One: Generate more shots
The Kraken had the Tampa Bay Lightning on the run early in Saturday night’s loss but then let them off the hook. After outshooting the Lightning 7-0 and outscoring them 1-0 in the opening 7:35 of the game, the Kraken were outshot 14-1 and outscored 2-0 by the time they reached the five-minute mark of the middle period.
The Kraken did generate 2.7 worth of “expected” goals with their shot quality despite scoring just once in the game. But you can’t go almost an entire period – 17 ½ minutes of play – while putting just one puck on goal. As fancy as they’ve looked moving the puck around at times – and their early power play goal against the Lightning was about as textbook as puck movement gets – it must result in more shot attempts and more pucks that get through to the goalie.
This isn’t a team that relies on elite-level finesse. When the Kraken have lost games this season, it often comes from them not simplifying things enough and failing to be direct in pushing their play to the net. The simplest thing to do when trying to score more goals is to shoot the puck. Emulating the mid-1970s Soviet Red Army teams that put on passing clinics while waiting to set up only the absolute perfect scoring chances isn’t the recipe these Kraken should be striving for.
Two: Work hard but also smart
This sort of ties in with the first point but with a subtle difference. We’ve seen the Kraken increase their “compete” level at times by working harder and battling for pucks in the corners and at the net front. But sometimes, that hard work goes nowhere because of decisions made right after that battle is over with.
“Guys are working hard, maybe not working necessarily in the smart places,” Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn said afterward.
Dunn was saying the same “working hard, not smart” stuff last season, so it’s worth noting. Things about being more mentally into the game and aware of situations that arise. About being positioned in the right places, at the right time, to help compensate for when tired legs or sore bodies make it difficult to maintain pace.
Kraken coach Dan Bylsma repeated some of Dunn’s assertions postgame and again after practice on Monday, reflecting on the need to “be in the right spots” especially when playing in the defensive end. On the first Tampa Bay goal, he noted that two Kraken players “both did the same thing, not knowing what each other was doing and not communicating” and wound up not being in position when defenseman Jamie Oleksiak – under pressure behind the net – attempted a quick outlet pass up along the boards.
Instead of a teammate being there to take it as is supposed to happen, the puck was turned over and fired home for a quick goal.
Three: Know your foe
This is one of those pivotal games where the Kraken need to write their own narrative by taking care of business at home. Win against Ottawa, they’ll finish the homestand 2-1-1 and head out on the road a game over .500. Lose, and they’ll finish 1-2-1 and head out a game under .500 with some tough opponents upcoming.
The Sens have won three in a row and five of six, helped by some standout goaltending from Linus Ullmark, who’s been in net for all five of those victories. During those five games, Ullmark has allowed only five goals total and given up one or fewer in four of the contests.
Those exploits on Monday saw him named the NHL’s 3rd Star of the previous week. He is also 6-0-1 his past seven games with a .950 save percentage, helping the Sens ascend into the final Eastern Conference wild card position.
In other words, this won’t be easy. The Kraken got to face backup Anton Forsberg the last time these teams played six weeks ago in Ottawa and failed to score on him.
Ullmark represents a higher degree of difficulty. He is 2-1-1 with a save percentage of .919 in facing the Kraken while still with his prior Boston Bruins team before the blockbuster summer trade that landed him in Canada’s capital.
The Sens had good underlying defensive metrics before this recent run, but with Ullmark struggling early the results didn’t show up. Now, with him back to Vezina Trophy form, we’re seeing why Ottawa felt he was the missing piece. The Sens are scoring a solid 3.10 goals per game led by Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Josh Norris and Brady Tkachuk, so Ullmark making it difficult to score means his team is quickly racking up wins that used to be losses.
