Kraken (12-14-9) at Flames (14-15-5) | 6:30 p.m.

One: Matching Up, ‘Must-Win’ Debate

Seattle and Calgary are tied in the Pacific Division standings, though the home squad Flames have one game in hand on the Kraken. Both teams have 33 points and need to string together wins to fend off Edmonton right behind them in the division and chase surprise first-place Vancouver and if-playoffs-were-now qualifiers Vegas and Los Angeles.

Comparing the two teams: Calgary has 14 regulation wins and 15 losses, and Seattle has 12 wins and 14 losses. The Kraken are 4-3-3 and their last 10 games while the Flames went 4-4-2.

There is no such thing as a “must-win” in Game 36 of the season, but climbing back into the playoff qualifier leaderboard this winter will include one brick/two-point wins at a time. Leaving Calgary with a victory that jumps the Kraken ahead of the Flames in the standings sets the right tone to continue answering GM Ron Francis to the positive about this team’s postseason chances after welcoming Tomas Tatar. Tatar has four points in his four games (GWG in Anaheim) and, stick tap to colleague Lindsey Brown, Seattle has outscored their opponents 5-0 and have 26 scoring chances to their opponents’ 15 during 5-on-5 play.

Two: Young and Relentless

The recent point streak is proving out the Kraken hockey operations skill set to evaluate prospects and project future performance. First-ever draft pick, Matty Beniers has a goal and four assists in the last three games. He started the season slower than he hoped (six assists in the first 13 games) but is trending up in the last 22 contests with five goals and seven assists, plus a significant number of Grade-A scoring chances (as a shooter or playmaker) and some goalposts clanged.

As for the Kraken brain trust sizing up expansion draft choices that would provide depth and needed NHL-quality shifts and starts, rookie goaltender Joey Daccord is Exhibit A. Stepping in for the injured Philipp Grubauer, the 27-year-old has looked the part of a No. 1 goalie and then-some: He has stopped 179 of the 189 shots in Seattle’s last six games, posting a .947 save percentage, a 1.64 goals-against average, and one shutout. Those stats are the best of any NHL goalie who has started three or more games since Dec. 12.

Three: Know the Foe: Calgary ‘Streaky’ in Different Way

While Seattle is turning in consistent 20-minute periods over the current points streak, the Flames have experienced peaks and valleys: Calgary lost on the road to the LA Kings, 5-3, right before the break to end a three-game winning streak that followed a four-game losing streak (with two standings points earned). While the Kraken beat Los Angeles three nights before – registering a 2-1 win and marking just the second time all year the Kings lost a game in regulation when holding an opponent to three goals or less.