The fans at Climate Pledge Arena are gearing up to watch the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the very first time. This series is headed back to Seattle after the Kraken and Dallas Stars split the first two games in Texas.
Seattle has been a pleasant surprise in these playoffs thus far, but I don’t think it has the same kind of firepower up front, and at some point, it will be a serious problem.
Find out my best bet in my free NHL picks for the Kraken vs. Stars on May 7.
Stars vs Kraken Game 3 odds
Stars vs Kraken series odds
| Team | To win | Win in 5 | Win in 6 | Win in 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stars | -210 | +350 | +300 | +310 |
| Kraken | +180 | +1,000 | +550 | +600 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings as of May 7
Stars vs Kraken Game 3 predictions
The conversation around this series prior to it starting was all about the goaltending. Philipp Grubauer was phenomenal in Round 1 for the Seattle Kraken, but in the first two games of this series, he has allowed four goals in each outing.
Jake Oettinger was one of the best goalies in the NHL this season and he has carried that strong play into the postseason. Oettinger is boasting a .921 SV% and 2.31 GAA in eight games thus far, but he also had a very strong bounce-back performance in Game 2 after a relatively subpar showing in Game 1.
When you look at both teams right now, it is certainly clear the Dallas Stars have the more talented offense. They currently have the fifth-best offense in the playoffs, averaging 3.63 goals per game, and have also had a ton of success on the power play this postseason — producing a fourth-best conversion rate of 34.5%.
Joe Pavelski has made his mark on this series, scoring five goals in the two games. He is looking to stay hot, along with Tyler Seguin, who tallied a goal and an assist in Game 2. The Kraken have been strong defensively in the playoffs, but with the importance of this Game 3, I have much more confidence in Dallas’ offense and Oettinger in goal.
The road team has had success when these two teams meet — taking four out of the last five games — and I like the road team again tonight.
My best bet: Stars moneyline (-145 at BetMGM)
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Stars vs Kraken Game 3 moneyline analysis
I don’t want to take any credit away from the Kraken, as they've been very impressive in their first nine games. That being said, they just aren’t up to par with the offensive talent of Dallas. Seattle’s power play is only clicking at 12% right now and it has gone four straight games without converting.
It does have one player to worry about right now, and that is Oliver Bjorkstrand who was held scoreless in Game 2. If Dallas is able to keep him off the scoresheet, it’s certainly going to benefit the Stars. The Kraken are only scoring 2.78 goals per game and I see Dallas continuing to slow them down.
As good as Phillipp Grubauer has been in the postseason for Seattle, in my mind the goaltending battle is certainly in favor of the Stars. They have at least eight players with five or more points while the Kraken have five players with that same amount.
Simply put, Dallas is a much deeper team and I love its chances.
Stars vs Kraken Game 3 Over/Under analysis
We’ve talked about the goaltending battle between Grubauer and Oettinger, but the Over has hit in both of the games in this series and has hit in the last five meetings between these two teams.
With that being said, the Under happens to be 9-3 in the Kraken’s last 12 games. This has certainly been a tough series to read when it comes to the O/U because both net minders have been strong — but each team continues to find ways to fill the net.
With the series now changing cities, it sometimes changes the entire vibe of how the games are played. I’m expecting both teams to tighten up defensively as we get deeper in this series and the games get more important.
The Stars and Kraken are both in the Top 5 for defensive proficiency in the playoffs, with Dallas allowing 2.63 goals against while the Kraken are allowing 3.00.
I think this one will be a little more low scoring than what we have seen so far.
Stars vs Kraken betting trend to know
The road team has won the last five regular season meetings. Find more NHL betting trends for Stars vs. Kraken.
Stars vs Kraken Game 3 game info
| Location: | Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA |
| Date: | Sunday, May 7, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 9:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TBS |
