Kraken Game Facts
This Evening: New Jersey Devils at Seattle Kraken
Where: Climate Pledge Arena
When: 7:30 pm pacific
TV/Radio: ESPN / FM 93.3
Key Factors:
Starting goalies: Akira Schmid vs. Philipp Grubauer
The Devils hit town coming off a crazy 6-5 win two nights ago in Vancouver against the Canucks. After blowing a three goal lead in the third period, New Jersey scored in the final minute to win it.
The Kraken limped back to Seattle off an 0-3-and-1 road trip to start a six-game homestand this evening. They’ll need to be on their toes, the Devils are one of the youngest and quickest team in the NHL.
Apparently not limping or ailing anymore is Kraken winger Andre Burakovsky, back in the line-up after a twenty game absence. Seattle can use all of the help they can get, having fallen four games below .500 for the season.
Defenseman Ryker Evans also joins the roster; the highly touted prospect is ready for his first ever NHL game and expect to see time on the power play. The club hopes to see a spark from this efficient puck mover from the back-end.
Two seasons ago the Devils struggled while going through seven different goalies. Last season they fixed the issue, made the playoffs, and beat the New York Rangers in the first round. The two goalies involved, Schmid and Vitek Vanecek, haven’t been as strong this season. Vanecek picked up the win Tuesday night.
New Jersey is without number-one D-man Dougie Hamilton (upper) and winger Tomas Nosek (lower) who have both recently undergone surgeries.
The Devils have the best power play in the NHL.
Who’s Hot? And Not …
Grubauer is 5-and-1 in his career against the Devils. Jared McCann has ten points in his last nine games against New Jersey. Oliver Bjorkstrand is one point shy of 300 for his career.
Matty Beniers has two points over his last five games and just 13 on the season.
Jack Hughes leads the Devils with 33 points, five more than teammate Jesper Bratt, and finds himself ninth on the NHL leader board. His younger brother Luke Hughes is the leading scorer among rookie NHL defenceman with 15 points, five less than overall leading 1st-year scorer Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Bratt had two goals on Tuesday night.
Special Teams
The Kraken went 1-for-2 against the Habs on Monday night which added a tiny bump to their decent power play percentage for the season, 21.7%. On the flipside, their penalty kill is a very sub-standard 74.7%. Montreal went 1-for-1 on the man advantage.
New Jersey went 1-for-2 against Vancouver two nights ago and clicks an astounding 36.6% of the time with the man advantage. They’re PK isn’t as good, working just 75% of the time.
Coming In:
Devils: 12-10-and-1 after a 6-5 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.
Kraken: 8-12-and-6 following their 4-2 loss to the Canadiens in Montreal on Monday night.
Recent Kraken:
— Kraken D-Prospect Ryker Evans Right On Time
The Kraken take forty shots on goal and tally one goal. The Devils take eighteen shots on goal and get two goals. The Kraken weren’t even just taking a bunch of low-chance shots from the blue line either. They were getting good looks. Seriously, somebody throw some salt, knock on wood, and hang up a horseshoe.