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Seattle vs Colorado: Round One Game Four PREVIEW

Posted on by Sean Mallon
Photo credit: @jennthulhu_photos

The Need to Knows

The Time: 7:00 pm PT / 10:00 pm ET
The Place: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
Where to watch: ROOT NW, ALT, TBS
Where to listen: KJR 93.3 FM

Uh oh Kraken faithful, we are in a jam.

Outside of Seattle there is little surprise at the state of the series, with the Colorado Avalanche holding a 2-1 lead. Few predicted the Kraken could overcome to offensive talent of the defending Stanley Cup champions, and while it’s closer than many believed, small breakdowns over sixty minute games have turned leads into deficits and the Kraken haven’t been able to recover.

https://twitter.com/WhatstheKrak/status/1649996606153056257?s=20
As I said on Twitter after the first home playoff game in franchise history, the Kraken have the depth and talent to keep up with the Avs, but just barely. A single error, a momentary loss of position, and the game can turn. It’s hardly fair, with superstars on the front and back ends of the Colorado lineup, but the Avs spent plenty of time in the basement as they assembled this team, whereas the upstart Kraken rocketed up the standings Year Two.

Know Your Enemy

Suppress the scoring of the Avs top three forwards and top two defencemen, and the balance of the Kraken lineup should be able to add enough offence to win a game, or at least keep it close enough for a lucky bounce to make the difference. Admittedly, that’s easier said than done.

Ryan Donato is trying to play playoff hockey here, taking the body rather than simply keeping his player to the outside. The problem is, that player was Nathan Mackinnon, and he easily dodged the contact attempt and it’s suddenly 5 on 4 with one of the world’s best players unimpeded as he moves toward the net. The result was a goal against, and too big a lead for Seattle to overcome.

Game Preview

Get loud Seattle! It isn’t over until it’s over. The atmosphere was electric in Game 3 and the team will need all the support it can get if it wants to head back to Denver with the series tied. All your DJLR writers agreed on the preview podcast that winning 3 games in the next four is unlikely. But unlikely doesn’t equal impossible and regardless of the series outcome, you know the players will want to give Climate Pledge Arena a reason to make some noise at the end of the game.

If I were to identify a single area where Seattle could massively boost their chances, it would be on special teams. They finally broke through in garbage time, scoring a powerplay goal in Game 3’s final minute, but if they’d only converted at an NHL average over the first three game of the series, the story might be completely different today.

The good news is Matty Beniers scored his first career playoff goal. It was one of two in a nineteen second span. That moment not only brought the home crowd back to life, it showed that Colorado is capable of the same short lapses that have cost Seattle their two losses. This is not the Avs team that won the Cup, they are beatable (as shown in Game 1), and the Kraken have shown an indomitable spirit throughout this season. Losses did not often turn into losing streaks and wins often led to more of the same.

A Kraken win guarantees another home playoff game this post-season, while a loss gives the Avs an opportunity to close things out back in Mile High City. Bring the noise, bring the energy, and don’t give up even if the game starts out the wrong way. The Avs likely aren’t looking past the Kraken after the scares we’ve given them thus far, but they might be overconfident. Last game stopped mattering as soon as the final whistle blew, and when the puck drops at CPA the Kraken have a chance to pull even.

Go Kraken!

Talking Points