Kraken (2-0-0) at Canadiens (2-1-0) | 4:00 p.m.

One: Don’t believe the hype

Well, OK, believe in it. Just don’t fall victim to it. The Kraken are heading into what promises to be an emotional home opener for the Canadiens at the Bell Centre, and you’d better believe Montreal will come out flying in the opening 10 minutes or so. Never mind all the regular home opener hoopla. The Canadiens do ceremony better than any NHL team – and just about any pro sports franchise, for that matter – and will also be honoring Hall of Fame goalie Ken Dryden, who passed away from cancer last month at age 78. Dryden anchored the team’s 1970s dynasty of four straight Stanley Cups and won six championships in eight seasons.

So, yeah, the home team won’t want to let him or the emotional fans down. This is not likely to go as easily as the 8-2 win by the Kraken here 12 months ago, in which they stormed out of the gate and never let the Canadiens off the hook. So, the Kraken defensive corps will need to continue its sound structural approach shown in the opening two games of the season. That corps has been led largely by Brandon Montour and newcomer Ryan Lindgren. But Vince Dunn has looked confident out there as well, while the defensive stuff has also come from tight-checking forwards. All have their part to play and will have to keep getting the puck quickly out of the Kraken end in disciplined fashion for the positive results to continue.

Two: Yes, he McCann

Of all the positive developments to start the season, seeing Jared McCann score in each of his first two games rates at the very top. McCann seemed almost an afterthought with some folks as the summer progressed, despite the fact that he remains the Kraken’s all-time goal scorer and just collected his 400^th career point.

Something about McCann seemed off as last season played out, and the fact that he underwent off-season surgery on his lower body indicates there was very likely some pain and discomfort he dealt with the prior campaign. If he’s fully healthy now – and he says he’s feeling better physically than a year ago – that’s great news. Remember, this guy scored 40 goals just three seasons ago. He scored 29 two seasons ago while being moved all over the lineup and asked to play roles of less familiarity.

So, if last season’s 22 goals were really a one-time aberration due to health concerns, then he’s suddenly looking more like a genuine 30-goal man. And if that’s the case, that likely changes some of this Kraken outlook.

Both of McCann’s goals thus far were a result of going to the net front. We haven’t even seen him score yet with his trademark, lethally accurate shooting. All of this without the benefit of even playing a preseason to get into proper game shape. This should be fun to watch as the week progresses.

Three: Know the Foe

We mentioned all the home opener pizazz the Canadiens will deliver before the game even starts. But it’s worth remembering this also has the makings of a very good Montreal team. A young one at that. They just extended offensive-minded defenseman Lane Hutson by eight years, $70.8 million on Monday coming off a season in which he won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie. But Hutson, 21, isn’t the only young stalwart on a Montreal team that surprisingly made the playoffs last season and gave the Washington Capitals some headaches before bowing out 4-1 in the opening round series.

They’ve got Nick Suzuki, 26, Cole Caufield, 24, Juraj Slafkovský, 21, Ivan Demidov, 19, and Kirby Dach, 24, among others, while adding Noah Dobson, 24, from the New York Islanders and Zac Bolduc, 22, from St. Louis over the summer. So, yeah, that’s a formidable up-and-coming lineup. The Canadiens dropped the season opener in Toronto but rallied with road wins at Detroit and Chicago. Quite a bit of their season will be spent figuring out how they respond to being “expected” to make the playoffs as opposed to just backing into them as a surprise. These early games will be telling.

Projected Kraken lines/pairings (not official):

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

Dunn-Larsson
Lindgren-Montour
Mahura-Oleksiak

Daccord