This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Best Bets for December 15: Hurricanes vs. Kraken
I guess I am a little on the older side. On Thursday night in Raleigh, N.C., I'll check off the Seattle Kraken as the 31st of 32 current teams I have seen play in person, as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes. I have also actually attended games involving the Atlanta Thrashers, Cleveland Barons and Hartford Whalers, too. Some sour Connecticut people will argue I am seeing the Whalers again on Thursday. Get over it, people, it's been 25 years!
While enjoying the game with my sports nut youngest son Joe is enough entertainment for me, I still look to enhance the evening by making a few wagers along the way, including betting on the puck line, the total and some fun props.
Both of these teams enter play with 16 victories, as the Seattle Kraken (16-9-3) and Carolina Hurricanes (16-6-6) have taken different paths to their current records. The Kraken have posted a strong 9-3-1 record away from the Pacific Northwest, while the Hurricanes have stumbled to a very ordinary 5-3-1 mark at home.
The Kraken have that impressive road mark, but it has dropped two of the first three games on the current four-game road trip, which wraps up in Raleigh. The Kraken were pounded 6-2 in Tampa on Tuesday night, and it has failed to cover the puck line in two of the three games so far, and Seattle is 1-4 in its past five games overall.
The Kraken are projected to start veteran Martin Jones in between the pipes. He is 13-5-2 with a 2.95 GAA and .888 SV% with a shutout. He has started plenty of games, but Jones was not in the crease for the first meeting with Carolina at Climate Pledge Arena on Oct. 17, a 5-1 win by the Hurricanes. It was Philipp Grubauer who started that one, and it's no surprise he will be the backup after he took it on the chin in Tampa last time out.
The Hurricanes counter with red-hot rookie Pyotr Kochetkov, who is 7-1-4 with a 2.02 GAA and .926 SV% with three shutouts, including back-to-back shutouts on the road against the New York Islanders Saturday, and against the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday. He has turned aside 43 straight shots in those two outings. He has won three straight starts, but he has to win six more consecutive games to tie Arturs Irbe for the franchise record.
While Carolina has been more impressive on the road, rather than at PNC Arena in Raleigh, the Hurricanes have the hotter goaltender. They'll ride Kochetkov to another win.
NHL Puckline Bets for Hurricanes-Kraken
- Hurricanes -1.5 PL (+125 at BetMGM)
As far as the total is concerned, the Kraken have been on an 11-5-1 Under run across the past 17 games overall, while going 5-1 in the past six against teams with a winning overall record.
The Under is also 5-0-1 in the previous six outings for Seattle against Metropolitan Division teams, while going 7-2-3 in the past 12 games against Eastern Conference foes. That includes a push at most shops in Carolina's 5-1 win in Seattle on Oct. 17.
The Under has dominated for the Canes lately, too, especially thanks for the hot goaltending of the rookie goaltender affectionately nicknamed "Koochie". The Under is 10-4 in the past 14 games overall for the Canes, while going 4-1 in the past five at home, and 5-2 in the past seven against winning sides. As such, the Under is a slam-dunk play, and a good parlay opportunity with the Carolina PL wager above.
NHL Totals Bets for Hurricanes vs Kraken
- Under 6 (-110 at FanDuel)
NHL Player Props for Hurricanes vs Kraken
As far as potential props are concerned, we have a handful of attractive plays to check out.
Sebastian Aho is doubtful to play in this one due to a lower-body injury, so Paul Stastny is likely to fill Fishy's spot on the top unit. The veteran Stastny had the game-winning goal against the Islanders Saturday, and he has a goal and assist in the past three outings. Stastny will get plenty of opportunities on the top unit, and therefore he is worth a roll of the dice as an anytime goal scorer for a chance to more than quadruple your initial wager.
- Stastny Over 0.5 Goals (+410 at FanDuel)
Super teen Matty Beniers of the Kraken has cooled off a little lately, going scoreless in four of the past five outings. He did have a goal and an assist in Florida on Dec. 11. Some might shy away due to the cool streak, but he is just too talented to continue to go scoreless. At near even-money, all he needs to do is secure an apple or a goal for a winning ticket. Sign me up.
- Beniers Over 0.5 Points (-105 at FanDuel)
Martin Necas is the leading scorer for the Hurricanes, posting 28 points (12 G, 16 A) across 28 games. He also has taken 91 total shots on goal (SOG), cashing in his shots at 13.2% rate. While he was nearly invisible in Detroit Tuesday, posting just a lone shot, he had three or more SOG in nine of his previous games, and 19 of his past 23 games overall. As such, the Over for SOG on Thursday looks like a very good play.
- Necas Over 2.5 SOG (-140 at FanDuel)
