Predators Face Off Against Kraken at 7 p.m.

The Nashville Predators will face off against the Seattle Kraken tonight at 7 p.m. This matchup comes after the Kraken’s recent struggles in finishing scoring opportunities. Despite a spirited performance against the Vancouver Canucks, where they fired 39 shots, they only managed to find the back of the net twice.

Current Performance of the Kraken

The Kraken outshot the Canucks during the third period and overtime, totaling 19 shots without adding to their score. Their inability to convert high-quality chances into goals remains a concern. In the recent game, the Kraken achieved 4.4 expected goals but only registered two actual goals.

• 39 total shots against the Canucks
• 2 goals scored
• 19 shots in the third period and overtime
• 4.4 expected goals based on shot quality

In their previous victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, only two of the four goals were scored against an actual goalie. The Kraken’s struggles place them at the bottom of the NHL in expected goals as per MoneyPuck, necessitating a change in fortune against the Predators.

Defensive Strategy and Goalkeeping

The Kraken have shown improvement in their defensive play, allowing two goals or fewer in the last eight of eleven games. This has led to a record of 5-5-1 during that stretch, raising concerns due to their lack of scoring despite strong defensive performances. The goaltending duo of Joey Daccord and Philipp Grubauer has been pivotal, allowing just two goals or fewer in five consecutive games.

Goalkeeper Performances

• Daccord: Record of 4-0-1 in last five games
• Grubauer: Near shutout performance in previous game

As the Kraken prepare to face the Predators, the question remains whether they will rotate goalies or stick with one against Nashville.

The Predators’ Resurgence

The Predators have had a challenging season but are showing signs of improvement. They recently completed a seven-game road trip with five wins and are performing better defensively. Nashville has allowed just 14 goals across those seven games, significantly improving their average goals allowed per game from 3.34 to approximately 2.82.

• Record: 12 wins out of 17 since November 26
• Average goals allowed: 2.82 during recent stretch
• Recent pivotal player: Steven Stamkos, scored career goal No. 600

Juuse Saros, the Predators’ goalie, has found form after a rough November. He rebounded in December with a .912 save percentage, providing stability in the net during the team’s resurgence.

Head-to-Head Matchup

The Kraken will need to capitalize on their shot opportunities against a Predators team that has responded well defensively. While both teams face challenges in their offensive outputs, the key to success in tonight’s game will be converting chances into goals.

Fans can expect an intense matchup as the Kraken attempt to break their scoring struggles against the formidable Predators, starting at 7 p.m.