Fresh off a statement 6-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks, the Seattle Kraken (26-31-4) turn their focus to the Minnesota Wild (35-22-4) tonight at Climate Pledge Arena. This will be the second meeting between these teams this season, with the Kraken securing their first win of the year in a thrilling 5-4 shootout victory over the Wild back on October 12th.
That game saw the Kraken claw back from a 2-0 deficit, with Jordan Eberle leading the charge by scoring twice to even things up. The two teams traded goals in the third before heading to overtime, and eventually, Eberle delivered the game-winning shootout tally to give Seattle its first win of the season.
Eberle finding his footing
A lot has changed since that early season battle. Eberle, who was named the team’s captain at the start of the season, missed over three months with a lower-body injury sustained on November 14th. He made his long-awaited return on February 22nd and has slowly been working his way back into form, primarily playing on the fourth line as he regains his rhythm.
Last game against Vancouver, Eberle picked up his first point since returning—a secondary assist on a Brandon Montour goal. That could be the spark he needs to get back to contributing offensively, and facing a team he had success against earlier in the season might be the perfect opportunity for his first goal since returning.
Can the Kraken build off their offensive outburst?
Seattle’s victory over the Canucks was fueled by one of their best offensive performances in weeks, scoring six goals, including three in the third period to put the game away. The top line of Matty Beniers, Jaden Schwartz, and Kaapo Kakko continued to click, while Brandon Montour, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Eeli Tolvanen all found the scoresheet as well.
Joey Daccord is expected to be back in net tonight after holding strong against Vancouver. He’ll face a Wild team that currently sits fifth in the Western Conference and has been playing solid hockey down the stretch. Minnesota boasts a balanced attack, led by superstar Kirill Kaprizov, so the Kraken’s defensive structure will be tested.
Puck drops at 7 PM PT as Seattle looks to finish off this home stretch with another big win.