Is it a traditional “must win”, as in lose and your season is over? Nope, but for a whole lot of reasons, Wednesday’s Kraken game at Climate Pledge Arena takes on that feel.
This will be the fourth time the team will have the opportunity to reach the .500 mark this season, something they have yet to accomplish after starting 0-and-2. Their opponent is the NHL’s last place club, the San Jose Sharks.
Kraken Game Facts
This Evening: San Jose Sharks at Seattle Kraken
Where: Climate Pledge Arena
When: 7 pm pacific
TV/Radio: ROOT Sports NW / FM 93.3
Key Factors:
Expected starting goalies: Kaapo Kahkonen vs. Joey Daccord
With an injury to Philipp Grubauer, Chris Driedger was called up from the AHL on Tuesday to serve as the Kraken’s second goalie.
It’s simple. The Sharks have earned three wins and a grand total of seven points thus far this season. Aside from a few prospects, they’re a mash up of cast-offs and veterans on their last legs. They have four players, including their captain and best player Logan Couture, on injured reserve.
If the Kraken play their game, with discipline to systems and to staying out of the box, they’ll earn two points.
Thus, a ‘must win’. Seattle simply can’t afford to lose this game at home whether it’s November, February or April.
The Kraken are 5-and-2 all-time against the Sharks.
Who’s Hot? And Not …
Veteran winger Jordan Eberle has seven points over his last five games, including five assists.
D-man Vince Dunn has a six-game point streak at home while forward Kailer Yamamoto has eight points over his last eight games against the Sharks (while playing with the Oilers).
Despite being pointless on Monday night, Kraken top center Matty Beniers seems poised to break out. He’s averaged three shots on net over his last three games with three points over that time span. He’ll look to put a slow start behind him as he enters the 2nd quarter of the season.
For San Jose, Tomas Hertl is the leading scorer with 12 points in 18 games played.
“Hot” doesn’t factor into their season as of yet.
Special Teams
This is the first head-to-head meeting between these two teams this season.
The Kraken went 0-for-2 against the Flames on Monday night which put a tiny dent in their excellent power play percentage for the season, 24.6%. On the flipside their penalty kill is a very sub-standard 72.1%.
San Jose clicks just 17% of the time on the man advantage while their penalty kill finds success at 72.7%.
It’s the battle of poor PK’s.
Coming In:
Sharks: 3-14-and-1 after a 3-1 loss to the Canucks in Vancouver on Monday night.
Kraken: 7-8-and-5 following their 4-3 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on Monday night.
Recent Kraken:
— Simmer’s Sunday 9; Kraken Opportunity, Media Ban, Hockey Manslaughter?
