One: Keep It Going: Scoring in Tight, Shoot-First Mentality from Circles
With the third season’s significant dip in scoring, preseason analysis was brimming with takes about whether the Kraken could boost their goal totals in the regular season ahead. While Saturday’s four Seattle goals, all clutch, do not tell a long-term story, the variety of scores is a positive harbinger: A close-in scrum in which Jordan Eberle (who btw scored his 300th and 301st NHL goals) tallied and Shane Wright distracted two Minnesota defenders; Eberle at the far post cashing in a deft shot-pass from Andre Burakovsky; Tye Kartye snapping a missile of a shot from the left faceoff circle; Jared McCann opposite side high-circle shooting rather than looking to pass.
“You talk about scoring more goals and getting more goals; you’ve got to get them a lot of different ways,” said a happy Dan Bylsma Saturday night. The power play is one of the ways you can be a better goal-scoring team. We got one tonight there ... you need to get goals in a lot of different ways. Gordo’s line gets us a huge goal. The first goal of the game is from skill guys, but it’s getting to the blue paint and having a presence in the blue paint.”
One more note: On Friday after practice in St. Paul, Bylsma suggested his squad “take a page out of Jared McCann’s playbook.” Tye Kartye did; McCann, of course, did. And Brandon Montour nearly scored later game by the shoot-first mentality, too.
Two: Close Down Middle Ice
When Kraken Hockey Network reporter Piper Shaw asked Eberle and Bylsma about what to clean up from the Minnesota game in preparation for Dallas, both captain and coach hit on a similar theme.
“They found a couple [goals] in the middle of the ice,” said Eberle, adding the Kraken needed to be more physical and not just use sticks to stop the opposing rush. “Obviously, those are tough saves for Joe to make. That’s the first thing that comes to mind. I thought we broke out the puck well [Bylsma talked this week about the need for better breakouts from the defensive zone, beating the forecheck pressure].”
“Some of it is the pace of the game,” said Bylsma. “[Minnesota] is a fast team. They plug and play with a lot of speed. That’s something we have to be aware of and deny [against Dallas]. Breaking out of our zone efficiently will help a lot with that.”
Three: Know the Foe - Stars Also in Back-to-Back Games Mode
Dallas played Saturday night, too, though at home, affording players to be in their own beds for a needed rest probably an hour or two before the Kraken plane even landed. The Stars shut out the New York Islanders behind a strong effort from goaltender Jake Oettinger, who made 34 saves. The Islanders notched 11 Grade-A scoring chances and overall out-chanced Dallas 25 to 15. All of which leaves open possibilities for the Kraken to generate and finish scoring plays Sunday night. There is no guarantee, but it’s possible Dallas coach Jim Montgomery might turn to new backup goaltender Casey DeSmith not to overwork Oettinger too early in the season. As for the Dallas goals, Jamie Benn net his first of the season and veteran Tyler Seguin scored two (the second was an empty-netter). Dallas is deep again this year.
