Seattle Walks Into Tampa Bay's Buzzsaw While Fighting For Their Playoff Lives
The Kraken are in trouble. A four-game losing streak has them heading to Tampa Bay on Thursday night, and they're facing one of the hottest teams in hockey. The Lightning are absolutely loaded at 44-21-5 overall, while Seattle sits at 31-29-10 in the Pacific Division. This is the kind of game where you either find your way or you fall further behind. Thursday at 7 p.m. EDT, the Emerald City's squad needs to snap the skid badly.
The Lightning Are Built Different Right Now
Tampa Bay is not messing around. They're 21-12-0 at home, and here's the kicker: they're 38-7-1 when they score three or more goals. That's the kind of record that makes you sweat. Nikita Kucherov is their engine, sitting at 40 goals and 80 assists. Jake Guentzel has been on a tear too, notching six goals and three assists over his last 10 games. When Seattle and Tampa met earlier this season on March 17, the Lightning won 6-2. Kucherov lit it up with three goals that night. This is a revenge game Seattle can't afford to lose, but they're walking into the toughest matchup imaginable.
Seattle's Offense Has Gone Silent
Here's what's killing the Kraken right now: they're averaging just 2.9 goals over their last 10 games while giving up 3.7 per night. That's a recipe for disaster. On the flip side, they're 29-7-4 when they score three or more, so if they can get the offense clicking, they've got a shot. Vince Dunn has been one of the few bright spots with 11 goals and 30 assists this season. Bobby McMann has chipped in five goals and two assists over his last 10 games. But with Jaden Schwartz out on his face and Jared McCann dealing with a lower body issue, the lineup is banged up heading into Tampa.
The Road Grind Isn't Getting Any Easier
Seattle's 14-15-5 on the road this season, and they need to turn that around fast. The Lightning are 6-3-1 in their last 10, averaging 4.6 goals and 7.4 assists while holding opponents to just 3.1 goals per game. This is a must-win situation for the Kraken if they want to stay relevant in the playoff picture. Thursday night in Tampa is where Seattle either gets back on track or watches their season slip away further.
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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.