Kraken Head to Nashville on a Mission: Four Points Could Be Huge in the Playoff Race
The Kraken are heading into hostile territory in Nashville on Thursday night, and they need to treat this one like a playoff game because, honestly, it basically is. After getting absolutely torched 6-2 by Tampa Bay on Tuesday, Seattle sits at 31-27-9 and facing off against the Predators, who are breathing down their necks at 30-28-9. A regulation win puts the Kraken four points clear of Nashville with only 14 games left to play. That's the kind of cushion you need when you're fighting for a wild card spot.
Stop Bleeding the Puck Away
Look, the stats said the Kraken had a 6-5 edge in turnover chances against Tampa Bay. But here's the thing: the Lightning don't care about the margins because they're just better at capitalizing on mistakes. Three of Tampa's six goals came directly from giveaways, and when the Kraken only score twice, you lose that math pretty quick. Add in the fact that the Lightning got a fourth goal on a line change turnover, and you've got a recipe for disaster against any team. The good news? Nashville isn't quite the offensive juggernaut that Tampa is, so there's a little more room for error. But "a little" is the operative word here. No more careless giveaways in Nashville.
McMann Is Your New Problem for Opponents
Bobby McMann has been an absolute weapon since arriving at the trade deadline. The guy's got four goals and two assists in just three games with Seattle. McMann scored one of the two Kraken goals against Tampa and now leads the team with 23 goals across his Toronto and Seattle combined totals. Pair him with Jared McCann, who's sitting at 18 goals in 48 games this season (that's a 0.42 goals per game rate), and suddenly you've got a dynamic scoring duo for the top two forward lines. The Kraken put up 11 goals in two games before the Tampa loss, so expect them to be more lethal in Nashville than they were on Tuesday.
The Predators Are Vulnerable
The Kraken know exactly what's coming. Three years ago next week, Seattle went into Nashville and took three of four points in a two-game set, basically ending the Preds' playoff hopes. Now Nashville comes in after beating Winnipeg on Tuesday, pulling within two points of the final Western Conference wild card. Here's the problem for the Preds: they give up 3.39 goals per game, the fifth most in the league. Sure, goalie Juuse Saros can steal a game (he faced 45 shots last time and still found a way to keep Seattle out mostly), but the Kraken can't repeat their last performance against him. They squandered a 2-0 lead and lost in regulation at home to Nashville last week. This time, they need to be sharper defensively and actually convert their chances. Captain Jordan Eberle and the squad know what's at stake.
Puck drop is 5 p.m. PT Thursday. Get a regulation win and suddenly the Kraken are looking at a real cushion in the playoff race.
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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.