3 Game Essentials | Kraken at Kings | March 26

One: New Lines, Consistent Results

Two lines worth monitoring: Jared McCann joined younger teammates Morgan Geekie (who centered) and Kole Lind. They connected on Tuesday's insurance goal. Lind will get his opportunity the rest of the way to prove a worthy addition to next fall's opening night lineup.
Yanni Gourde worked with new linemates Karson Kuhlman and Ryan Donato Tuesday. With Jaden Schwartz out day-to-day with an upper-body injury, Donato joins center Alex Wennberg and winger Jordan Eberle for Saturday's matchup here in LA. Kuhlman looked sharp again Tuesday; he's a player looking to make an impression regarding the 2022-23 roster. Gourde was his usual force on both ends. Veteran center Victor Rask, acquired from Minnesota at the trade deadline and called up from AHL Charlotte Thursday, will fill out the Gourde line.

Two: Focus on Kraken: Vince Dunn

Vince Dunn arrived in Seattle as the expansion draft choice from the St. Louis Blues. Dunn was billed as an offensively gifted skater and playmaker as a defenseman.
He has clearly delivered on the offensive promise - from scoring the team's first goal at Climate Pledge Arena to a current streak of five straight games earning an assist. He has seven goals and 20 assists on the year. Kraken fans know and appreciate his shooting capability.
Dunn has improved on the defensive end of the ice, earning praise from his coaches and fulfilling a goal he set for himself when training camp started. He played 25-plus minutes for the first time since Dec. 6 and figures to quarterback the first power-play unit for the rest of the season.

Three: Los Angeles Kings (35-22-9, 2nd in Pacific Division)

The Kings' rebuild is arriving early while long-time LA veterans, two-way center Anze Kopitar (16 goals, 39 assists) and goalie Jonathan Quick (17-12-8 record with .909 save percentage), are doing their part. GM Rob Blake traded for Viktor Arvidsson in the offseason. The former Nashville forward is LAK's fifth leading scorer (18 G, 21 A).
An even better move by Blake: Signing free agent Phillip Danault, an elite defensive center who has scored a career-high 21 goals. Danault does strong work in front of the opposing net, he will be prowling near the Kraken crease in the upcoming games Saturday and again Monday in LA.
Los Angeles will be hungry for points in the two contests. Their second-place standing with 79 points in the Pacific Division has dangerous intersections. Edmonton has two games in hand and is only two standings points behind LA. Vegas is in fourth-place with 74 points but the Kings do have one game in hand.
Finishing fourth in the Pacific is not a good plan to make the playoffs. The Central Division is topped by Colorado but then bunched with Minnesota, St. Louis, Dallas - all with significant games in hand on both Los Angeles and Vegas. Plus, Nashville, fourth in the Central, has 78 points. As it stands, only three Pacific teams are trending to a postseason bid (each division is guaranteed a minimum of three). The other five teams in the Western Conference playoffs would be from the Central.