One: Win the game
We’re getting to the point in the season where if the Kraken are going to close the playoff gap, they’ll need to start stringing together wins. And in unexpected places at that.
Edmonton is one of those places. The Kraken have only ever won a single game at Rogers Place – a 1-3-1 lifetime mark that excludes the losses also incurred in all four of their prior preseason contests here as well. Their only win in Edmonton was two years ago this month during a 7-0-0 road trip that highlighted the Kraken’s playoff season.
Otherwise, it’s been bleak – as is the team’s record against the Oilers as a whole. It’s been seven consecutive defeats overall to the Oilers since that prior road victory and nine losses in the last 10 meetings, no matter where the Kraken play them.
So, it’s time to start collecting two points where they aren’t expected to. That’s the only way they’ll bunch enough victories together to overcome a playoff deficit that’s been hovering around six to eight points for several weeks.
Two: Yes, He McCann
It’s no secret that the Kraken won’t be going anyplace unless all-time franchise-scoring leader Jared McCann starts lighting the lamp more. With two assists against the Penguins and five points his last four games, McCann seems to finally be heating up again.
And that’s good, because his last goal that wasn’t on an empty net came way back on Dec. 22 in Colorado. That’s 14 consecutive games without scoring on an actual goalie.
So, the Kraken need him to do what he does best. Especially against the Oilers, who the Kraken have managed only nine goals on their last five meetings combined. McCann’s six goals versus Edmonton in 22 career games is second highest on the team while his 11 points are third most.
Three: Know your foe
In two games against surefire Hall of Famers last week, the Kraken yielded goals to Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
We’ll give them slight bonus points for holding Ovechkin to an empty netter, but all this is to say there’s a task ahead in completing the trifecta of Hall of Fame opponents with Connor McDavid of the Oilers. Oh yeah, he’s also coming off a three-game suspension and reportedly miffed about it. So, take that for what it’s worth.
Not that McDavid needs much motivation against the Kraken. He has seven goals and 11 assists lifetime against them in 18 career games – an average of 1.5 points per contest.
Then again, that’s right around his career norm of 1.52 so it’s not as if he’s choosing just the Kraken to destroy. But all roads to victory lead through him – namely, stopping him. And Leon Draisaitl. And Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. And Zach Hyman. And…well, you get the picture.
There’s a reason the Oilers are defending conference champs and have won 10 of their last 13 and 21 of their last 28. Nobody said this would be easy.
