Wednesday NHL Best Bets: Expert Hockey Betting Picks for November 5

It’s a relatively quiet night on the ice tonight with only 5 games on the schedule, but let’s try to find some winners!

NHL season stats: 2-2 (0.41 units)

San Jose Sharks vs Seattle Kraken Under 6.5 (-120 bet365)

Watch out for the Kraken! Or something like that. They had a good start to the season with a 6-2-4 record, with 16 points in 12 games. This is mainly thanks to goal prevention, as they have only given away 2.6 actual goals per 60 minutes and 2.73 xG/60. Goalkeeper Joey Daccord is expected to start, and he has played well this year with a 91% save rate and 3.85 goals saved above expectations.

Additionally, Seattle has also tended to engage in “pitcher’s duels” as of late, as 5 of its last 6 games have seen 5 total goals or less. And the Kraken are particularly stingy at home since they have only allowed 6 goals in 6 games. Daccord clearly sees the puck well in his friendly environment as he has a 93.1% save rate and a league-best 5.80 GSAA in home games. The Unders have scored in 5 of the Kraken’s 6 home games.

The big risk in this game is the opposition. Seattle has a very mediocre offense with 2.64 actual goals and 2.68 expected goals per 60 minutes, but the Sharks are struggling to keep the puck out of the net with a league-worst 3.93 goals allowed per 60. Young Shark stars Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith have flown out of the game this year, but I say the Kraken D keeps them in relative control and the game stays subpar.

Chicago Black Hawks vs. Vancouver Canucks ½ unit Canucks -3.5 (+720 FanDuel)

Our Deadspin Picks+ service offers EVs in both cases, namely 14% on the Leafs and 13.75 on the Canucks.

Is either one likely? Of course not, that’s why we get big plus odds. Toronto cruised through the start of the season as its rabid fans turned their attention to the Blue Jays. But on Monday, they had their best performance of the season, or at least their best period. They erased a 3-0 lead over the Penguins before the third period, then came back strong and won 4-3 in regulation. Most encouraging were their big guns as Auston Matthews scored one and William Nylander scored twice.

The Canucks hope to reach the figure thanks to their easy opponent. Star defender Quinn Hughes is back from injury, and Kiefer Sherwood has exploded out of the gate with 9 goals in 14 games after scoring a career-high of just 19 last season, so let’s hope he can continue that momentum.