We The Fans: Kraken Contend for Top Spot in Pacific Division after Big Wins Against Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Boston Bruins
The Seattle Kraken are handedly back in playoff contention with a streak of 8-0-1 over the last 9 games. Jordan Eberle played his 1,100th game of his career and Jacob Melanson got his first goal of his NHL Career. You could see it in his eyes, he’s hooked and will surely be looking to score many more come the next 15 games before the Olympic Break and there after. The Kraken who retook a wild card spot against Vancouver with a shootout win off the back of Matty Beniers after the game got really sketchy late after some sloppy plays by the Kraken put them in a 3-3 dog fight with a team they are better than, but somehow this team found a way to get past the Canucks with a final score of 4-3(SO). Quality shots and winning a majority of the puck battles will put the team in good spots, even if every bounce doesn't go the way of the team and they lose the lead. They have done a really solid job over the last 8 games developing chemistry and identity for the way they want the team to play. Lane Lambert is coaching these team very well and I hope that he gets to continue as the coach of the Kraken as giving him more offensive wings would really compliment his stingy defensive system that has made it easier for the Kraken Goaltenders this season than systems of other coaches in previous seasons. A big win in Calgary saw a team that looks like they are developing chemistry and committed to adding their identity to the game plan. Matty Beniers Scored the sickest shootout goal in franchise history to win the first shootout of the season for the Kraken.
The Kraken are trending on the right track and handedly sunk the Flames in a 5-1 rout last night in Calgary. You have to love seeing the guys win puck battles and fight to win. At the end of the day: this league is as competitive as it gets so you are not going to win every game. The Kraken are trending offensively in the right direction at the right time. The defense could be a lot stronger and more organized late in games. We have a lot of mistakes and stationary bodies killing the team leads late in games. Defenseman setting their feet and standing still turns them in to traffic cones and you can not afford to be caught standing still with the speed of play in the National Hockey League . The Kraken have been punished for this throughout there season and need to find a way to adjust to the way teams are looking to attack them. The goaltending for the Kraken over this stretch has been stellar. The Kraken were 1/2 on the power play against Calgary as they have turned into one of the more dangerous Power Play Special Teams in the NHL since the hiring of Chris Taylor to replace Jessica Campbell running the power play for this team has really turned over a new leaf.
The Kraken looked to find a way to extend their point to streak to the 2nd longest in franchise history against Boston at 9 (13 in 2023-2024). Boston presented interesting challenges in the likes of Charlie McAvoy, Jeremy Swayman, and David Pastranak who finished with two goals against the Kraken in the Starbucks Cold Cup give away night game of the season. The Kraken goaltending has arguably been the best in the league over this ten game stretch. In the words of Joey Daccord “(The Kraken) are sick at back to backs now.” The team has been winning puck battles and with Eli Tolvanen out of the lineup as a healthy scratch the Kraken put their highest number of goals up total for the season. Berkley Catton found 2 goals, His FIRST OF HIS NHL CAREER on a tough angle shot fired low between the forearm pad (blocker) and butterfly body of Jeremy Swagman and a second goal on the same night 40 minutes later on a perfect tape to tape saucer pass from Jared McCann that Catton took forehand, then backk hand and lifted over the right shoulder of Jeremy Swayman and into the roof of the goal. Not one, but two goals in the 28th game of the season for #27. Kappo Kakko also had two goals and found his 100th NHL point in this game. The Kraken scored 7 on 27 shots as the shots were so dangerous and the team is seeing the ice well right now. Puck Battle percentage was 50% in this game as Boston didn’t defend well and continued to send the Kraken to the powerplay. The Kraken powerplay was 3/4 in this game. The guys are coming together and we may have a serious trio on our hands with the Mariners, Seahawks, and Kraken. Seattle is looking like THE Sports City!
Jaden Schwartz, Brandon Montour, and Eli Tolvanen should be set to come back into the lineup hopefully against Minnesota on January 8th at Climate Pledge Arena. This Kraken team is winning and finding ways to get guys healthy and you have to love what you are seeing from the team with Coach Lane Lambert really getting this group to come together and be fans of each other and play with the same unity and togetherness the Kraken 4th line does. The Coachella Valley Line is the scariest line on this team right now and it has started to create matchup nightmares for opposing teams. The play so fast and all they care about is winning. You absolutely have to love Kartye, Melanson, Meyers, and Winterton. This is the the best fourth line in the National Hockey League and our goalie tandem is Top 5 in the league for sure. With the playoff race this close the team will have to continue to find a way to get as many points as possible as we are at the halfway point of the current NHL Season. As of this article the standings are VGK in first with 48 pts, EDM in second with 48 pts and, then Seattle in 3rd with 37 pts. The Kraken brind a 4 game win streak into their next game with the Minnesota Wild who are on a 2 game losing streak and are third in the Central Division
Lets Go Kraken!
Very Respectfully,
Caleb Nance