One: Keep grabbing a multi-goal lead – This one sounds a little Captain Obvious, but with the Kraken such leads have become lights out for opponents. The Kraken are 20-0-0 in games where they take a multi-goal lead, one of only four NHL teams to go undefeated in such situations and trailing only Colorado (30-0-0), Minnesota (25-0-0) and Boston (24-0-0) for wins in that department.
Sure, that stat isn’t perfect. After all, the Kraken blew their multi-goal lead in Vegas the other night but got credit for a 3-2 win when Kaapo Kakko snapped a 2-2 tie in the final period. But an optimist would also argue – or, at least politely discuss the matter since they are a happy optimist – that the multi-goal lead bought the Kraken some room to withstand a fierce Vegas push without blowing the game entirely.
That’s kind of the argument Kraken head coach Lane Lambert made postgame about the positive mindset his team had going into the final period tied after surrendering the equalizer in the dying seconds of the middle frame.
“The message was, it doesn’t matter how we got here,” Lambert said. “We win a period and we win a game on the road in this building. Whether you were up 2-0 or down 2-0, it doesn’t matter. The score’s 2-2 right now. Go out and win a period. And they did.”
And yeah, going into the final period close gives every team a chance to win. Multi-goal leads early will usually at least position you to be close late. The Kraken have done an excellent job of limiting early shots by teams during this four-game win streak – keeping the Golden Knights at 18 through two periods and the Washington Capitals to just 11 through 40 minutes on Tuesday.
Those are two big, tough teams that like to come right at you. And if you can limit their offense early, the chance of taking a multi goal lead goes up.
Two: Start quicker against the Ducks – Yes, this one has been beaten to death but since Anaheim is the opposition, why not flog it once more for old times’ sake? Lambert sure looked thrilled to be reminded again after Monday’s practice that his team’s last loss was back when they decided to show up for the Jan. 23 Ducks game at Climate Pledge Arena in the third period instead of the first.
Thing is, the Kraken stuck around in that game and made it interesting to the end of a 4-2 loss, which only made things more frustrating for Lambert and company afterwards. Lambert on Monday said his team has heard all about that game so often that it won’t need additional messaging about starting strong this time around.
“I mean, it's something they know,” Lambert said. “And I mean, at the end of the day, you look at that game, and we weren't very good for the first 40 minutes. We were really good in the last 20.
“So, we just have to have a better start.”
Not to mention, there really would be no excuse for a lack of energy this time. The team will have had two days between games, got a real practice in on Monday – not an optional one – and know the Ducks are neck-and-neck with them in the standings.
Jared McCann on Monday talked about that energy becoming a part of the “identity” the team has been seeking to forge all season long. But not in chaotic fashion. More in terms of a focused, deliberate application of energy.
“There’s been a few games (lately) where we’ve just really dialed it in and played in a way that makes us successful,” McCann said. “It’s just very detailed. Not making mistakes in the neutral zone and feeding other teams’ offenses.”
Again, it comes back to using that energy to limit other teams and creating chances of their own to take those multi-goal leads.
Three: Know your foe – Anybody mention lately that the Ducks beat the Kraken five games ago when their opponent didn’t show up for 40 minutes? No? OK, good then we won’t. All kidding aside, this is as serious a Pacific Division matchup as that prior one was and even more so since we are now five games closer to the end of the season and these teams can’t seem to get out of each other’s shadows.
The Ducks beat Vegas on Sunday, so they are now tied with the Kraken at 61 points and both teams are now just three points behind the first place Golden Knights. So, win this game and depending on what happens with Edmonton on Tuesday, the Kraken could be just a point out of top spot.
Mind you, the Ducks are even stronger than when they beat the Kraken the last time, having gained reinforcements in high scoring forwards Troy Terry and Mason McTavish returning from injury in the interim. Anaheim posted another victory after the Kraken game to push their win streak to seven in a row ahead of dropping two, but have still captured eight of their last 10 overall.
What can we say? They know how to score goals. Cutter Gauthier was highlighted as a man to stop ahead of the prior game with the Kraken and he promptly scored the game’s opening goal. He has 24 to lead the team. They’ve got four guys with 18 or more goals compared to Jordan Eberle’s team-best 19 and then Jared McCann’s second-best 15 for the Kraken. And then after that big foursome up top, the Ducks have McTavish and Terry with 13 goals apiece.
So, yeah, that’s an offense heavy on prime talent. And when goalie Lukas Dostal is on his game – as he has been the past month – the Ducks are tough to beat when you allow them to score early goals.
Projected lineup (not official):
McCann - Beniers - Eberle
Tolvanen - Stephenson - Winterton
Schwartz - Wright - Kakko
Kartye - Gaudreau - Melanson
Dunn - Larsson
Oleksiak - Montour
Lindgren - Evans
Grubauer
