The Need to Knows
- The Time: 7:00 pm PT
- The Place: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
- Place to Watch: KHN, KONG, SCRIPPS, ESPN+
- Place to Listen: Kraken Audio Network on KJR 93.3fm
Know Your Enemy
Finding a weakness for the Knights is difficult. The 2023 Stanley Cup champions are 7-2-1 over their last 10 games and 21-8-3 on the season, amounting to the third-best record in the league. Jack Eichel is tied for 8th-most points in the league (42), just 10 behind Nathan MacKinnon in first place. Shea Theodore has nine points in his last six games, providing a boost from the backend. Adin Hill is picking up speed as the season’s progressed, jumping from a .878 SV% in October, to .903 in November, to .923 so far through December.
With the lines deployed in their 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks Thursday, Vegas’ top-six is responsible for the bulk of the scoring over their last 10 games– 27 points– missing but hardly suffering from Ivan Barbashev’s absence. He was considered day-to-day Tuesday but hasn’t played since Sunday against the Wild, just prior to sustaining injury.
Game Preview
With a 3-9-1 record all-time versus the Knights, the pressure is on the Kraken to put together a dignified performance against a team they’ve historically struggled against. On their fourth losing skid this season of at least three games, victory will require a level of execution on and off the puck unseen in days. Seattle has 36 giveaways over their last three lifeless performances, and was at risk of becoming the first team shut out by Chicago in 89 games Thursday night. Defensemen Brandon Montour and Ryker Evans are the only skaters with goals in that stretch.