Calgary @ Seattle preview
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Last Meeting ( Sep 25, 2023 ) Calgary 3, Seattle 2
The winning formula for the Seattle Kraken is quite simple: score three or more goals.
The Kraken improved to 4-0-0 this season when reaching that mark in a 4-2 victory Thursday against visiting Nashville as Jared McCann scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season and added an assist.
The Kraken will put that to the test again when they host the struggling Calgary Flames on Saturday night.
The Flames dropped a 4-3 decision Wednesday to visiting Dallas, their sixth straight loss.
MacKenzie Weegar had a goal and an assist and Connor Zary and Andrew Mangiapane also scored for the Flames, whose streak without a point is its longest since a seven-game run from March 16-29, 2018.
"We had a lull in the second period which cost us the night," Flames coach Ryan Huska said. "The third period was more of our team showing a little bit of swagger.
"It's not easy when you're going through these stretches of games, but the only way to get out of it is together and I thought in the third period, we did a much better job of that."
Calgary goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 26 saves but fell to 0-6-1 in his past seven starts.
"If we continue to play the way we did in that third period, this is a group that's capable of winning a few in a row," Flames center Nazem Kadri said. "So we've just got to build off it."
After a sluggish start, the Kraken went 2-1-1 on a four-game trip, then returned home to defeat the Predators, a team they lost to 3-0 on Oct. 12 in Nashville's home opener.
Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer made 32 saves and helped kill off the first penalty he's been assessed in nearly eight years.
"It's kind of awkward not being able to sit in the box there after taking a penalty," Grubauer joked. "But no added pressure. It's the same mentality. You've got to stop everything."
The Predators tied the score at 2-2 on a power-play goal late in the second period, but Kraken defenseman Brian Dumoulin tallied 24 seconds later to restore the Seattle lead. It was the second goal in as many games for Dumoulin, who spent parts of 10 seasons with Pittsburgh before signing with the Kraken in the summer.
"It's great to contribute," said Dumoulin, who tallied in consecutive games for the first time in his career. "I think that's the biggest thing, especially with this team is everyone's got to contribute for us to win. And we've done that here in this last stretch."
Oliver Bjorkstrand and Vince Dunn also scored in the victory.
"The second period, that's the key point where (Grubauer) did a really good job getting us through that period and putting us in a good spot coming into the third period, and the other guys picked it up from there," Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said.
Kraken forward Brandon Tanev practiced Thursday for the first time since being injured in the season opener.
That likely won't be enough to allow him to play Saturday against brother Brandon and the Flames.
"That's obviously the next progression. So we'll see where he's at (Friday) and keep pushing for his return when he's ready," Hakstol said. "That's the real key. I don't want to give any prediction there.
"It's not imminent over the next couple of days, but the progress is really good and positive."
--Field Level Media