The Need to Knows
- The Time: 7:00 pm PT
- The Place: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
- Place to Watch: KHN, KONG, SCRIPPS, ESPN+
- Place to Listen: Kraken Audio Network on KJR 93.3fm
Know Your Enemy
Matthew Tkachuk is the star of almost every Florida Panthers-related headline at the moment. There are a few about Paul Maurice, who beat the San Jose Sharks behind the bench Saturday to become the winningest head coach in Panthers history. Many concern themselves with Florida’s recent victories, of which there are plenty– the incumbent Stanley Cup champions are 4-0-1 over their last five and 17-9-2 on the season after a brutal 1-6-0 stretch mid-November.
But the Panthers alternate captain is on a roll, and the fanfare is easy to understand. A six-game point streak– including four consecutive multi-point performances– follows him into the bowels of Climate Pledge Arena, accumulating five goals and 15 points in that span. Through three games in December, his shooting percentage sits at 29.4%. For his efforts, the NHL named him first star of the week on Monday.
Tkachuk’s hot streak is emblematic of a larger trend on the Panthers roster: high scoring. Florida’s scored the second-most goals (105) in all situations, the fourth-most (64) at five-on-five, and is tied for first (25) at five-on-four. They’ve scored 26 times over their last five games, and allowed just 14, even though Sergei Bobrovsky (.894 SV%) and Spencer Knight (.890 SV%) aren’t at their best.
Game Preview
Seattle better hope Joey Daccord is well enough to play Tuesday night. He missed Sunday’s matinee due to illness, and when asked how long he could be out, Dan Bylsma replied that if Daccord “can hold food down, he’ll be back soon.” Daccord holds a .951 SV% and allows 1.52 goals on average against the Panthers. Daniel Sprong (healthy scratch) and Jordan Eberle (LTIR) are the only two skaters Seattle should play without as of publication, but morning skate will provide more information.
Seattle’s last game at home, a 4-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks, was far from the kind of game Bylsma’s sought from his team. “The investment which we’re playing with right now in the game […] is not where it needs to be to have success on a night-to-night basis.”
With wins over the Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders, and New York Rangers– the first two in dominating fashion– and six of a possible eight points secured on the road, things have changed and momentum is on the Kraken’s side. If past behavior is any indicator of future behavior, Tuesday’s game should be a solid contest. Seattle is 4-2-0 all-time versus Florida.