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Game 24: Oilers @ Kraken - Cleaning Things Up

December 3, 2021, 3:22 PM ET [35 Comments]
Sean Maloughney
Seattle Kraken Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Seattle should have won their last game against the Red Wings. They outchances and outpressured the Wings for most of the game but ultimately they couldn't get that extra save that they needed. This team is looked head and shoulders better than they did a month ago but they still have much work to do. The Vamestnikov goal last night was an example of this, the whole Seattle team just backed away giving the Wings full easy entry, resulting in a mash of bodies in front of the net with no real assignments for any players. Structure still is one of the biggest concerns I have with Hakstol.

Tonight that will need to be figured out as the Oilers come into town on a 5-2 victory against the Penguins. Edmonton looked flat out bad against the Penguins but they still managed to score four goals and pot an empty netter. The Oilers offensive is scary good and a single mistake could easily result in a goal against. The Kraken need to be on their game tonight and push back against the Oilers top players while still playing disciplined as to not give that lethal PP an opportunity.

Seattle still has a number of key players on the sidelines with injuries but so do the Edmonton Oilers, specifically on their defense. The Kraken have a better defensive group than the Oilers when both sides are healthy but even without Giordano this Kraken blueline is far better than what the Oilers are icing tonight. Seattle's gameplan should be to get pucks in deep behind the net and pressure this young blueline that Edmonton is rolling out. I watched bits and pieces of the Penguins and Oilers game and the Oilers turned on their heels in their own zone every time that Pittsburgh pressured. Playing a physical game and forcing turnovers could be the Kraken's ticket to success tonight.

Grubauer should be in net tonight for Seattle but it's unclear who will go in for Edmonton. Koskinen played against the Pens and bailed the Oilers out but with a bunch of games packed together I think the Kraken will see Stuart Skinner. The young netminder has a 0.928SV% but he has made some rookie mistakes. Again, being a pain for the Oilers blueline and putting guys in front of a young goalie will only frustrate Edmonton and tire them out.

One quick note. I did talk to Sean Maloughney, the Edmonton Oilers blogger and we simply did not have enough time to get together and shoot a pre or post game video but we do have a bit of a wager in place. Whoever's team wins this game gets to write up the post-game blog so stay tuned for that!
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