Time: 6:00 p.m. PT | Watch: ROOT Sports | Listen: 93.3 FM
One: Offensively Alive with Five
While the Kraken only came away with one of two available standings points in Tuesday’s game versus Arizona, there was a lot to like about the team’s performance. In 5-on-5 play, it was one of the group’s strongest offensive outings to date. In terms of shot share, it was the biggest advantage the Kraken have had over any opponent to date (64%), and play included the second most chances created off the rush (10), and second highest number of shots from the most dangerous areas of the ice (10) of any game Seattle has played this season. The group played the ” five-man connected” style they are known for and generated a lot through speed and strong support of the puck. “We wanted it to be a team that worked hard offensively, and we did that,” Dave Hakstol said.
There will have to be a similar focus and effort again tonight from the Kraken. They are going against a team in Colorado that does a better job of limiting shot quality than any other and are top-five in most defensive areas including limiting shot volume, rush chances, and offensive zone possession time.
Two: New Faces
The Kraken announced on Wednesday that the team recalled forwards Shane Wright and Ryan Winterton from their AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley. Both players are having a strong start to their first full AHL seasons.
Wright, drafted fourth overall in the 2022 Draft, has a 4-3-7 stat line through seven games. His four goals put him in a tie for most goals by a Firebirds player and at sixth (tied with three others) among AHL rookies. But above and beyond points on the scoreboard, you can see Wright growing into an expanded role. Per Sportlogiq, his even-strength ice time is up almost 3.5 minutes per game compared to last post-season, and this year Wright is also regularly seeing power play time in every game.
As for Winterton, (a third-round Draft selection in 2021), he is making the jump to the AHL after three years in the Ontario Hockey League. In Coachella Valley, he’s been playing alongside Wright and Cameron Hughes as the second most frequent Firebirds’ forward line and has three goals and two assists across seven games. He’s also shown a versatility to move around the lineup and be effective in other combinations.
We’ll keep an eye out for these two skaters at Thursday morning skate and see if either of them draws into tonight’s lineup.
Three: Know the Foe – Colorado
Colorado is a team that Seattle has already seen this year, but with a different roster than last year, how this group plays is coming more into focus. Fans know to keep an eye on the Avalanche’s top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Artturi Lehkonen, and Mikko Rantanen. The trio is talented and offensively powerful (ranking third best in controlling shot quality when on the ice). But another reason for the Kraken to push offensively will be to get past this group that ranks as the best forward combination in terms of limiting shot quality against.
Defensively, Colorado is a team that defies the “protect a lead” philosophy in that they get even more aggressive on the attack once they have the advantage on the scoreboard. So the Kraken will want to do their best to limit chances against. And that also means staying out of the penalty box – something that hurt them against the Coyotes.
