Winner of Kraken-Avalanche Game 7 debated by NHL.com

The Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken will play Game 7 of the Western Conference First Round at Ball Arena on Sunday (9:30 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, TVAS, ALT, ROOT-NW).

The winner will advance to the Western Conference Second Round and play the Dallas Stars, who defeated the Minnesota Wild 4-1 in Game 6 on Friday to win that best-of-7 series.
The Avalanche won 4-1 in Game 6 in Seattle on Friday to even the best-of-7 series.
The Avalanche are 4-8 in Game 7 (4-3 at home) since relocating from Quebec for the 1995-96 season and have lost their past five Game 7s, including three in overtime. Coach Jared Bednar is 0-2 in Game 7.
RELATED: [Complete Avalanche vs. Kraken series coverage]
Seattle will be playing its first Game 7 in its second NHL season. Coach Dave Hakstol has never been in a Game 7 in the NHL.
So who will win this matchup between the defending Stanley Cup champions and the most recent team to join the NHL?
We asked the nine NHL.com writers who have covered the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs to weigh in:

Avalanche

The Kraken have had their coming-out party in this series. They have taken it to the defending Stanley Cup champions, outplaying them for long stretches. Though the Avalanche have better high-end talent, the Kraken have more depth. In theory, Seattle should wear down Colorado during the course of seven games. But the Avalanche slowly have started to figure out the Kraken, and in a 4-1 win in Game 6, they got to their game. They started skating and got the snowball rolling in the right direction. I'm not sure the Avalanche have the depth to repeat as Cup champions, but I do think they have enough in the tank to win Game 7 -- and too much pride to go out quietly. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist
The Avalanche have had their hands full against the upstart Kraken. They have flipped the switch a few times in the series, though, including in Game 6, and showed their championship mettle. Colorado is depleted, missing key players because of injuries and personal reasons, but there should be enough left for it to win a Game 7 at home. Goalie Alexandar Georgiev will have to do his part in net with former Avalanche goalie Philipp Grubauer playing well at the other end. But the Avalanche have the best forward in the series in Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman in Cale Makar. Expect them to find a way in Game 7. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
The Avalanche played what was perhaps their best game of the series in Game 6 and the defending Stanley Cup champion will ride that momentum to a Game 7 victory. I also feel the Avalanche will score the first goal of the game for the first time in this series and rally behind their fans for a second straight win against the incredibly game Kraken. Colorado received the secondary scoring it needed in Game 6, including two goals by Artturi Lehkonen, so I expect the stars to shine in the series clincher, starting with forward MacKinnon and Makar. When Colorado gets on a roll, it is a dangerous club and right now it's clicking on all cylinders. -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer
There are difference-makers in each series. Many of my peers argue that player is MacKinnon, but I say it is Makar. The all-world defenseman has been quiet in this series if playing at a point-per game pace (five points in five games) is considered quiet. That is how good Makar is that he makes the good look ordinary and the great look good. He does everything so effortlessly. His best game will be in Game 7 because he is made for the big stage. A Seattle team that has more answers than I expected it to have will have no answer for Makar playing for his playoff life. -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial
The Kraken had their chance in Game 6. They didn't get it done. It's Colorado's turn. The Avalanche are feeling it now and will move on. Sure, the Kraken have the better depth in this series, which was why they had to get it done in six. Because now, in a Game 7 it's not about depth, it's about your big boys coming to play, and Colorado has better big guys than Seattle. Look for Mikko Rantanen, MacKinnon and Makar to go off. Look for the Avalanche to start quick and jump out to an early lead. Seattle's depth won't matter at that point. Rolling the lines, getting production from everyone, it matters through the course of a season and a playoff series. But tell me I have one game to win and Colorado's stars on my side, and I'm liking my chances. That's what this is. That's why the Avalanche win it. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer
Seattle's had a great run but the clock could very well strike midnight because of one reason: MacKinnon. There are very few players that can dominate a shift the way Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid can, and it's the Avalanche forward. Look, this Colorado team is nowhere near as deep as last season's Stanley Cup championship squad. No Nazem Kadri. No Gabriel Landeskog. No Andrei Burakovsky. No matter. They still have MacKinnon, the best player on either team. As long as that's the case, I'll go with Colorado.-- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Kraken

Though I'm going with the favorite in the Panthers-Bruins Game 7 on Sunday, I'm going in the other direction here. There's just something about the Kraken in their second season, much like there was with the Las Vegas Golden Knights in their inaugural season in 2018. I went to Seattle a few weeks ago to work on some stories and you could feel the excitement and the confidence building -- and it's only gotten bigger since they've taken the Avalanche to Game 7. The Avalanche have simply taken too many hits this season, lost too many players, and the Kraken believe. I picked the Avalanche to play the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Final -- and now I'm picking them to lose in the first round. Kraken, it is. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer
Colorado looked like its Stanley Cup champion self in Game 6. The speed and edge work of MacKinnon and Makar had the Kraken on their heels. They also got secondary scoring, including a goal from defenseman Erik Johnson. But I'm going with Seattle for Game 7. Why? Because home-ice advantage has proven to be anything but so far this postseason. The second-season Kraken have already won two games against the defending Stanley Cup champions in Denver, proving that a raucous road crowd doesn't bother them. Then there's the added pressure on the Avalanche to break a Game 7 losing streak. Colorado has lost in Game 7 each of the past five times, dating back to the 2002 Conference Final at the Detroit Red Wings. Three of those defeats were in overtime. -- William Douglas, staff writer
Yeah, I'm going with the upset here, even though I'm pretty sure I picked the Avalanche to win the Stanley Cup again in another assignment. Well, that was a few weeks ago and I didn't wager, so I reserve the right to change my mind. When I have gotten around to seeing this series, I've been impressed with how the Kraken have stood toe to toe with the defending Cup champions. They missed an opportunity to close out the Avalanche at home, which can sometimes come back to haunt you. But I think the Kraken pull it out anyway. This is where I'm supposed to put all my logical reasons for my choice but to be totally honest, this is just a hunch on my part. A gut feeling. Just sensing it's the Kraken's time, so that's how I'm picking it. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer