3 Game Essentials | Kraken at Flames | April 12

One: Beniers Watch

Seattle forward Ryan Donato, who skated on a line with Beniers and alternate captain Jordan Eberle during Monday's practice at Kraken Community Iceplex, talked to the Kraken app Monday about his own debut with Boston during the 2017-18 season.
"Looking back to my first game, there's tons of nerves that go into it," said Donato, who has already set a career-high in points for a season and will reach a career mark in goals with his next one. "Every guy says his legs never felt better with all that energy and nerves."
Donato said he has "a calm side" before games these days, knowing "you control only what you can control."
Nonetheless, he added, "you want to get some of that nervousness, that stress a little bit, it's what makes you have that extra jump or extra grit."

Two: Focus on Kraken: Kuhlman

Forward Karson Kuhlman scored his second goal for the Kraken (his first was an empty-netter) in the 4-1 home loss to Calgary. He was picked up on waivers from Boston and has impressed the coaching staff since returning from missing 18 games due to injury.
"
He's the epitome of an 'every-dayer
,'" said coach Dave Hakstol, "and that's the highest compliment I can give."
Hakstol explained that Kuhlman not only works hard every practice, game and shift, but that he is consistent. The head coach likes Kuhlman's defensive prowess - it fits the team's system of play - but particularly appreciates Kuhlman's ability to move the puck out of the defensive end and "making opponents defend" in the neutral zone.
"He's had a lot of good scoring chances," Hakstol said. "It was good to see him rewarded with the goal [Saturday]."

Three: Calgary Flames (44-19-9, 1st in Pacific Division)

The aforementioned Kuhlman met the media post-game Saturday. Here's his scouting report on the Flames, based on what he saw on the ice at Climate Pledge Arena:
"Give them credit, we know they are a deep team that wants to play that heavy game," Kuhlman said. "They're good around the net. We have to get the pucks behind them [in the Kraken offensive zone, either by skating with puck or chipping it in].
"We know how we have to be to be successful as a team. Keep it simple [on offense} and move pucks out of our defensive zone clean."