Kraken Game Facts
This Evening: Columbus Blue Jackets at Seattle Kraken
Where: Climate Pledge Arena
When: 6 pm pacific
TV/Radio: Root Sports / FM 93.3
Key Factors:
Expected starting goalies: Daniil Tarasov vs. Joey Daccord
The Kraken beat the Blue Jackets 7-4 in Columbus on January 13th for their ninth and final win on their franchise record win streak. Jared McCann had two goals and an assist. Tarasov started that game and lost, but he’ll get his chance at revenge tonight with his partner Elvis Merzlikins having lost an overtime match last night in Vancouver.
The basement dwellers in the Metro Division, the Blue Jackets played and injured themselves out of playoff contention early in the season.
Since Seattle last played Columbus, the Blue Jackets have welcomed back defenseman Zach Werenski, forward Sean Kuraly and captain Boone Jenner. Winger Patrik Laine and D-man Adam Boqvist remain on injured reserve.
The Kraken have never lost to the Blue Jackets in regulation, holding a head-to-head record of 2-0-and-2 since joining the league. This is the next-to-last game and final home game for Seattle prior to their 10-day combined NHL All-Star break and bye week. The Kraken play the Sharks in San Jose on Tuesday night.
For Seattle, center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare is the only remaining banged up player out of the line-up. The 4th-liner is getting close to a return from his lower body injury.
Who’s Hot? And Not?
Bellemare’s French countryman Alex Texier tallied a goal and an assist in Vancouver on Saturday night after having an assist in the previous Blue Jackets game in Calgary. Those markers came after a nine-game pointless streak.
Winger Johnny Gaudreau has five points over his last six games. He leads the club with 30 points.
Defenseman Ivan Provorov hasn’t had a point since he scored two goals against the Kraken 15 days ago.
Center Cole Sillinger has cooled off with just two points over his last seven games.
For the Kraken, NHL All-Star Oliver Bjorkstrand is averaging a point-a-game over his last nine. He posted a goal and an assist against the Blues two nights ago and did that same thing the last time Seattle played Columbus, the team that drafted him in 2013.
Forward Jared McCann has seven points over his current five-game point streak. He has 11 points over his last eight games.
Forward Brandon Tanev has piled up chances with his relentless “Turbo” behavior, but has just one point over his last seven games.
Special Teams
The Blues Jackets went 1-for-3 on the power play last night in Vancouver while allowing the Canucks to go 3-for-4 on theirs. Columbus has the 26th ranked PP in the NHL at 15.1% and the 22nd rated penalty kill at 78.1%. The power play finds success just 12.7% of the time while on the road.
In their last game the Kraken went 1-for-2 on the man advantage against the Blues while the PK gave up two goals on two St. Louis opportunities. The Seattle power play improved to 20.9% on the season while the penalty kill slipped to 78.2%. There’s only a slight difference for the Kraken in their special teams performance at home and on the road.
Coming In:
Blue Jackets: 15-23-and-10, in last place in the Metro Division with 40 points, after their 5-4 overtime loss against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.
Kraken: 20-18-and-10, in 5th place in the Pacific Division with 50 points, following their 4-3 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Friday night.
Recent Kraken:
— Kraken Veteran D-Man Brian Dumoulin Shuts Up Doubters
— Not A Good Night For The Kraken’s 2nd Pair, Or Special Teams
