Kraken Face Oilers in Edmonton Showdown
The Seattle Kraken are set to face off against the Edmonton Oilers tonight at Rogers Place, marking the second of their three-game series this season. The puck drops at 9:00 p.m. ET.
Recent Performance
The Oilers recently dominated the Kraken with a 4-0 shutout win in Seattle. Edmonton seems to be finding its stride, while the Kraken are looking to rebound from three straight losses. The Oilers have played 16 of their initial 24 games on the road but are now back home, hoping to capitalize on home-ice advantage.
Team Statistics
The Oilers' offense has tallied 81 goals this season, averaging three per game, which places them 12th in the league. However, their defense has struggled, conceding 94 goals (3.5 per game), ranking them 31st. The Kraken have struggled to score goals this season, ranking last in the NHL with just 59. Defensively, the Kraken have been solid, allowing only 63 goals.
Key Players to Watch
For the Kraken, keep an eye on 23-year-old Matty Beniers, who is tied for second on the team with 14 points. In his career against the Oilers, Beniers has eight points in 13 games. On the Oilers side, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are always threats. Draisaitl has been on a hot streak recently, with increased shot volume.
Projected Lines
According to a recent game preview, the projected lines for the Kraken are:
- Marchment-Beniers-Eberle
- McCann-Stephenson-Tolvanen
- Catton-Gaudreau-Kakko
- Kartye-Wright-Winterton
The projected defensive pairings are Dunn-Larsson, Lindgren-Montour, and Evans-Oleksiak, with Daccord expected to start in goal.
The Oilers are expected to counter with:
- Savoie-McDavid-Hyman
- Podkolzin-Draisaitl-Mangiapane
- Henrique-Nugent-Hopkins-Janmark
- Frederick-Lazar-Connor Clattenberg
Their defensive pairings are projected as Ekholm-Bouchard, Nurse-Regula, and Kulak-Emberson, with Skinner in net.
Odds and Predictions
The Oilers are favored to win, with moneyline odds at -230 compared to the Kraken's +190. The puck line is set at 1.5, with the Kraken at +1.5 (-135) and the Oilers at -1.5 (+115). The over/under is 5.5 goals.
One prediction suggests the Oilers will win with a score of 4-3. Another suggests taking the Kraken +1.5 on the puck line.
Additional factors
The Kraken's struggles on the power play and penalty kill could be a deciding factor, as they rank 22nd and 31st in the league, respectively. The Oilers boast the league's third-best power-play conversion rate at 28.79%.
