The Western Conference playoff bracket started with a bang. The first two games required overtime with underdogs prevailing in both meetings.
Now, the wild card matchups are scheduled to get underway on Tuesday, with the Colorado Avalanche hosting the Seattle Kraken (10 p.m. ET, ESPN) in the Central Division half of the bracket.
Clearly, the Avs are the superior team, but they outplayed their metrics down the stretch. Conversely, Seattle upped their performances thanks to steady defensive play. That leaves an edge in backing the underdog Kraken in Game 1.
We're going for the bag, combining the underdog pick with other unsuspecting props in this same game parlay at FanDuel.
Same-Game Parlay: Kraken vs. Avalanche
Parlay odds: +2026
- Kraken moneyline (+162)
- Jordan Eberle any time goal scorer (+310)
- Highest scoring period: 3rd (+195)
Kraken moneyline (+162)
Seattle had a wildly successful second year in the NHL. The Kraken eclipsed the 100-point threshold while hanging with some of the best teams in the league. Balanced scoring was critical to their success, but the Kraken wouldn't be a playoff team without their defensive structure. They'll have to lean into that to limit a dangerous Avs squad.
Of course, the Avalanche aren't as dangerous as they once were. Colorado had only three 20-goal scorers this year, and its metrics suffered because of it. The Avs finished 14th in expected goals-for rating, allowing more high-danger chances than they created. That trend continued to end the season, with the Central Division winners out-chancing their opponents just twice over their last six games.
The Kraken play a suffocating brand of hockey. Only twice over their last 14 games did an opponent attempt more than eight quality chances. Moreover, they've amplified their offensive production, eclipsing 10 high-danger opportunities in three of five.
Colorado might be the higher seed, but the Kraken are playing a better brand of hockey right now. We're backing the underdogs in Game 1 of this wild card series.
Jordan Eberle any time goal scorer (+310)
Six different Kraken players hit the 20-goal plateau this year, highlighting their scoring depth. Jordan Eberle stands among them, recording the eighth 20-goal campaign of his career. His metrics support that a sustained output is expected, and we're betting the journeyman leads the way in the opening round.
Seattle consistently deploys Eberle in the attacking zone at five-on-five, with the former first-round pick starting 62.8% of his shifts in the offensive end. He's made the most of his time there, ranking second among Kraken forwards in high-danger and scoring chances. However, those metrics look even better when we factor in his time on the power play.
Eberle jumps to the front of the pack in both categories across all strengths. Moreover, there's also a substantive jump in his overall production. Eberle's scoring and high-danger opportunities per game jump from 6.5 and 2.5 at five-on-five to 8.9 and 3.6 across all strengths.
Seattle needs Eberle at his best if they hope to knock off the Avs. Thankfully, the 32-year-old delivered four goals over the past seven games. We're betting that trend continues on Tuesday night.
Highest scoring period: 3rd (+195)
As we saw on Monday night, there's a feeling-out portion to the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Three of the four games had only one goal scored in the opening period, and only five of the 15 periods saw multiple goals scored. As such, an empty netter could be the difference between which period ends up as the highest-scoring stanza in this one.
As noted, the Kraken play a stifling brand of defense, and that shell must be perfectly executed to hamper the Avs. Colorado is playing a similar system, limiting opponents to nine or fewer high-danger chances in four of five. This may have indirectly impacted offense, as the Avalanche have exceeded nine quality chances just once in the same five-game sample. Consequently, we're not anticipating the floodgates to open in Game 1.
The trend early this postseason has been most goals coming in the second period. Although you wouldn't be wrong to hop on that trend, we're expecting the third period to deliver the most excitement, including this prop to round out our same game parlay.
Pick: Kraken vs. Avalanche SGP (+2026) |
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