3 Game Essentials | St. Louis at Kraken | Oct. 19 | 7:22 p.m.

One: Clocking Special Teams Time on Ice

Two: Reversing Early Energy, Jones Starter in Goal

The Kraken will be playing their fifth game in eight nights Wednesday, while St. Louis is playing only its second game of the season. The Kraken have surrendered goals within the first three-and-a-half minutes of each game on this homestand so far (two on Saturday, one on Monday). That trend needs to vanish starting against a fresh, net-crashing team in the Blues. Hakstol said Martin Jones starts tonight to help reverse early deficits. "This is not a league in which you want to play from behind," said Hakstol after Wednesday's morning skate. "When you're doing that from the first or second or third shift, it makes it tough."

Three: Champion in the House

The greatly enhanced in-arena game presentation at Kraken home games is a must-see for any fan coming to Climate Pledge Arena for the first time this season. Wednesday, there will be added value and incentive for reaching your seats for the pre-game introductions. The Kraken will honor just retired basketball great Sue Bird throughout all three periods. Some stats to impress your friends: Bird is the only WNBA player to win league titles in three different decades (four WNBA titles with the Storm in 2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020), five historic Olympic gold medals (from 2004 through 2020), two NCAA championships (her UConn squad was undefeated her senior year) and worked in the front office of the NBA's Denver Nuggets. Bird consistently received the loudest cheers last hockey season when announced as a celeb in attendance or when her hype video appeared on the arena's twin video boards.