Preview: The Avalanche get Kraken in Seattle

SB Nation

The Colorado Avalanche are all set for a matchup with the Seattle Kraken tonight at Climate Pledge Arena. Colorado comes in as most pundits pick for the best team in the league; meanwhile, the Kraken are struggling

to get back to just being a .500 team. Can the Avalanche assert themselves and take care of business, or is a matchup with the league’s top dog just what the Kraken need to get back in the win column?

Colorado Avalanche: 23-2-7

The Opponent: Seattle Kraken 12-12-6

Time: 8:00 p.m. MT

Watch: Altitude, Altitude+, ESPN+

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM

Colorado Avalanche

It’s hard to imagine a better start for this Avalanche team, who keep on winning games. The problem is that the Dallas Stars keep winning, too. Perhaps only leading the Stars by four points inside of this tremendous stretch isn’t such a bad thing?

When a team is dominating like this, the easy and not all that analytical take is, “Oh, they won’t face enough adversity and will lose in the first round,” but inside a season where your best is still only suitable for a four-point standings lead, you have a lot to play for, and that in and of itself is adversity. That is one of the laziest takes in hockey. This Colorado Avalanche team is good and knows how to win big games.

We may be adding another feather to the cap of Chris MacFarland and Joe Sakic, who sneakily landed a great player in Gavin Brindley, who has been elevated to the third line since returning from injury. That affordable, young, and productive talent is a key component to most Cup winners.

Projected Lineup:

Artturi Lehkonen — Nathan MacKinnon — Martin Necas
Gabriel Landeskog — Brock Nelson — Valeri Nichushkin
Victor Olofsson — Ross Colton — Gavin Brindley
Parker Kelly — Jack Drury — Joel Kiviranta

Devon Toews — Cale Makar
Josh Manson — Brent Burns
Samuel Girard — Sam Malinsk

MacKenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Seattle Kraken

The Kraken feel like a team searching for its true identity and come into tonight’s game after losing their last two games. The Avalanche are obviously a tough draw amidst a losing streak, and this game has the potential to really send the Kraken spiraling if things get out of hand.

Seattle has the second-worst goal differential in the NHL at -19 and has really struggled to put the puck in the net. They also have a league-low 74 goals this season, with not much hope on the horizon. It’s still professional sports, so the Kraken will get their shot at shocking the world, but it will indeed be shocking if they can steal a win this evening, even being on home ice.