattle Kraken (-260) |
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