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2022-23 WCSF: Stars vs. Kraken


Who wins?  

15 members have voted

  1. 1. Well?

    • Stars in 4
    • Stars in 5
    • Stars in 6
    • Stars in 7
    • Kraken in 4
      0
    • Kraken in 5
      0
    • Kraken in 6
    • Kraken in 7
      0


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BSBH Game Day Thread Logo

(2C) Dallas Stars vs. (3P) Seattle Kraken

Tue., May 2: Kraken at Stars, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, CBC, TVAS, SN

Thu., May 4: Kraken at Stars, TBD

Rest of schedule TBD

REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS:

Stars: 47-21-14, 108 points

Kraken: 46-28-8, 100 points

SEASON SERIES:

DAL 2-0-1; SEA: 1-1-1

 


GAME BREAKERS:

Stars: Roope Hintz was everything the Stars needed and more in the first round. The forward leads the playoffs with 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in six games, one more than Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers (11 points; seven goals, four assists), Matthew Tkachuk of the Florida Panthers (11 points; five goals, six assists) and Mitchell Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs (11 points; two goals, nine assists). Hintz can score in any fashion and did in the first round: shorthanded, on a breakaway, 5-on-5 and the power play.

 

Kraken: Let's go with Gourde here. Several players have had to make up for the loss of forward Jared McCann, who sustained an undisclosed injury in Game 4 and led the Kraken with 70 points (40 goals, 30 assists) in the regular season. Gourde has been more of a setup man than a scorer thus far, with six points (one goal, five assists) in seven games. He had an assist on each of Oliver Bjorkstrand's Game 7 goals, including the game-winner in the second period. When you see Gourde, you see playoff experience; he won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021. It's a great asset for Seattle to have in its first postseason.

 


GOALTENDING:

Stars: Jake Oettinger followed a great first round against the Flames with another one against the Wild, going 4-2 with a 2.01 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and one shutout. He had a heavy workload in the regular season, when he went 37-11-11 with a 2.37 GAA, .919 save percentage and five shutouts in 62 games (61 starts), but if it got to him in the first round, it wasn't showing. The Stars defense held the Wild in check for the most part but when they didn't, Oettinger was there.

 

Kraken: Philipp Grubauer did the heavy lifting against the Avalanche, his former team, going 4-3 with a 2.44 GAA and .926 save percentage in seven starts. He's been busy, facing 231 shots, most of any goalie in the playoffs so far. In the regular season, Grubauer was 17-14-4 with a 2.85 GAA and .895 save percentage.

 


X FACTORS:

Stars: We all know what Joe Pavelski can do at this point but the X-factor portion of this is if he will be ready to go for the second round. It seems likely, since DeBoer said the 38-year-old forward was close for Game 6 and he would've needed an army to keep Pavelski out if there was a Game 7. If/when Pavelski returns, he should go back to the top line with Hintz and left wing Jason Robertson and Tyler Seguin to the third line. Full depth restored.  

 

Kraken: Seattle's penalty kill was so-so during the season (76.7 percent, 21st) but has been stellar in the playoffs. The Kraken are 88.9 percent, second to the Carolina Hurricanes (94.4 percent). They stymied the Avalanche, whose power play converted just 11.1 percent of the time (2-for-18).

 


WILL WIN IF:

Stars: Their depth continues to come through. The Stars are getting production from everyone, from top-line players like Hintz to Seguin on the power play (four goals) to Evgenii Dadonov (three goals, one assist), a forward acquired in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 26. Finding offense had been an issue for the Stars in the postseason. No such problem so far.

 

Kraken: Their penalty kill continues to be strong. The Stars can score in a lot of ways, but their power play was outstanding in the first round with nine goals that are tied with the Oilers for second behind the Boston Bruins (11). The Kraken obviously got off to a good start by holding the defending Stanley Cup champions at bay while on the man-advantage. If they can do the same to Dallas, they'll be on their way.

 


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Kraken were playing with house money in round one. I get that they just KO'd the defending champs, but those champs were pretty hobbled with injuries and other shit (like Nichushkin). Dallas is rock solid. Kinda think this is over in like... five.

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10 minutes ago, VegasRanger said:

I want to see the Kraken win it all.  That would just drive a dagger into the Knights fans here.  I can almost taste their tears. 

Judging by polls I've seen and other fans opinions from the league, that team and its fans don't seem too popular. 😆

Edited by Sharpshooter
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1 hour ago, Sharpshooter said:

Judging by polls I've seen and other fans opinions from the league, that team and its fans don't seem too popular. 😆

When they first started, I rooted for them to do well, except when they play the Rangers of course.  Then they had great success in their first year and then the fans started becoming annoying.  When they find out I am not a fan, they are shocked and start questioning me and asking them why not, since I live here.  I usually tell them that I am an adult and know hockey.

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