Kraken Game Facts
Monday Night: Seattle Kraken at Calgary Flames
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome
When: 6:30 pm pacific
TV/Radio: Root Sports / FM 93.3
Key Factors:
Expected starting goalies: Philipp Grubauer vs. Jacob Markstrom
The Kraken slipped behind the Flames in the Pacific Division standings over the weekend. Seattle is healthy other than the day-to-day status of often dinged up winger Andre Burakovsky, who appeared to tweak a lower body injury in overtime against the Bruins last Monday.
If he plays, “Burkie” is looking for his first goal in 17 games.
It’s essentially a must win for Seattle; the club now nine points back of both Western Conference wild card spots.
The Flames are winning despite the fact that GM Craig Conroy already went into “seller” mode ahead of the NHL trade deadline. He earlier dealt center Elias Lindholm to the Canucks and last week sent D-man Chris Tanev to the Dallas Stars.
Despite that the Flames have won five games in a row and have been particularly tough on home ice.
Who’s Hot? And Not?
Seattle will need wins from both goalies in their back-to-back set against Calgary and the Winnipeg Jets. Philipp Grubauer is 4-and-1 in his last five starts and was outstanding against the Penguins and the Oilers in his last two games.
Winger Eeli Tolvanen has a point in each of his last two games, including the lone Seattle goal against Edmonton.
The two Kraken players with assists on that goal, Jared McCann and Vince Dunn, are one-two in scoring on the team with 47 and 44 points rspectively.
Veteran forward Jaden Schwartz has just one point over his last twelve games.
For Calgary, center Nazem Kadri had a beautiful solo rush goal against Pittsburgh on Saturday night and has seven points over his last five games.
Yegor Sharangovich had two goals in the win over the Penguins, including the game winner, and is averaging a point-a-game over his last five.
Former Canucks forward Andrei Kuzmenko has just two points over his last seven games and has four points in the nine games since his trade on January 31st.
Special Teams
The Kraken went 1-for-3 on the power play against the Oilers on Saturday, bumping the power play success rate to 21.2% for the season. Edmonton went 0-for-2 on their power play against Seattle, a club that successfully kills 79.2% of the time.
Calgary went 1-for-5 on the power play on Saturday at home against Pittsburgh while allowing the Penguins to also go 1-for-5. For the season the Flames have the 3rd worst PP in the NHL at a dismal 14.4%. Their penalty kill operates at a solid 83%.
Coming In:
Kraken: 26-23-and-11, in 6th place in the Pacific Division with 63 points. Seattle lost to the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Flames: 30-25-and-5, in 5th place in the Pacific Division with 65 points. The Flames beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on Saturday night.
Recent Kraken:
— Kraken Trade Of Wennberg To Detroit Would Make A Lot Of Sense
— Kraken’s Hakstol Hits 500; Who Is This Guy Really?
