GAME PREVIEW: Edmonton Oilers @ Seattle Kraken

Edmonton Oilers (16-5-0), 1st, Pacific

Seattle Kraken (8-13-2), 7th, Pacific

03 December 2021

Climate Pledge Arena

8 PM MT

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: 630 CHED

SB Nation Opponent: Davy Jones’ Locker Room

KOSKI-WIN

A four point night for Connor McDavid teamed with another excellent showing for Mikko Koskinen would help propel the Oilers to their sixteenth win of the season over the Penguins on Wednesday night. Mikko Koskinen stopped 32 of 34 Penguin shots, while Zach Hyman scored a pair of goals for the Oilers. Kailer Yamamoto and Evan Bouchard each had one for Edmonton, while Connor McDavid scored on a yawning net late in the third. The Oilers took the W though they only were able to put up 22 shots on Tristan Jarry and the Penguins. They’re on top of the Pacific Division today, and they’d love to stay there for the next 60 games if all works out well.

The Oilers take their three game winning streak to Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle to face off against the Kraken. Can the Oilers put together another two point performance?

Let’s go to the tape.

THE OILERS ARE SAYING

“We kind of held on there for the first 40...Mikko did a great job as usual, and I thought our young D … did a good job of stepping in and tried to keep the game simple, keep the game in front of them, and we worked our way through the game. We capitalized on our chances and we got some timely saves.”

Source

That’s Connor McDavid on Mikko Koskinen’s performance after Wednesday’s 5-2 win over the Penguins.

Just like the Vegas game on Saturday, Koskinen did his best to keep the Oilers in the game. Holding the Penguins to two goals after 40 periods helped to give the Oilers a chance to win the third period, and the game. Wins are a team stat, but Koskinen is now 12-2 on the season.

THE KRAKEN ARE SAYING

“We know we’re missing a couple of our best offensive players, but that’s a situation you are going to have to deal with in this league...That means the rest of us have to step up and score some goals.”

Source

That’s Kraken forward Ryan Donato after his club’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Red Wings on Wednesday.

The Kraken were without two of their club’s leading goal scorers in Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann on Wednesday night, so Ryan Donato figured he’d score a couple of goals. The Kraken only got one point out of the deal.

HAVE SOME OF THIS

• Zach Hyman’s two goal night (which was very nearly a three goal night) was a site to behold. Hyman’s two goal effort gives him 17 points on the season, the very same amount as Jesse Puljujärvi.
• Speaking of Puljujärvi, can we assume the third line experiment is over? Puljujärvi getting some time on the Draisaitl line and Yamamoto gets some time on the McDavid line ought to stir it up enough without taking minutes from your best players. Your top two right wings are Yamamoto and Puljujärvi, play them on the two best lines.
• Both Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann missed Seattle’s game against Detroit on Wednesday and were listed as day-to-day with injuries, though it doesn’t appear either are serious. McCann and Eberle are responsible for 21 of the club’s 68 goals this season. We’ll find out later today if either (or both) are in tonight’s lineup for Seattle. The Kraken are also missing Mark Giordano, Calle Jarnkrok and Jaden Schwarz is day-to-day.
• Kris Russell and Tyson Barrie played nearly 27 minutes against the Penguins on Wednesday night, which is about 15 more minutes than you’d like either of those players to be playing every night. Markus Niemeläinen played just over ten minutes in his NHL debut, while Philip Broberg played on Niemeläinen’s pair. Never have I hoped to see Cody Ceci as much as I do now.
• Mikko Koskinen (12-2-0, .914 SV% / 2.82 GAA) has won his last three games, with excellent outings in his last two. It’s tempting to get Stuart Skinner (2-3-0, .928 SV% / 2.44 GAA) in to spell Koskinen for a game. The Kraken are likely to roll with Philipp Grubauer (6-9-2, .890 SV% / 3.02 GAA) who is still trying to recover from a stretch of games. The Kraken are 29th in goals allowed per game, yielding an average of 3.7 goals over their last 10 starts.

The Oilers could pick up win 17 in Seattle tonight.