One: Beniers Goes to Injured Reserve, Hayden Recalled
The Kraken’s roster depth is getting put to the test this week in the wake of a 13-game point streak that repositioned the squad as a playoff contender. Center Matty Beniers didn’t return for the third period of Saturday’s win in Columbus (which set the franchise record winning streak of nine games). He was hit by Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger in the second period, with the Sillinger whistled for a two-minute minor for boarding and then tacking on five minutes for fighting when Vince Dunn intervened.
Monday, the Kraken placed Beniers on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury, which means he cannot return to the active roster for at least seven days. In a corresponding move, veteran forward John Hayden was recalled from AHL affiliate Coachella Valley. Hayden, who scored a pair of goals when called up for seven games last season, will bring both playmaking and physicality.
Andre Burakosky, who left Saturday’s win after just 1:40 of time on ice, is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. The Kraken coaching staff adjusted the forward groups Monday to place Jared McCann at center (a position he played regularly earlier in his career and at times during the Kraken’s inaugural season) between Jordan Eberle and Tomas Tatar. Devin Shore slotted into the fourth line between Tye Kartye (who moved to wing from playing center of late) and Kailer Yamamoto (a healthy scratch Saturday).
Two: Playing the Long Game
Defenseman Adam Larsson missed the final 40 minutes of Monday’s shutout loss in Pittsburgh due to illness, per Dave Hakstol in his post-game remarks. Vince Dunn missed the game altogether. Whether one or both play Tuesday is purely speculative until Hakstol meets the media about 90 minutes before game time. Playing with five defensemen on Monday required pair juggling and lots of extra minutes. Jamie Oleksiak logged 28 minutes while Will Borgen topped 22 minutes and rookie Ryker Evans, a reserve on the road before Monday, jumped in to play what is likely to be one of many 20-plus minute games. The extra five hours of rest between Monday’s matinee and the nighttime puck drop at Madison Square Garden will help all of the Kraken reset (Jaden Schwartz made that point post-game in Pittsburgh) but the earlier bedtime will no doubt be a boost for the defensive corps.
Three: Know the Foe: Rangers First in Metropolitan Division
The Rangers had lost four in a row and, with their iron grip on the division lead, before outlasting Washington Sunday. New York was plagued by giveaways during the losing skein and cleaned up those mistakes for the 2-1 win over the Capitals. Aggressive forechecking will no doubt be on the docket for Kraken forwards. Those aforementioned D-men logging extra minutes Monday will be tasked with keeping the Alex Lafreniere-Vincent Trocheck-Artemi Panarin to lower probability scoring chances and shots. The NYR line notched both goals Sunday and looked dangerous on most shifts. Panarin scored and now has 27 goals and 32 assists for 49 points. That’s top five in the NHL for goals and points. He has over 400 points as a Ranger, the 19th player to do so for the Original Six franchise – and the fastest to do so, hitting the 400-mark in 310 games.
