3 Game Essentials | Jets (8-4-1) at Kraken (8-5-2) | 5 p.m.

Kraken coach Dave Hakstol likes to appraise his team's progress in five-game segments. Fifteen games into the year those segments are trending up. In the last five games, the Kraken are 4-1. The next segment covers the remaining four games of the current homestand and a Thanksgiving Friday showdown in Vegas.
Three of the five games are divisional games, with Los Angeles (currently on a four-game winning streak) next Saturday and San Jose on Thanksgiving Eve. No doubt Hakstol has marked these five games as an effective way to test his squad's mettle, starting with how the team bounces back from the snapped five-game win streak. Perennial NHL playoff teams don't let a loss, or even two in a row, derail them from finding their best selves and system of play to stay above the .500 mark.

Hakstol and alternate captain Yanni Gourde both talked at length after Friday's loss about getting to the inside slot and net-front to score off deflections, rebounds, and other right-time, right-place goals. It is something to watch Sunday against Winnipeg (5 p.m. puck drop), especially in the first period.
The Kraken penalty kill has wiped out 16 straight power plays awarded to opponents. They did it Friday without Jamie Oleksiak, who has been stellar alongside Adam Larsson, racking up big PK minutes. Carson Soucy and Will Borgen picked up most of the extra ice time, along with Cale Fleury getting a sizeable amount and doing his job in all situations.
AHL call-up and Coachella Valley alternate captain Gustav Olofsson will get his chance to make a case to stay in the lineup while Oleksiak is on the injured reserve list. He appeared in an NHL game in early December 2019 with the Montreal Canadiens. He was a foundational player for the AHL Charlotte Checkers last season, emerging as a strong leader on a successful division winner and a deep playoff team on a roster shared by the Kraken and Florida Panthers developing pros. He is a left-handed D-man and will pair with Will Borgen Sunday. Borgen's usual partner and carpool mate, Carson Soucy will play left D with new partner Justin Schultz.
The top nine Kraken forwards remain the same but the coaching has shuffled wingers while keeping pairs of players who have clicked for goals. Hakstol said he is looking for "a spark" for each line. Jaden Schwartz moves to the nominal first line with the Alex Wennberg - Andre Burakovsky duo. Oliver Bjorkstrand will join Yanni Gourde - Brandon Tanev while Jared McCann moves to play with Matty Beniers - Jordan Eberle.
Martin Jones gets the start in goal based on his consistency in keeping the Kraken close when behind and making big saves to keep leads, especially on the PK. Check back on the Kraken app, website and social channels late afternoon to determine which Jets goaltender gets the call Sunday. Winnipeg is on the second leg of back-to-back nights, losing 3-2 in Calgary Saturday. It's possible the Kraken will see veteran backup David Rittich, giving a breather to elite goalie Connor Hellebuyck (7-3-1, 2.08 goals against, .935 save percentage).