Kraken Aim To Snap 5-Game Road Losing Streak In L.A. Rematch
Officially, the Coachella Valley Firebirds aren't scheduled to play in the Winter Classic on New Year's Day.
But if the injury bug keeps biting the Seattle Kraken at its current rate, a bunch of the players from their AHL farm team could be on the ice to face the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Park.
Of more immediate concern is tonight's Kraken rematch with the L.A. Kings. This past Saturday in Seattle, the Kings prevailed in a nine round shootout to win, 3-2.
Jared McCann and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare were the latest exits from the Seattle lineup, unable to complete Monday's game against the Stars in Dallas (a 4-3 OT loss).
Bellemare has been placed on injured reserve, joining goalie Philipp Grubauer and forwards Jaden Schwartz and Andre Burakovsky. McCann and defenseman Justin Schultz are listed as day-to-day.
Forward Kole Lind is the latest member of the Firebirds to be recalled. Defenseman Ryker Evans has become a fixture on the blueline. Chris Driedger will again be backing up Joey Daccord in the Kraken goal.
Other Firebirds who've seen time with the Kraken include Devin Shore, Shane Wright, Ryan Winterton, Marian Studenic, Andrew Poturalski, and Max McCormick.
That list doesn't include another addition, veteran winger Tomas Tatar, acquired in a Friday trade with the Colorado Avalanche. In just his second game with Seattle, Tatar contributed a goal and an assist against the Stars.
Kraken Get Physical
When a team is struggling, experts (and pseudo-experts) hunt for reasons. In the Kraken's case, suspicions have been raised that the team isn't sufficiently physical.
One qualified observer would seek to dispute that: Dallas Stars goalie Scott Wedgewood, in goal against the Kraken Monday.
From Mike Heika's NHL.com article: "He added that the Kraken have a history for being physical around the goalie, and that’s how they scored the tying goal in the final minute of play.
“'They crashed the net hard. That was in the scouting report for us,' Wedgewood said. 'They’re a net-front team, they get pucks there and bodies there, and they tied it up in that fashion at the end of the game. It’s a good strategy.'
"And as for the night of battles, Wedgewood said, 'I came out fine, a couple of bumps and bruises.'”
Winter Classic Update
Today's completely trivial yet somehow intriguing Winter Classic fact comes from, of all places, Forbes.
It concerns "Salt & Straw, the ice cream maker known for pairing unusual ingredients. New for the Winter Classic is a cinnamon and honey fried chicken ice cream with Cajun heat. The ice cream features fried chicken from Seattle landmark Ezell’s and includes fresh croissants, salted vanilla ice cream, cinnamon, honey and Cajun spices."
As to the preparations for the actual game at the home of the Seattle Mariners...
