The Seattle Kraken are experiencing that home-then-home thing for the second time in two weeks, only this time they’re the road team in a crucial set of games.
Instead of home-and-home, where you play a team at home and then on the road or vice versa back-to-back, the “home-then-home” means two games in the same barn against the same team in back-to-back NHL games.
It didn’t go so well for the Seattle Kraken on March 11th and 13th as they lost both games at Climate Pledge Arena to the Dallas Stars. They picked up a point in the first one by losing in overtime. One point of a possible four for the two-game set.
They’re hoping history isn’t repeating itself. They picked up a single point against the Predators on Thursday night by losing in a shoot-out. A Saturday afternoon win would mean three of a possible four points and one big step closer to the playoffs.
Seattle Kraken Standings
It’s easy to overlook the fact that the game Saturday against Nashville is a huge one, probably because the Predators play in the Central Division. But should the Kraken require a wild card spot to make the playoffs, which at the moment looks like the realistic option, a regulation win would move the Predators to within four points of the Seattle Kraken with a game in hand.
Should Nashville catch the Kraken, and should the Winnipeg Jets hop past them — the Jets are presently only one point behind Seattle — then Seattle would be out of the playoffs.
It’s that dicey with 11 games to play.
Should Seattle win Saturday … breathing room. They’d be eight points ahead of the Predators and potentially nine ahead of the Calgary Flames.
Seattle Kraken Goalie Situation
Didn’t see this coming. AHL Coachella Valley Firebirds regular Joey Daccord has taken over the crease for the big club. Confidence has waned that much in Martin Jones? Apparently. With number-one Philipp Grubauer under the weather, Seattle Kraken head coach Dave Hakstol has turned to the American Leaguer in back-to-back starts. It appears we can call him an NHLer for now.
Daccord has looked good. One would expect him to start again and Jones to once again sit on the bench, but we won’t be able to confirm that until Saturday morning.
For dramatic purposes, situations like this one over the years usually garner the label; “Goalie Controversy”. For now we’re avoiding the headline theatrics.
Reminder: Saturday’s puck drop in Nashville is a little after 11 am pacific time.
