Islanders vs Kraken

Mathew Barzal leads a New York Islanders group that has quietly gone 3-2 on this seven-game road swing, including tight wins in Edmonton (1-0) and Vancouver (4-3), while the Seattle Kraken limp home on a four-game losing streak in which they’ve been outscored 19-10. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/game/_/gameId/401803144/islanders-kraken)) Even without Bo Horvat (out until at least January 24) and Kyle Palmieri, the Islanders’ five-on-five structure and top-tier tandem of Ilya Sorokin and David Rittich (both at 2.49 GAA, with Sorokin owning a .915 save percentage) have kept their overall numbers strong at 2.88 GF/G and 2.69 GA/G, compared to Seattle’s thinner margin at 2.75 GF/G and 2.98 GA/G. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/game/_/gameId/401803144/islanders-kraken)) The Isles already edged the Kraken 1-0 in a shootout back in November, and Seattle’s shaky penalty kill (71.9%) paired with an offense leaning heavily on Jordan Eberle and Vince Dunn makes it harder to trust them in a form slump despite home ice and a strong goaltending trio. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/game/_/gameId/401803144/islanders-kraken)) With New York sitting second in the Metro and Seattle clinging to a crowded Pacific playoff race, motivation runs high on both sides, but the visitors’ defensive reliability against a reeling opponent gives enough edge to justify laying the modest -118, earning this moneyline a B+ for combining a solid win probability with a reasonable price. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 21/01/2026 09:47

The recent scoring profile for both teams quietly points toward goals: four of the Islanders’ last five have finished with at least seven total goals, while the Kraken have seen four of their last five clear six, as defensive details have slipped on both sides of the red line. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/game/_/gameId/401803144/islanders-kraken)) Season-long metrics still sit near the number (2.88 GF/G and 2.69 GA/G for New York; 2.75 GF/G and 2.98 GA/G for Seattle), but Seattle’s bottom-tier penalty kill at 71.9% is now paired with a power play that has surged to 34.6% this month and sits top-10 overall, a recipe for special-teams swings in a national-TV spot. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/game/_/gameId/401803144/islanders-kraken)) Even with quality goaltending on both sides, the Kraken’s four-game skid has featured scorelines of 6-3, 6-3 and 4-2, and the absence of Bo Horvat slightly dials back New York’s finishing but also redistributes minutes in a way that leans on transition threats like Barzal, which can open things up at both ends. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/game/_/gameId/401803144/islanders-kraken)) Given how often these teams are trading chances lately, Over 5.5 at -125 carries a bit of juice but still grades a B thanks to the combination of recent form, special-teams matchup and urgency in the playoff race pushing this toward another higher-event game. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 21/01/2026 09:47

With Seattle mired in a four-game losing streak that includes three multi-goal defeats and the Islanders closing a successful 4-2-0 stretch over their last six, the path to a road win by two or more is very much on the table, even at the end of a long trip. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/game/_/gameId/401803144/islanders-kraken)) The Kraken’s profile—a leaky 2.98 GA/G, heavy shot volume against (29.5 SA/G) and that 71.9% penalty kill—has been exposed lately, and New York’s structured defense plus elite goaltending has already produced four shutouts combined from Sorokin and Rittich, giving them a legitimate chance to tilt scoreboard and shot clock if they grab an early lead. ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/game/_/gameId/401803144/islanders-kraken)) Horvat’s absence dings some finishing upside, but with Barzal driving offense, depth contributors like Anthony Duclair heating up on this trip, and Seattle’s scoring concentrated in a few weapons (Eberle, Beniers, Dunn), game scripts where the Isles pull away into an empty-netter are realistic—though the Kraken’s overall playoff desperation and generally competitive home splits keep volatility high. ([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/islanders/news/game-preview-islanders-at-kraken-jan-21-2026?utm_source=openai)) At a generous 200 price on -1.5, the puckline offers meaningful upside but enough risk from a tight-checking Islanders style that it earns a B-, suitable for smaller stake exposure alongside a straighter moneyline position. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 21/01/2026 09:47