2023-05-01 20:49:52
Today, NHL.com previews the Western Conference second-round series between the Dallas Stars and the Seattle Kraken.
(C2) Dallas Stars vs (QA1) Seattle Kraken
Stars: 47-21-14, 108 points
Kraken: 46-28-8, 100 points
Matches this season: FROM 2-0-1; SEA: 1-1-1
Match no 1: Tuesday (9:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, CBC, TVAS, SN)
The Dallas Stars and Seattle Kraken will meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in their second-round Western Conference tie.
The Stars defeated the Minnesota Wild in six games in the first round. This is their second straight playoff appearance. They lost in seven games to the Calgary Flames in the first round last season, and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2020 before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Kraken eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in seven games in their first playoff appearance. In its inaugural season last year, Seattle finished 30th in the NHL.
“They have a good team,” said the striker Yanni Gourde regarding the Stars following the Kraken victory on Sunday. “I want to concentrate on this evening. We know [les Stars], they will be waiting for us. They have a good team, four good lines and six excellent defenders. It won’t be an easy task. »
They might make the difference
Stars: Roope Hintz did more than the Stars expected in the first round. The forward leads the League in the playoffs with 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in six games, one more than Leon Draisaitl des Oilers d’Edmonton, Matthew Tkachuk Florida Panthers and Mitchell Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Hintz can score in all situations as he showed in the first round: shorthanded, on the breakaway, 5-on-5 and on the power play.
Video: MIN@DAL, #2: Hintz beats Fleury on the breakaway
Kraken: Several players had to give more with the striker’s loss Jared McCann, who suffered an upper-body injury in Game 4. Gourde had six points (one goal, five assists) in seven games. He assisted on both of Oliver Bjorkstrand’s goals in Game 7 – a 2-1 win. When you think of Gourde, you think of his experience in the playoffs. He won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021. He is an important asset for Seattle, which is in its postseason tournament debut.
In front of the net
Stars: After an excellent first round once morest the Flames last season, Jake Oettinger did it once more once morest the Wild, with a 4-2 record, one shutout, a 2.01 goals- once morest average and a .929 save percentage. He had a lot of work on his shoulders in the regular season, playing 62 games (37-11-11; 2.37 – .919 – 5 bl.), but that didn’t seem to affect him in the first round. The Stars defense held the Wild in check for the majority of the series. When that wasn’t the case, Oettinger was there to get the job done.
Kraken: Phillip Grubauer more than contributed once morest the Avalanche, his former team, going 4-3 with a 2.44 GAA and .926 save percentage. He’s been busy, facing 231 shots, a high among any playoff goaltender so far. In the regular season, Grubauer went 17-14-4 with a 2.85 GAA and .895 save percentage.
Interesting statistics
Stars: Dallas excelled in face-off circles with a 56.3 percent success rate, first in the league ahead of the Avalanche (55.0).
Kraken: The defender Adam Larsson played 178:36 in seven games, the most of any skater in the NHL. That includes 153 minutes and 47 seconds at even strength, also a peak.
Imponderables
Stars: We all know the impact that can have Joe Pavelski, but the imponderable is whether he will be ready for the start of the second round. It seems quite likely, since coach Peter DeBoer had mentioned that it would have been very difficult to prevent the 38-year-old veteran from playing if there had been a Game 7 once morest the Wild. When he returns to action, Pavelski should return to his position on the first line along with Hintz and Jason Robertson.
Video: DAL@STL: Pavelski restores the lead to the Stars
Kraken: Seattle’s shorthandedness has been unremarkable in the regular season (21st; 76.7 percent), but has been shining since the start of the playoffs. The Kraken are at 88.9 percent, second only to the Carolina Hurricanes (94.4 percent). His efficiency put an end to the power play of the Avalanche, which scored only two goals in 18 occasions.
Planned formation of the Stars
Jason Robertson — Roope Hintz — Joe Pavelski
Mason Marchment — Max Domi — Tyler Seguin
Jamie Benn — Wyatt Johnston — Evgenii Dadonov
Joel Kiviranta — Radek Faksa — Ty Dellandrea
Ryan Suter — Miro Heiskanen
Esa Lindell — Jani Hakanpaa
Thomas Harley – Joel Hanley
Jake Oettinger
Scott Wedgewood
Cut off: Colin MillerNils Lundqvist, Fredrik Olofsson
Hurt: None
Planned formation of the Kraken
Tye Kartye — Matty Beniers — Jordan Eberle
Jaden Schwartz — Alex Wennberg — Morgan Geekie
Eeli Tolvanen — Yanni Gourde — Oliver Bjorkstrand
Brandon Tanev — Ryan Donato — Daniel Jump
Vince Dunn — Adam Larsson
Jamie Oleksiak — Will Borgen
Carson Soucy — Justin Schultz
Phillip Grubauer
Martin Jones
Cut off: Cale Fleury, Jaycob Megna, Jesper FrodenChris Driedger
Wounded: Andre Burakovsky (lower body), Joonas Donskoi (upper body), John Hayden (lower body), Jared McCann (undisclosed)
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#Kraken #face #big #challenge #Stars
