The Utah Hockey Club blinked and all of a sudden they were on a three-game losing streak. They’ll look to correct that on Monday as they pay a visit to Climate Pledge Arena and the Seattle Kraken.
It’s been a rough season for the Kraken, who, following their comeback win over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday, are seven points out of a playoff spot. As has been the case since their inception, they’ve struggled to score a meaningful amount of goals. The injury to Jordan Eberle, their captain and one of their top forwards, doesn’t help.
Seattle Kraken vs. Vancouver Canucks
As mentioned, the Kraken pulled off a major comeback in the dying minutes of the third period against the Canucks on Saturday.
After digging themselves a 4-1 hole, Jaden Schwartz scored with less than five minutes left in regulation. A few minutes later, they scored two goals 22 seconds apart to send it to overtime. Defenseman Vince Dunn, who scored the penultimate third-period goal, sealed the deal in overtime with a breakaway goal.
Utah HC has twice been on the losing end of two such comebacks: once against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday and another time against the San Jose Sharks in October. Both teams are starting to realize that a three-goal lead doesn’t grant them permission to slack off, even if there are only a few minutes left in the game.
What do the stats say?
There are very narrow differences between Utah HC and the Kraken in a lot of categories.
For example, Utah has scored the 22nd-most goals in the NHL this year, while Seattle has scored the 23rd-most. Utah has allowed the 13th-fewest goals while Seattle has allowed the 20th-fewest. The two teams are in adjacent spots in terms of shots taken and one spot apart in shots against. They’re one spot apart on the penalty kill and seven apart on the power play.
Despite the striking similarities between the two teams, things have worked out much better for Utah HC than they have for the Kraken. Utah is currently on the verge of a playoff spot and a handful of their players are having breakout seasons. Seattle, on the other hand, has struggled to get much out of any player and sit far from the playoffs.
Interesting facts
Some quick notes about the Kraken and the upcoming game:
- This is the first matchup between the league’s two newest teams.
- Kraken assistant coach Jessica Campbell is the first (and so far, only) female full-time assistant coach in NHL history.
- Climate Pledge Arena, where the Kraken play, is the only certified zero-carbon arena in the world.
- No player on either active roster has played for the other team.
- This is the second NHL matchup between Logan Cooley and Shane Wright, who were drafted third and fourth overall, respectively, in 2022.
- Utah TV analyst Nick Olczyk’s father, Eddie Olczyk, is a TV analyst for the Kraken. The two worked together on Kraken broadcasts last season. Nick’s brother, Eddie Olczyk III, is an amateur scout for the Kraken and his uncle, Ricky Olczyk, is an assistant general manager with the team.
Where to watch Utah Hockey Club vs. Seattle Kraken
Local fans can watch the game on Utah HC+ and Utah 16. The game starts at 6 p.m. MDT.