Fantilli Just Went Nuclear and Now the Kraken Have to Deal with Columbus
The Seattle Kraken are heading into enemy territory on Saturday night, and they're walking into a buzzsaw. The Columbus Blue Jackets just torched the New York Rangers 6-3, with Adam Fantilli absolutely going off for two goals in that blowout. Now they get the Kraken at Nationwide Arena at 5 p.m. EDT, and this is not the matchup Seattle wants right now.
Columbus is Playing Lights Out Hockey
Let's be real: the Blue Jackets are scary good. They're sitting at 36-21-11 overall and a ridiculous 19-8-7 at home. That home record is no accident. Columbus has won the season series already, taking down Seattle 2-1 in a shootout back in November. And if you're looking for a reason to worry, check out their last 10 games: they're 7-0-3, averaging 3.8 goals per game while giving up just 2.7. That's elite stuff. Charlie Coyle leads the way with 17 goals and 38 assists, and Fantilli has been absolutely heating up with six goals and six assists over his last 10 contests.
The Kraken Are Struggling on the Road
Seattle is coming in at 31-28-9 overall with a 14-14-4 record away from Climate Pledge Arena. That's not terrible, but it's not winning hockey either. The real concern is the last 10 games: the Kraken are just 4-6-0, averaging three goals per game and giving up 3.1. That's getting out-matched. Chandler Stephenson is still producing with 14 goals and 27 assists on the season, but the team needs more firepower. Bobby McMann has had some bright spots recently with four goals and two assists over his last 10, but it hasn't been enough to turn the tide.
Injuries Could Be a Factor
The Kraken have some injury issues heading into this one. Jaden Schwartz is out with a face injury, and both Eeli Tolvanen and Ryan Winterton are day to day with an undisclosed injury and illness, respectively. Columbus is dealing with Brendan Smith's knee injury, so both teams are banged up. But when you're struggling like Seattle has been lately, losing bodies on the road against a red-hot team is tough.
This is a tough test. The Kraken need to find a way to get stops on defense and generate consistent offense. Saturday night in Columbus will tell us a lot about where this team really stands.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.