3 Game Essentials | Kraken vs. Colorado | Nov. 19

One: 'Getting Stops'

Driedger gets his second start of the season tonight. Hakstol said the expansion draft pick from Florida has produced "several good practices in a row ... he looks like he is feeling good and at his best."
Hakstol did point out the Kraken's defensive statistics are elite in a number of categories, including No. 1 in allowing the fewest shot attempts per game, No. 2 in allowing fewest shots on goal and No. 2 in least amount of puck possession time for the opponent in the Kraken's defensive zone (offensive possession time for the opposing team translates to more scoring chances and also expends Kraken energy on protecting versus generating offensive chances of their own).
The defensive stats go the wrong direction when evaluating the goaltending numbers. The Kraken's goals-against average is 3rd highest in the league and save percentage (number of goals allowed divided by shots on goal) is the lowest in the NHL. More advanced statistics designed to determine shot quality of those shots on goal lead to similarly disappointing statistics for the 13 starts by Grubauer, two starts by Joey Daccord (now at AHL Charlotte) and one start by Driedger.
Hakstol said the Kraken are league average for preventing "outnumbered" rushes coming at the Kraken goal.
"It's one area we can get better," he said. "We are giving up too many outnumbered [chances]. We want to be better than league average.
"When we do have those [outnumbered rushes], we need to find a way to defend and get a stop," Hakstol said. "Getting stops is a team conversation. The forward tracking the puck can make a play, the defenseman can do a little bit better defending and as a group of five before it gets to the goaltender.
"The goaltenders' job is to make the save at the right time. They know that."

Two: Get back on track with forechecking

In most games this season
, Kraken forwards have been consistently disrupting the opponents' attempts to exit their defensive zone and in fact creating offensive chance by winning the puck back from foes. Their forechecking was noticeable and one of the reasons for strong stats in preventing shots on goal.
Hakstol said he is "not overly happy" with the forechecking in the last two games.
"We need to have good reads, be quick and good placement of the puck in areas where we have the opportunity to forecheck," said Hakstol, adding it has been a point made with players over recent workouts.

Three: Know the Foe: Colorado

Like Chicago Wednesday, the Colorado Avalanche come to town with a three-game winning streak. Considered among the preseason favorites to win the 2022 Stanley Cup, Colorado stumbled early with a 2-4 record, in part due to uneven play from goalie Darcy Kuemper, who was acquired in a trade on the first day of free agency when Grubauer chose Seattle over Colorado.
Kuemper has righted matters. He is 4-1-0 with a 1.80 GAA and .943 save percentage in his last five starts, including a 4-2 victory in Vancouver Tuesday. Colorado scored three power-play goals in the win and is 6-for-13 on man-advantage opportunities during the three-game win streak. Plus, the Avalanche have scored three shorthanded goals to date.
Star forward Nathan MacKinnon is out for another two weeks with a lower-body injury. Forward Nazem Kadri leads the offense with five goals and 12 assists, Gabriel Landeskog is a two-way force at center and young star defenseman Cale Makar scored his ninth game-winning goal in just 112 NHL games.
Colorado is fifth in the Central division, which, along with the Kraken's Pacific division, forms the NHL's Western Conference. The Avs have played three less games than all four of the teams ahead of them in the Central.