Kraken vs. Penguins Odds
| Kraken Odds | +122 |
| Penguins Odds | -146 |
| Over / Under | 6.5 +110o / -134u |
Here's everything you need to know about Kraken vs. Penguins on Monday, Jan. 15 – our expert NHL prediction and pick.
Seattle has thrived in the short history between these two teams, winning three of the four lifetime meetings. Will the Kraken take care of business once again, or can Pittsburgh defend its home ice?
Let's dig into the NHL odds and make a Kraken vs. Penguins prediction and pick.
Seattle Kraken
Not only has Seattle thrived in this specific matchup, but it is currently one of the hottest teams in the league. The Kraken currently ride a nine-game winning streak and 13-game point streak.
They are playing well in all three zones, and an increase in offensive efficiency in particular has allowed this team to flourish. Over those 13 outings, Seattle is averaging 3.7 goals scored per game.
Meanwhile, it continues to provide one of the toughest tasks in the league for opposing offenses. This season, the Kraken rank in the top 12 in goals allowed per game, shots on goal allowed per game, penalty kill percentage and penalty minutes per game.
Analytically, this is the best defensive team in the league, as they rank first in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60) at 5-on-5. Backing up this strong two-way team is goaltender Joey Daccord, who is expected to guard the cage Monday.
Through 27 appearances in the crease this season, Daccord is 13-5-8 with a .923 SV% and 2.29 GAA. Entering this game in particularly dominant form, he is 8-0 with a .956 SV% and 1.49 GAA over his past eight starts.
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Pittsburgh Penguins
Meanwhile, goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is slated to start across the ice. Nedeljkovic has also put together a strong campaign, but he has suffered some setbacks recently, as he allowed five goals against the Boston Bruins and was pulled after surrendering three goals in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks.
His lone career start against Seattle came as a member of the Detroit Red Wings, a game in which he surrendered three goals en route to the Kraken's 4-2 victory. I expect a similar result Monday, especially considering Pittsburgh's recent form compared to Seattle's.
Entering this matchup, the Penguins have lost each of their past two games and four of their past six. If Pittsburgh can't get the offense going, then it could be in for a tough matchup against the defensively sound Kraken.
This season, the Penguins rank 19th in goals scored per game and power-play percentage. At the same time, goaltending has typically bailed out a below-average blue line as they rank 19th in xGA/60 at 5-on-5.
That placement is a far step below Seattle's first-place ranking, and could be the difference in this matchup considering we should trust Daccord more than Nedeljkovic. These are two strong teams that both rank in the top 12 of the league in expected goal differential per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, but they are also playing on opposite ends of the spectrum this month.
Kraken vs. Penguins
Betting Pick & Prediction
The Kraken have won night straight heading into this matchup, and at plus-money, it is worth backing them once again Monday. We are catching a great price at +125 via BetMGM, a line that is three-to-seven cents longer than the rest of the market.
I would play this line up to +120.
Pick: Kraken ML (+125 at BetMGM | Play to +120)
