The Need To Knows
The Time: 6pm PT
The Place: Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB
Place to Watch: ROOT Northwest
Place to Listen: KJR 93.3
Know Your Enemy
The Flames had the wildest offseason in the NHL this past summer and somehow went from Pacific Division frontrunners to…well, Pacific Division frontrunners. Replacing Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau with Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau has worked out just fine for them so far in both the goal-scoring area and the “names ending in -eau” area. Kadri leads the team with 9 points in 7 games and the defense is still extremely frustrating to play against. Jacob Markstrom hasn’t quite been the goalie he was last year, but it’s early and he’s still got a better save percentage than anyone on the Kraken.
Game Preview
The Flames boast a top-10 penalty kill by PK% and look even better by some more detailed numbers like shots allowed and goals allowed per 60 minutes while down a man. The Kraken have done a lot of damage this year on the power play, but this will be the biggest test for what has been the strongest aspect of the Kraken’s offense to date. Meanwhile the Flames have had just as successful of a power play as the Kraken so far this year, which isn’t a great sign for the struggling Kraken penalty kill unit. Keeping this one at 5-on-5 would be ideal for Dave Hakstol and company.
Matty Beniers and Vince Dunn are both riding into this one with 4-game points streaks that they hope to keep alive. Dunn’s 7 points this year are the most among Kraken defenders, and only nine other defensemen in the NHL have more points than him this season through October.
Seattle will get to face goaltender Dan Vladar tonight instead of starter Jacob Markstrom.
Vladar has a save percentage of .896 in two games played this season but did get a respectable .906 over the course of last season as Calgary’s backup goalie.
Let’s see if the Kraken can kick off this three-game road trip the right way tonight at 6!
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