The Need to Knows
- Time: 7:00 pm PT / 10:00 pm ET
- Place: Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA
- Where to Watch: KHN, KONG, Victory+ (Anaheim market), ESPN+ (all other U.S. markets)
- Where to Listen: Kraken Audio Network on KJR 93.3
Know Your Enemy
So far, the Kraken and Ducks have split the series after their home-and-home back on November 25 and November 27. You know, that stretch where they also played the Sharks in a home-and-home and lost to them both times. I certainly don’t want to reminisce too much on those games either, I know.
Since that time, the Ducks haven’t done much of anything to improve their place in the standings. They still sit second to last in the Pacific Division with 46 points. Over their last 10 games, they’ve gone 3-5-2, but that record does conceal the fact that one of their players is on a bit of a hot streak. Mason McTavish was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week on Monday after putting up back-to-back multi-goal games in the Ducks’ wins against Nashville and Pittsburgh. He’ll certainly be someone that the Kraken will need to try to keep off the scoresheet.
This is probably all because of my Philadelphia bias (I live here, okay?), but the one Ducks storyline most on my radar is Cutter Gauthier’s ongoing saga with the Flyers. I’ve written in the past about how Gauthier forced the Flyers’ hand into trading him by refusing to sign an entry level contract. Flyers fans didn’t exactly take well to that and vowed that his first game in Philly would be hell. Gauthier talked up a big game and said, “It’s definitely been a game circled on my calendar“, but he then earned a whopping 0 points that night. (In fairness, so did every other Duck—they lost 6-0.) Gauthier scored two goals in Carolina the next game, including an overtime winner, which can definitely be seen as more impressive considering the difference in quality of opponent. Yet, when the Flyers faithful rained jeering chants at Gauthier all night long, there was no fight in him—even quite literally as he tried evading a scrum. Now, Gauthier is currently tied for 5th in points amongst all rookies with 20. (If Will Smith earned any points in last night’s Sharks game that, at the time of me writing and queuing this up, actually won’t have finished yet, then he’ll be at 6th.) It’s not enough production to contend for the Calder, but it’s enough to have people talking. Yet, he still doesn’t seem ready to walk-the-walk after talking-the-talk. Maybe it changes in the future, but it wasn’t a great first impression to me. (And if he somehow goes and has the best game of his season after this, I’m so deeply sorry.)
Game Preview
The Kraken are entering this game on the second half of a back-to-back after traveling from Edmonton. The travel this time around might not feel as strenuous knowing that their moms are in tow. While the team is still firmly in the mucky middle of a season that hasn’t gone their way much, having family around at this time of the year should, if nothing else, be a comfort to the players. It’s hard to say exactly how much those intangibles affect the on-ice performance (the game in Edmonton is also still ongoing as I write and queue this), but the Mom’s Trip is still a nice mental reprieve.
As for playing against the Ducks, much of it is just going to be to not let the same typical flaws be what ends up beating them. Not that anyone should ever write off any NHL team entirely, but the Kraken have beaten teams like the Penguins and the Sabres lately. They’re more than capable of also taking down a team like the Ducks. It’s just that, sadly, the Kraken are also capable of losing to a team like them. Again, remember how the home-and-home against them went? It’s part of what has helped dig the Kraken’s fate towards the bottom of the standings.
One small, positive reminder for tonight’s contest (especially if you’re going in person) is that it will be the Kraken’s Lunar New Year game. There are plans to honor Larry Kwong, the first NHL player of Asian descent, during the game, as well as specialty jerseys designed by Shayla Hufana that’ll be part of the night’s Anchor Auction. It’s always worth a moment to appreciate what the Kraken do as part of their Common Threads program, because it’s one of the things that makes this team so special. Sports are more than just what happens during play. They’re about community, too, and the Kraken know it.