Kraken to Swallow Up Avalanche

Expansion Seattle Looks to Snap Five-Game Skid

· Nov 19 - 4 minutes read

Losers of five straight, the Seattle Kraken could get a break here when they play host to the undermanned Colorado Avalanche. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer has a chance to exact revenge on his old crew and if he rises up to the challenge, his underdog Kraken may just pull off this upset.

Seattle will be an underdog for the ninth time per the NHL betting odds. The Kraken have stunk in that role, having won just one game at plus-money. But this is all about the matchup and Seattle can just give Colorado a run for its money on Friday.

colorado-avalanche-vs-seattle-kraken-nhl-week-5-2021 — Steph Chambers/Getty Images/AFP

Colorado Avalanche at Seattle Kraken NHL Odds Preview

Puckline: Colorado Avalanche -1½ (+160), Seattle -1½ (-180)
Moneyline: Colorado Avalanche -150, Seattle +130
Total: Over/Under 6

Avalanche: The Hero They Deserve

Nazem Kadri rises. Yes, the unofficial “Dark Knight” of the Avalanche finds himself as the team’s best player with 17 points through13 games. The 31-year-old has filled in nicely in the absence of star center Nathan MacKinnon (lower body) and he’ll need to continue overachieving to keep this injury-plagued team going.

Nazem Kadri had the goal that was wayyyy too slick to not be our @BallCorpHQ Goal of the Game!

(Also that celly 🔥)#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/Y9191wQ7rX

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) November 14, 2021

Colorado has not been close to the Yeti that they were last season. But considering you can make a mini-All-Star team with all the hobbled or injured players they have, being above .500 with wins over Minnesota, St. Louis, and Tampa Bay is saying something.

The shorthanded Avalanche have their perks – a more affordable price when betting online for one and a more stringent focus on defense for the other. Colorado is allowing the third-fewest scoring chances and are still a top-10 team in scoring chance percent. If they just got a bit more pop to their shooting, they’d be golden.

Kraken: A Real Expansion Team

Just 16 games into the season and the Seattle Kraken are this close to getting forked. The NHL’s cool new team is a far cry from the Vegas Golden Knights, as Seattle has played like a more traditional expansion team: crap. Seattle has lost five straight and has one win in November.

This team isn’t just losing, either. It’s coughing up leads and choking against the likes of Chicago and Arizona. It’s tough to win when your best scorer is Jordan Eberle. But for a team that was built to be a tough one to play against, the Kraken are letting it rain goals.

The onus is on their goaltenders. Seattle is actually allowing the fewest shots per game, but Grubauer has turned from a Vezina finalist into former Sharks netminder Martin Jones, sporting the worst goals saved above expectations in the league: -11.2. If he can stop sucking, Seattle may just be decent.

Betting Pick

Despite how much dirt we’ve thrown at the Kraken, we’re actually going to pick them here. This is a matchup that favors Seattle, especially if Grubauer can channel a “revenge game” and stick it to his old team.

The Kraken may be fool’s gold, but this team plays solid 5v5 hockey and are a top-10 team in corsi and scoring chance percent. They’re even higher than Colorado on both counts. Bet the Kraken on the sportsbook to pull this upset.

Pick: Seattle Kraken +130

Bonus Pick

Seven goals is asking for a lot, even if the Kraken have allowed an average of 4.1 in their last eight. But these teams are stingy on shots. Colorado has issues converting chances and has a leaky power play while the Kraken are a middle-of-the-bunch home team in scoring. Even if five of the Kraken’s eight home games have gone over, this one will go against the trend.