In order to boost their own playoff hopes, the Vegas Golden Knights find themselves tasked with snuffing out another.
On Thursday, the Golden Knights are back stateside for a game against the Seattle Kraken that carries serious playoff implications.
Venue: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
Date: Thursday, April 9
Time: 7:00 pm PST
How To Watch: ESPN+, SCRIPPS
Radio: 1340 AM, 94.7 FM
While the Golden Knights have put themselves back in Pacific Division title contention with a four-game win streak, the Kraken are officially on the brink with six straight losses. Should Vegas win or the Nashville Predators defeat the Utah Mammoth, the Kraken will be mathematically eliminated from postseason contention. With plenty to play for in their own right, the Golden Knights should have no issue in trying to rack up a couple more points, even if it means effectively putting their expansion brethren to the sword.
Here is what the Golden Knights should be looking to accomplish against their desperate division rival.
Hart of a warrior
The well-documented woes in net for the Golden Knights this season may have found an answer in Carter Hart.
Since returning from April 2, Hart has taken over as the de facto starting goaltender for the Golden Knights. The decision has paid off so far, as Hart has only allowed five goals in his last three starts, including just one goal in the previous game against the Vancouver Canucks. Against a Kraken team that has failed to score more than two goals in the last six games, another solid effort in net would do wonders for both Hart’s growing confidence and his team’s chances at winning.
Changing directions
Amidst challenges in the second half of the season, both the Golden Knights and Kraken have committed to serious changes in leadership.
The Golden Knights have made their decision with a coaching change by replacing Bruce Cassidy with John Tortorella, and the early returns have been promising so far. Meanwhile, the Kraken announced on Wednesday that president of hockey operations Ron Francis would not be returning next season, meaning a change in philosophy could be coming in Seattle. Do not be surprised if that puts a sense of urgency in the locker room to see who works their way into future plans.
Digging deeper
Even with their top players not landing on the scoresheet, the Golden Knights got promising developments from their depth against the Canucks.
Brayden McNabb and Cole Smith are not known for their goal scoring abilities, but both of them found the back of the net in Vancouver to help the Golden Knights escape a trap game. It is always a good sign to get scoring from players who are not usually relied upon for offense, as depth makes plenty of difference come playoff time. If those contributions continue on top of what the stars tend to provide, the Golden Knights could still emerge as a tough out.