The Nashville Predators will try to build momentum tonight as they face an improving Seattle Kraken who are on a four game win streak.
It may be too soon to say the Predators have turned the corner after their rocky start to the season. The team heads into tonight's game at Climate Pledge Arena on a two game win streak and have ample opportunity to prove they are heading in the right direction against a Kraken team looking for their fifth win in a row. A look at three basic stats reveals what Nashville will have to do to continue their winning ways.
Goals For/Game
Nashville Predators: 2.75
Seattle Kraken: 3.46
The Kraken have scored three or more goals in their last nine games, win or lose, and the Kraken generate more shots and convert on those chances more often than the Predators. Seattle ranks sixth in the league in shooting percentage and twelfth in total shots on goal, and Nashville sits at twenty-fifth in shooting percentage and twenty-second in total shots on goal.
The Kraken generate more offense, but that's not all. That Kraken offense comes compliments of a variety of sources. Their top five goal scorers span the four forward lines. This is a team with deep and reliable scoring threats up and down the lineup.
Nashville's top scorers from last season are still trying to find their offensive groove. Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen have four goals each, but Roman Josi has only scored twice so far this season. Matt Duchene had the shootout winning goal Saturday night but has only one other goal that wasn't an empty netter. Nashville will need the top players to find a way to score against the Kraken. If depth players like Cole Smith can find ways to get the puck in the back of the net, it would keep Nashville in a game against an hot offensive team like the Kraken.
Power Play/Penalty Kill
Predators penalty kill: 82.6%
Kraken power play: 26.1%
It is no secret that the Predators power play is struggling to get off the ground, but the penalty kill - which has seen more than enough ice time in twelve games - has been a bright spot. The Preds rank seventh in the league on the kill even after facing two of the best power play teams in the league on this west coast road trip.
Coincidentally, the Kraken rank seventh right now with their power play, scoring twelve power play goals in the season so far. Ideally, the Predators will stay out of the box and avoid a special teams battle, but if Seattle earns the man advantage, Nashville will need to execute well on the kill yet again.
Save Percentage
Juuse Saros: .904, Kevin Lankinen: .933
Martin Jones: .901, Joey Daccord: .900
The goaltending situation hasn't gone exactly as planned for either team this season with Juuse Saros struggling early and Philipp Grubauer on injured reserve. That's not to say that goaltending won't be an important part of tonight's game.
The Kraken have seen success with Martin Jones since Grubauer was sidelined with a lower body injury. Jones has started ten games for the Kraken and won six of his outings, earning a .901 save percentage and 2.61 GAA. Jones has had several starts in a row, so the Kraken may opt to go with backup netminder Joey Daccord tonight. Daccord has only started one game this season, but earned the win.
Juuse Saros struggled out of the gate for the Predators, but he's slowly improving with more time in net. The Vancouver game was a microcosm of Saros' season - a rough start letting in two goals in the first four minutes, but then Saros buckled down and ended up saving 42-45 shots. John Hynes may give Saros the nod in net tonight to continue building on that momentum, but it is just as likely that backup Kevin Lankinen plays against the Kraken. Lankinen is 2-1 in his three starts this season. Whichever goalie gets the start tonight, he will have to be sharp against the firepower and special teams of a hot Kraken team.
The Predators take on the Kraken tonight at 9:00 pm CT. The game will be broadcast on TNT.