Time to get back on the saddle as I've crafted up two NHL best bets for the late-night portion of Thursday's slate.
This time, I've honed in on the Seattle Kraken vs the Edmonton Oilers, as well as the Chicago Blackhawks vs the Los Angeles Kings, which airs on ESPN+ and Hulu.
Let's dive into my NHL predictions and picks for Thursday, December 4.
Jonny Lazarus' NHL Best Bets, Thursday, December 4
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 9:00 p.m. | |
  | 10:00 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Kraken vs. Oilers
Things have not been going all that well as of late for the Kraken, but tonight they have a chance at revenge after falling to the Oilers by the score of 4-0 on November 29th.
Seattle hasn't played a game since then, so it has had quite a few days off, while the Oilers have played one game in between, but were held scoreless in a 1-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild.
The Kraken have struggled to put the puck in the back of the net as of late. In their last three games, they're averaging 0.67 goals per game and have only scored two goals, while getting shut out in two of their last three contests.
During this span, the Kraken have the lowest expected goals for in the NHL, skating to 2.38 xGF/60 at all strengths and a 2.07 xGF/60 at 5-on-5.
If you're looking to find a positive with Seattle right now, it's the goaltending. Despite losing three straight games, Joey Daccord has given his team every chance to win, skating to a .913 save percentage and a 2.29 goals against average.
The Oilers are seeking to find some consistency in their game. Over their last 10 games, the Oilers have skated to a record of 4-5-1, but the team that is known for being an offensive juggernaut hasn't been filling the net all that much during this span.
They're also averaging 2.90 goals per game over their last 10, which has them underperforming considering that in that span, they're skating to a 3.16 expected goals per game at all strengths.
Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, Evan Bouchard and Jack Roslovic have all been producing at a point per game pace over this span, but after those four, there has been a bit of a drop off offensively.
Stuart Skinner is the expected starter for the Oilers tonight, and over his last eight starts, he is 4-4-0 with a .895 save percentage and a 2.89 goals against average.
Seattle's previous five games and Edmonton's previous two games have all gone under, so let's look for that trend to continue.
Pick: Under 6.0 (-120)
| |
Blackhawks vs. Kings
The Blackhawks and Kings are both trying to get on the right track. The Blackhawks have lost six of their last seven games, but they have certainly been playing better as of late, while the Kings have dropped five of their last seven and need to find more consistent offense.
Chicago has been one of the most exciting teams to watch this season, and it's fair to say it deserved a better fate in its most recent game, which was a shootout loss against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Over their last four games, the Blackhawks have the league's fifth-best expected goals for percentage (55.16%), and the seventh-highest expected goals for per game at all strengths (3.49). Connor Bedard has been on absolute fire, with seven points in his last four games (4 goals, 3 assists), and he is now third in the league in points with 38 in 26 games.
Scoring hasn't come easily for the Kings over their last six games. They're averaging just 2.17 goals per game in this span, but their power play has been struggling mightily, clicking at a horrendous 5.3%. The Kings have not been the same team on home ice this season that they were last year. At home, the Kings are just 3-5-3, so they don't have that home ice advantage.
Spencer Knight has been one of the best goalies in the league this season. Despite skating to a record of 8-5-5, he is boasting a .917 save percentage with a 2.52 goals against average, along with a +15.5 goals saved above expected, which is the league's third best.
Despite the losses, Chicago has been playing better hockey right now than Los Angeles and you can get them at great value tonight.
Pick: Blackhawks ML (+185)
| |
