The Seattle Kraken face off against the Dallas Stars tonight in Game 6 of Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kraken lost Game 5, 5-2. Game 5 was disappointing, as the star power of Dallas finally showed up in the series. The Kraken were not bad. It was not like Dallas worked us the entire game. The game was pretty even, Dallas just scored a few goals in spurts. For the most part, we were in the game.
Adjustments are needed, but we now have our fans behind us.
We have a city behind us.
A tad dramatic, I know, but tonight everything is on the line. We win, or we go home. There is no tomorrow. Game 6 is going to come down to the depth of the Kraken out playing the depth of the Stars. The pressure is not on the Kraken, it is on Dallas. If you recall, Dallas was supposed to be here, the Kraken were not. We are back as the underdogs and this is a good thing. Overlook us all you want. We want it that way (spoken with the Backstreet Boys playing lol).
The focus for Game 6 is on three Kraken players; Phillipp Grubauer, Matty Beniers, and Yanni Gourde. The three most important players on this team have to play the best game of their respective careers. For Beniers and Gru, this is the biggest stage that either of these two have been on.
Grubauer needs to be the best goalie in the world. Truth. He needs to get back to the play that got the Kraken this far. When he is on, he is nearly unstoppable. Beniers has become a number one center. He plays a 200 foot game, wins faceoffs, and scores. His defensive play in Game 5 was incredible. We need Matty to dominate tonight.
Gourde won 2 Cups with Tampa, but he was a role player with the Lightning. In Seattle, he is a pillar on this roster. Winning a Cup with Seattle (for Seattle) solidifies his place as one of the best players of the past decade. His leadership and knack for scoring clutch goals is why he is a member of the Kraken. Why he is an alternate captain.
prepping for his 💯th career playoff game tonight 🫡 pic.twitter.com/JaHJvkE4FP
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) May 11, 2023
The Kraken win if…
Jaden Schwartz scores. He has carried the team this postseason. Win or lose, Schwartz has been our leader. The man who should be our next team captain will need to be at his absolute best for us to beat the Stars tonight and force a Game 7. Let’s go Captain!
our elite defense can clear the house and keep the Dallas Stars on the outside all night. We need for our big boys to step up, and shut down Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson, and the rest of the gang. This may seem like an impossible task but we have the best blueline in the NHL. Tonight, we beat down the Stars.
Grubauer returns to form and holds Dallas to 3 or fewer goals. It is going to take a four goal effort from the Kraken to win tonight. It just is. Our offense is good enough to supply the goals, Gru needs to win this game for us though. If Dallas scores more than 3 goals, the series is over.
The Stars win if…
the stars shine bright. Dallas is loaded with scoring/star talent. They seemed to find their game again. If they show up tonight and score goals in clusters, the series is over and Dallas advances to the Western Conference Finals.
goalie Jake Oettinger is the first star of the night. He still has not done anything to really impress me, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t or won’t. Let us pray that tonight is not the night that he turns into Superman.
their defense keeps the Kraken out of the high scoring areas and shuts down the Seattle forecheck. They have done this in each of the Dallas victories, making the games seem very odd/boring for Kraken fans. Their defense cannot dictate the tempo or the series is over.
The Kraken need to play Kraken hockey tonight. Speed, hitting, tough forecheck that leads to offensive zone turnovers, and lots of goals. Tonight is the night. We are going to win. Mark my words. The Kraken will win tonight and force a Game 7. Let’s go boys! Release the Kraken!
Fear the deep!