NHL Best Bets
The storylines around the NHL playoffs, especially in the Eastern Conference, continue to get juicier each night. The New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins have found their way back into the mix, but neither of those teams have any implications in tonight’s action. There are only five games on tonight in the league, with some great matchups like the Rangers-Devils, Lightning-Maple Leafs and Stars-Oilers, but I don’t necessarily love those matchups from a betting perspective, so I’m taking a look elsewhere for an NHL best bet.
Seattle at Los Angeles (-180, 5.5)
The Seattle Kraken have won three of their last four games, but mind you, those three wins were against weaker opponents. They beat the Anaheim Ducks twice and the San Jose Sharks in their most recent outing, but tonight they will go into Crypto.com Arena and take on a Los Angeles Kings team that is looking to solidify a playoff spot.
The Kings are returning home after an ugly four-game road trip where they went 1-3-0, but lost three straight games. This is a team that NEEDS a win tonight, or they will be in danger of slipping out of the second wild card spot in the West.
The two previous meetings between these teams this year have been low-scoring and both teams have won a game, but there was no denying the fact that the Kings were the better team in those contests.
The Kraken have struggled to score goals all year long. They’re the fourth-worst offensive team in the NHL, averaging 2.62 goals per game, but since March 1st, they have been scoring 2.13 goals per game, the second-worst in the league in that span.Â
The Kings are by no means this offensive juggernaut, but Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe are certainly dangerous. Those two have combined for 27 points in the team’s last 10 games. They should be able to contribute offensively tonight.
Neither team has confirmed their starting net-minder yet for tonight, but Cam Talbot and David Rittich have had very respectable seasons in the blue paint for Los Angeles. Both goalies have above a .900 save percentage in their latest stretch of starts, Talbot a .906 SV% in his last seven and Rittich with a .916 SV% in his last three. Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer have essentially split the net as of late and neither guy has necessarily taken over. Daccord has a 1-3-1 record in his last five starts, while Grubauer skates to a .890 SV% in his last five starts.
I think the Kings will dominate for the majority of this game, while keeping the Kraken off the board, not entirely, but I don’t see Seattle scoring much tonight.
NHL Best Bet(s): Los Angeles Kings to win in regulation -110 (play to -125) | Seattle Kraken under 2.5 total goals -150 (play to -165)
April Record: 1-1 (+0.00 units)
2023-24 record: 130–133 (-28.31 units)
