Kraken Face Desperate Predators

Kraken Game Night

The Nashville Predators are a desperate team following a slow start to the season, but they also happen to be a more confident club coming off a 5-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

Given the fact the Preds and the Kraken play in different Western Conference divisions, the Central and the Pacific respectively, the two clubs should be considered wild card rivals. Both have played 19 games thus far this season, with Seattle posting a .500 record and 19 points, and Nashville at 6-10-and-3 for 15 points.

One can see why it’s an important game for both.

The Kraken have finally developed a bit of home ice dominance, having won four out of five on this six-game homestand. They’d rather not fall below .500.

Meanwhile, the Predators simply need to get a bit of momentum going. At this point they have no excuses. They’ve had two days off and they’ll get two more off before hosting the Winnipeg Jets, the NHL’s top team, at home on Saturday.

In the lone match-up this season, the Kraken beat the Predators 7-3 in Nashville back on October 15th, with six different Seattle skaters posting a multi-point game.

Notes:

One question mark remains, as discussed in the game preview video below, and that is the quality of linemates for off-season sniper acquisition Steven Stamkos. The former Tampa Bay Lightning captain and two-time Stanley Cup champion has most recently been skating with Colton Sissons in the middle and Luke Evangelista on the right.

Some simply consider the 34-year-old forward a power play specialist these days. Five of his six goals this season have come on the man advantage. There’s no doubt he and the rest of the Predators need to pick up the pace at five-on-five.

Likely future Hockey Hall of Famer and Nashville captain Roman Josi hasn’t slipped. The 34-year-old posted his 700th career point on Sunday and now ranks 30th all-time in scoring among NHL defenseman.

The Kraken will be without defenseman Vince Dunn once again. He’s missed 14 games with an unspecified injury, while forward and captain Jordan Eberle has missed two since slamming into the boards last Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Seattle goalie Joey Daccord picked up the head-to-head win last month and has a 1-0-and-1 record, 1.92 goals against average, and a .930 save percentage in his career against Nashville.