Kraken vs Panthers: NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction
Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images. Pictured: Evan Rodrigues.
Kraken vs Panthers Odds
| Kraken Odds | +120 |
| Panthers Odds | -135 |
| Over / Under | 6 -105 / -115 |
With Halloween just around the corner, bettors are wondering if two of the NHL's underdog success stories from last season have now turned into pumpkins.
Recent results have been a bit better for both the Seattle Kraken and the Florida Panthers, but some concerns remain.
The Kraken are winding their way through a long Eastern road trip as the Panthers deal with injuries and illnesses, but the better-rested home side is in a good spot to seize the two points that are up for grabs on Saturday.
Read on for the latest on both sides and your best bet for the game.
The Kraken have been one of the busiest teams in the NHL in the early going, with eight games played already. After an 0-3-1 start in which they scored just three goals, their fortunes have begun to improve. They're 2-1-1 in their last four, have scored 17 goals, and might be onto something with goaltender Joey Daccord.
With 19 games of NHL experience heading into this season, the 27-year-old has waited patiently for his opportunity. And while he and Philipp Grubauer have each played four games and allowed 12 goals apiece, Grubauer's record to start the season is 0-4-0 while Daccord is 2-0-2.
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Daccord, who played the last two games, stopped a season-high 45 shots in the Kraken's 3-2 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday. After Florida, the club will also play the Lightning in Tampa on Monday before heading home, so goaltending duties will probably be split at some point.
The Kraken did not practice or hold media availability on Friday, so the first information on a starter may come at Saturday's morning skate. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Grubauer get the nod. He's 4-4-2 in 11 career appearances against the Panthers.
Now that Seattle has started to put the puck in the net, Oliver Bjorkstrand is leading all forwards with seven points. On the back end, Vince Dunn has picked up where he left off last year and also has seven points. Special teams are solid — both in the top half of the league — but Seattle's 5-on-5 expected goals share of 47.43% isn't great.
There are no changes on the injury front, where forwards Brandon Tanev (lower body) and Andre Burakovsky (upper body) remain sidelined indefinitely.
With one of the lightest schedules in the early going, the Panthers have played just six games so far, and their last on Tuesday. Florida sits at .500 with a record of 3-3-0, which is not bad, considering their short summer and the fact that the team is still waiting for defensive leaders Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour to return from their offseason surgeries.
Feisty forward Sam Bennett has also been on the sidelines with a lower-body issue but is said to be a game-time decision to make his season debut on Saturday. The status of defenseman Dmitry Kulikov is also uncertain, due to an illness. Captain Aleksander Barkov was also sick and missed the Panthers' 3-1 win over San Jose last Tuesday. He is expected to be back in the lineup on Saturday.
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Like Seattle, Florida also started slow. But after two losses, the Panthers have now won three of their last four games. Their expected goal share at 5-on-5 is a solid 51.3%, and Sergei Bobrovsky has picked up right where he left off during last year's regular season, with a goals-against of just over 3.00 and a save percentage right around .900.
Special teams have been a notable weakness, with a power play at just 12.5% and a league-worst penalty-killing rate of 65.4%. In six games, the Panthers are allowing 1.5 goals per game while shorthanded.
On the offensive side of the puck, Sam Reinhart is leading the way with seven goals and nine points. He's showing good chemistry on a line with new free-agent signing Evan Rodrigues, who has eight points.
Kraken vs. Panthers
Betting Pick & Prediction
It's early in the season, but the result of Saturday's game could very well come down to the fatigue factor. The Panthers haven't played a road game since Oct. 16, their last game at home was a relatively easy win over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, and they're starting to get players back from injury and illness.
Also, Bobrovsky hasn't played since last Saturday. As we saw in the playoffs, he has a strong reputation for delivering his best performances when he gets plenty of time off for rest and recovery.
Meanwhile, though the Kraken have picked up their game since starting the season slow, they have flown from Seattle to Detroit to Raleigh to Miami this week. They also played a gruelling 64:50 against the Hurricanes on Thursday, where they took a 2-0 lead but weren't able to defend it for the win.
The Panthers are significant favorites in this game, with their -155 moneyline translating to implied odds of just over 60% that they'll get the win.
With a rested Bobrovsky in position to potentially deliver a standout showing, you should be able to find a regulation win for the Panthers at odds of 2-to-1 or better.
Pick: Panthers 60-minute line (+102 at BetRivers); play down to -110
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