Islanders vs Kraken Picks, Predictions, and Odds Tonight
New York and Seattle give us an East-West match at the Climate Pledge Arena tonight. Read on to see why the value and advantage lie with the road team on Sunday in our Islanders vs Kraken betting picks.
Last updated: January 1, 2023 12:32 p.m. ET Reading time: 4 min
The New York Islanders and the Seattle Kraken are moving in opposite directions and are set to meet for the first time this season.
The Islanders have won their last three games, while the Kraken are currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak.
Can New York win its fourth straight or will Seattle get back on track? Find out in our free NHL picks and predictions for the Islanders vs. Kraken on January 1.
Best Islanders vs Kraken Odds Picks and Islanders vs Kraken Predictions
It seems the Seattle Kraken has returned to earth. The Kraken started the season strong, at one point riding a seven-game winning streak to find themselves in second place in the Pacific Division in early December.
What a difference a month made. As good as Seattle was in November, the wheels came off in the final month of 2022. The team went 4-8 in December, including three-or-more goal losses to Tampa Bay and Carolina.
Seattle’s most recent game may have been its worst, as it lost 7-2 at home to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday. The Oilers scored three goals in the first four minutes of the first period, prompting Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol to pull goaltender Philipp Grubauer.
The alarm has gone off and the Kraken cannot press the snooze button. They now face a scorching New York Islanders team on Sunday, and it’s hard to see why the Islanders are the underdogs in this contest.
While forwards Cal Clutterbuck, Oliver Wahlstrom and Kyle Palmieri are all injured, that shouldn’t weigh on the offense too much. The Islanders rank 14th in goals scored, averaging 3.22 per game. Brock Nelson is back from injury, and the team leader in goals (15) and points (37) has three assists in two games since his return.
With the Kraken shaky lately and the Islanders in the series, I think New York will get a win in Game 1 of their four-game road trip. Plus, the odds of +106 make this a great value bet.
My best bet: Islanders Moneyline (+106 at BetRivers)
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Islanders vs. Kraken moneyline analysis
Getting New York at positive odds is a value bet and should entice players to make that bet.
One of the main reasons for the Kraken’s last fights has been their goalie. With Grubauer getting bombarded by Edmonton on Friday, Martin Jones will likely start on Sunday.
Jones has a GAA of 3.05 and an SV% of 0.886. He came on as a replacement for Grubauer against the Oilers and allowed four goals. His last start was against Vancouver on Dec. 22, where he allowed five goals in a 6-5 shootout loss.
The Islanders have Ilya Sorokin in net, who has been among the best in the league. Sorokin is currently ranked fourth in the league in GAA and SV%. Although he is preparing for his sixth straight start, the New York goalkeeper has had two days to rest. He should be ready to face Seattle.
Islanders vs. Kraken Over/Under Analysis
Although Seattle lost, it still scores. In their last eight games, the Kraken have averaged 3.25 goals in those games. That’s down a bit from their season average of 3.44, good for sixth-best in the league.
They also conceded goals. In those eight games, they allowed an average of 3.88 per game. That’s well above their season average of 3.32, which was already 21st in the NHL. Meanwhile, the Islanders are 14th in scoring at 3.22 and sixth in the GAA at 2.65.
The total opened at six, and trends appear to be pointing to the underside. The Kraken have touched the Under in six of their last seven against Metropolitan teams, as well as their last seven games when they allowed five or more goals in the previous game. The Islanders have hit under in three of their last four games after a win.
The key to the under total will be the play of their starting goaltender. Jones has been inconsistent lately, allowing four or more goals in his last two games.
Islanders vs Kraken betting trend you need to know
New York is 6-0 against teams in the Pacific Division this season. Find more NHL betting trends for Islanders vs Kraken.
Islanders vs. Kraken Match Info Location: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA Date: Sunday, January 1, 2023 Puck drop: 8:00 p.m. ET TV: ESPN Islanders vs. Kraken key injuries Pages related to this topic