Two: Evans Shoots, Evans Scores
Rookie defenseman Ryker Evans debuted for Seattle in December and by mid-month he enjoyed a run or four assists in three games. With his first NHL goal notched in Arizona Friday, he now has three points (1G, 2A) in his last three games. He clearly has skills as a power play “quarterback” and lately looks more willing to carry the puck out of the defensive end with authority. His confidence is a strong suit and with Vince Dunn out for an extended period, the coaching staff decided to re-insert Evans into the top pair with Adam Larsson.
Kraken fans have a chance to watch a future cornerstone player develop game by game, learning from defensive miscues at times like all young NHL D-men but expect his offensive contributions to keep trending up. Evans, humble and well-liked in the locker room, was mobbed after his goal and identifies Jared McCann among his mentors. He scored 11 goals for AHL Coachella Valley last season, including five during the impressive postseason run as Western Conference champs. The Friday goal showed his shot and his ability to be patient with scoring chances, which Firebirds fans already know.
Three: Know the Foe: Canadiens 2-4-4 in Last 10 Games
Montreal has struggled to score this month too, with two goals or less in six of their last seven games. The half-dozen low-goal games were all losses. Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, arrives in town with a five-game point streak (2G, 3A) and 15 goals/23 assists on the season. His first-line mates Nick Suzuki (27G, 37A) and Cole Caufield (20G, 34A) are the Habs’ top-two scorers with Slafkovsky is fourth on the Original Six squad. The scoring totals drop from there.
The Kraken have done that five times in a row on a seven-game winless streak. Despite that dearth of scoring, Juraj Slafkovský has managed to put together a five-game point streak, arriving to a city he will be forever linked to on a hot streak. He has more points over this run than any Kraken player has during the team’s seven-game skid, as Oliver Bjorkstrand leads the way with a mere four points.
Montreal isn’t far ahead with five more goals in the same number of games, and the lack of scoring can be blamed (or thanked) for their lack of wins in recent weeks. The trade of Sean Monahan to help make Winnipeg’s recovery this season even stronger has weakened the Habs’ offensive attack, and the recent loss of Joshua Roy for the remainder of the season is becoming apparent as well. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard is doing his best in his elevation to the second line, but he doesn’t have the same hand skills and anticipation as Roy, and that line isn’t controlling play as it once did. The Canadiens have largely been returned to a one-line team, with Alex Newhook and Joel Armia combining for the odd chance.
