Kraken (2-0-2) at Maple Leafs (3-2-0) | 4:00 p.m.

One: Don’t Change Much Of Anything

As Kraken head coach Lane Lambert said the other night, play a game like his team did in Ottawa 10 times and you’ll win eight or nine of those matchups. The Kraken severely limited their opponent at even strength, giving up the only two goals in the first 58 minutes of the game as the result of first period penalties. One goal came just seconds after the expiration of one penalty and the other happened during a Senators power play. Other than that, and the fluke 52-foot tying slap shot goal from the right wall by Ottawa in the final two minutes, the Kraken played the structured, disciplined defensive game they’ll need against the high-flying Maple Leafs.

Lambert is appearing back in Toronto and facing the Leafs for the first time since serving as their associate coach last season.

The Kraken will be without Freddy Gaudreau, who got slammed into the boards in Ottawa and is now out 4-to-6 weeks with an upper body injury. John Hayden has been called up in his place. Losing Guadreau is a blow because the tight checking fourth line is a big reason the Kraken played so well defensively against Ottawa. Others need to step up.

Two: Hold The Dang Lead

This sounds obvious as advice, but the Kraken have blown consecutive leads late – as in the final three minutes of regulation -- their last two shootout and overtime losses against Ottawa and Montreal. They’ve blown leads in all four of their games this season, though not as early on as in the last two.

They also blew a late lead at Scotiabank Arena their very first season, up 4-3 with 11 minutes to play only to yield a three-spot before the final horn in a 6-4 defeat. It’s a different Kraken team now, but wins against Toronto have been tough to come by. The Kraken are just 1-6-1 overall versus the Leafs, though their only win of the series did happen on the road almost three years ago. That 5-1 victory came during the Kraken’s epic 7-0-0 road trip in January 2023, which was also the last time they even scored a goal in Ottawa prior to Thursday night’s contest. So, the province of Ontario has not been very kind of late.

It won’t help that defenseman Brandon Montour will miss this game tending to a personal family matter. That leaves Cale Fleury inserted in his place.

Three: Know The Foe

Here’s another ace tip: If trying to hold a lead against Toronto, watch out for that Auston Matthews guy. He’s pretty good against everybody, but it’s usually him tilting games involving the Kraken. Matthews had a hat-trick in that comeback win by Toronto the Kraken’s very first visit here their inaugural season. He’s scored in four of the eight meetings between the teams and seven goals in the series. Oh yeah, he also scored the overtime winner a couple of nights ago to beat the New York Rangers.

Another nemesis, Mitch Marner, has left the Leafs for Vegas so that’s a bonus for now although the Kraken ultimately will have to face him even more when playing the division rival Golden Knights. Marner’s departure left Toronto with salary cap room and that’s fueled rumors heading into the weekend that the Leafs are about to make a major trade for top-scoring forward Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars. For this game, the Kraken have the usual suspects to worry about, such as William Nylander, the Toronto points leader with nine. Nylander scored twice against the Kraken in their 4-1 loss in Toronto last season. And there’s winger Matthew Knies, who also scored in that game here last season as well as in a follow up Toronto win at Climate Pledge Arena. So, the Kraken will still have their hands full facing a team that’s once again a Stanley Cup contender even though it hasn’t made a Cup Final since 1967. Yes, that’s still a sore spot with Toronto fans so listen for booing if the Kraken so much as even take a lead ahead of trying to protect one. The locals are also sore about the Mariners winning Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Friday night, so that’s another little subplot brewing Saturday ahead of Game 6 in Toronto on Sunday. Plus, this will be a Saturday night in Toronto as the Hockey Night in Canada national game, so all the Canadian players on the Kraken who grew up watching those weekly broadcasts should be extra pumped for this one.

Kraken lines/pairings (not official):

McCann - Beniers - Eberle
Schwartz - Stephenson - Tolvanen
Marchment - Wright - Winterton
Kartye - Hayden - Nyman

Dunn - Larsson
Lindgren - Fleury
Mahura - Oleksiak

Daccord