NHL Odds, Pick & Preview: Predators vs. Kraken (March 2)
Steph Chambers/Getty Images. Pictured: Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer.
- The Seattle Kraken welcome the Nashville Predators to the Cascadia region for Wednesday's NHL matchup.
- NHL matchup. The first two meetings between the sides saw plenty of goals, so can we expect the same this time around?
- Tony Sartori breaks down the meeting below and explains why he thinks goals will be at a premium.
Predators vs. Kraken Odds
| Predators Odds | -170 |
| Kraken Odds | +150 |
| Over/Under | 5.5 (-115 / -105) |
| Time | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
In Wednesday's NHL nightcap, the Nashville Predators head west to take on the Seattle Kraken. This will be the third meeting between these teams this season, with the total going over the number in the previous matchups.
So, will we see a third consecutive total go over between these clubs or can the defenses and goaltenders step up to keep this a low-scoring game?
Nashville Predators
The Predators hit the road following Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning at Nissan Stadium in another low-scoring affair for the team, who has now seen the under hit in two in a row and in three of their last five games.
The primary reasons for Nashville's low-scoring outings has been solid goaltending and great defensive play. Juuse Saros is projected to get the start in net for the Predators, and he has been one of the league's best between the pipes this season.
This year, Saros boasts an impressive 0.923 save percentage and ranks eighth among starting goaltenders in 5-on-5 goals saved above expected per 60 minutes. The blue line in front of Saros has also been tremendous, led by superstar defensemen Roman Josi.
Currently, Nashville ranks 10th in the league in 5-on-5 xGA per 60 minutes and sixth in average xG value of opposing 5-on-5 shot attempts. The defense has been tasked with holding down the fort as the Predators' offense has been struggling of late.
Over their last six contests, they're averaging just 2.67 goals scored per game. The inconsistent offense has hurt Nashville, who currently rank 24th in 5-on-5 expected goals for per 60 minutes.
Seattle Kraken
The Kraken have seen better days (sort of), as they're in the middle of a seven-game losing streak. Seattle has also seen lower-scoring games of late, with the under hitting in two consecutive games and in three of their last five outings.
The primary reason for these low-scoring contests is their brutally inefficient offense. The Kraken have scored just two or fewer goals in 11 of their last 14 meetings.
Seattle's offense was poorly constructed during the expansion-draft process and the results prove just that. This season, Seattle ranks 31st in the league in 5-on-5 xGF per 60 minutes and dead last in average xG value of 5-on-5 shot attempts.
However, there is one thing Seattle does well and that's play stingy defense that frustrates opponents. Currently, the Kraken rank seventh in the league in 5-on-5 xG against per 60 minutes.
Predators vs. Kraken Pick
Stingy defenses square off in what should be a low-scoring game. With how bad Seattle's offense has been, I expect Saros to shut them down.
This is a matchup that screams not a lot of goals, so I think we get some regression from the first two contests and hit the under in this meeting.
Pick: Total Under 5.5 Goals (-105 | Play to -120)
How would you rate this article?
Follow Us On Social
