'We Don't Have to Change'

DENVER - Minutes after a tough Game 2 loss Thursday night, alternate captain Yanni Gourde was in the visitors' locker room reassuring fans the Kraken postseason journey is not in peril. He won two Stanley Cups with Tampa Bay before being selected in the 2021 NHL expansion draft. He knows the inevitable ups and downs of NHL playoff series, that one loss doesn't doom a best-of-seven series, and importantly, how to bounce back.
"They [the Avalanche] are still talented," said Gourde. "They've been in this situation before. We knew they were gonna push and for part of the second period we didn't really have a response."

"We've just got to manage the game a little better, slow the game down a bit. We know what to do - go back to our roots and what works for us. When we do that, we are a successful group. We don't have to chase the game. We don't have to change the way we play. It's just going back to what we do."
Gourde, by the way, was called "the best player on the ice" during the first period by Colorado coach Jared Bednar. The fan favorite earned an assist on Justin Schultz's early-minutes goal and, though not making the scoresheet for Brandon Tanev's shorthanded tally, he effectively tied up both Avs star Cale Makar and veteran center J.T. Compher to give his fellow penalty killer the time and space to make it 2-0.
Gourde was looking ahead to Saturday's first-ever Kraken postseason home opener, saying "It's gonna be great in our building" for the most meaningful hockey game yet for the team. Fans most certainly appreciate the split in Denver and will bring the Seattle-worthy noise Saturday and Monday. Kraken leadership has been imagining such nights since the dream of being awarded an NHL franchise and building a privately-funded arena under a landmark roof became reality.
"The series is 1-1, we're going home," said Dave Hakstol post-Game 2. "We know what our team is, know who we are, and we're pretty comfortable with that. We came in here, got one [win] and we had to do that."

The Kraken, not picked by any media prognosticators, instantly reclassified this matchup as a series to watch and enjoy. No NHL fan can deny the first two games of the series represented must-watch hockey. Expansion franchise against the defending champs. All this in just the Kraken's second NHL season.
While Colorado pulled out the win Thursday, Seattle fans have plenty of reasons for optimism for this inaugural playoff journey:
It all adds to a Kraken coaching staff that routinely picks out two or three ways to improve, reviews it with the players, then provides recovery time to help rejuvenate energy and wipe the mindset slate clean in time for the next game. Brandon Tanev provided the latest example as the first player to speak with the media Thursday night.
"We're gonna learn from our mistakes tonight," said Tanev. "At the end of the day, we want to continue what we've been doing [right]. We're excited to get back home and be ready for the next one."
"For sure, guys are looking forward to getting home and playing in front of our fans," said Dave Hakstol late Thursday night. "I'm happy with our compete level and our battle level. They beat us by one goal to tie the series. We're heading home and we will recoup and get back to it."